Quick skill test · 25 questions · 25 minutes · Free

Engineering Manager Test

Tests advanced engineering management skill — leading people through 1:1s, feedback and growth, hiring and designing teams, delivery and engineering metrics, technical strategy, quality and incidents, and communicating with stakeholders while building a healthy culture. Pass to earn Engineering Management SOA-ENGM.

What is the Engineering Manager Test?

The Engineering Manager Test is a free advanced-level, 25-minute skill test from Science of Apps. It tests advanced engineering management skill — leading people through 1:1s, feedback and growth, hiring and designing teams, delivery and engineering metrics, technical strategy, quality and incidents, and communicating with stakeholders while building a healthy culture. Score 70% or more on its 25 questions to earn a verifiable Engineering Management certificate (SOA-ENGM). Every question is based on published standards and research — including Leading effectively (Center for Creative Leadership), Team Topologies key concepts (Team Topologies), DORA research (DORA (Google Cloud)) — and each answer is explained with its source.

Built for your job title

Engineering manager, Tech lead moving into management, Director of engineering, Senior software engineer and CTO at a startup — and anyone who wants quick, verifiable proof of Engineering Manager skills for a CV or LinkedIn.

  • Engineering manager
  • Tech lead moving into management
  • Director of engineering
  • Senior software engineer
  • CTO at a startup

What the test covers

Five skill areas with 5 questions each, drawn from a bank of 10 per area, so a retake brings questions you haven't seen.

  1. 01

    People Leadership

    20%
    • 1:1s and growth
    • Feedback
    • Performance
  2. 02

    Hiring and Team Design

    20%
    • Hiring
    • Team structures
    • Onboarding
  3. 03

    Delivery and Execution

    20%
    • Planning and estimation
    • Engineering metrics
    • Managing scope
  4. 04

    Technical Strategy and Quality

    20%
    • Technical debt
    • Architecture decisions
    • Incidents and reliability
  5. 05

    Stakeholders, Communication and Culture

    20%
    • Managing up and across
    • Communication
    • Culture and values

Based on published standards

The questions are original scenarios, and each one names the public standard, official guide or research it draws on — shown under the question while you answer, and linked in your review. These are the sources behind this test:

Try a sample question

The four DORA software delivery metrics are deployment frequency, lead time for changes, change failure rate and

  1. hours worked by each engineer
  2. number of lines of code written
  3. number of story points per sprint
  4. time to restore service after a failure
Show the answer

D. time to restore service after a failure — They balance speed and stability. The real test has 25 questions like this.

How the test works

  1. 25 minutes, 25 questions

    One question per screen, with a progress bar and a countdown. Your progress is saved on this device if you need to pause.

  2. Graded on our server

    Answers reach the page only after you submit, so the certificate can only be earned by passing.

  3. Every answer explained

    Pass or not, you see every question with the right answer, why, and the source behind it. Pass mark 70%, distinction 90%.

  4. Your certificate

    Founder-signed, with a QR code and credential ID. Download PDF or PNG, add to LinkedIn, and it's emailed to you.

What you earn

A Science of Apps certificate for Software Engineering & Web Development: ivory paper with a gold medal
LinkedIn-ready certificate

Pass, then add it to LinkedIn in one click

No typing. The Add to LinkedIn button opens your profile’s Licenses & certifications form already filled in: the certificate name, Science of Apps as the issuer, the issue date, your credential ID and a link recruiters can use to verify it.

  1. 1Take the 25-minute test
  2. 2Score 70% or more
  3. 3Click Add to LinkedIn
Free · no sign-up · also emailed to you as a PDF
How it shows on your LinkedIn profile

See every Software & web dev certification and test →

Frequently asked questions

What is the Engineering Manager Test?

The Engineering Manager Test is a free advanced-level, 25-minute skill test from Science of Apps. It tests advanced engineering management skill — leading people through 1:1s, feedback and growth, hiring and designing teams, delivery and engineering metrics, technical strategy, quality and incidents, and communicating with stakeholders while building a healthy culture. Score 70% or more on its 25 questions to earn a verifiable Engineering Management certificate (SOA-ENGM). Every question is based on published standards and research — including Leading effectively (Center for Creative Leadership), Team Topologies key concepts (Team Topologies), DORA research (DORA (Google Cloud)) — and each answer is explained with its source.

How do I take the Engineering Manager Test for free?

Read the five skill areas on this page, then take the 25-minute test online — no fee, course or sign-up. You see every answer explained when you finish. Score 70% or more and you get a Engineering Management certificate straight away, on screen, as a PDF and by email, with a credential ID anyone can verify.

Are the Engineering Manager Test questions based on real standards?

Yes. The questions are original scenarios written by Science of Apps, and each one is based on a public source you can read: Leading effectively (Center for Creative Leadership); Team Topologies key concepts (Team Topologies); DORA research (DORA (Google Cloud)); The remote playbook (GitLab Handbook); Gallup workplace research (Gallup); The validity and utility of selection methods in personnel psychology (Schmidt & Hunter, 1998) (Psychological Bulletin). The source is shown under each question and linked in the answer review. Science of Apps doesn't copy questions from other tests.

What does the Engineering Manager Test cover?

Five skill areas with five questions each, drawn from a bank of 10 per area so a retake brings new questions: People Leadership (1:1s and growth, Feedback and Performance); Hiring and Team Design (Hiring, Team structures and Onboarding); Delivery and Execution (Planning and estimation, Engineering metrics and Managing scope); Technical Strategy and Quality (Technical debt, Architecture decisions and Incidents and reliability); Stakeholders, Communication and Culture (Managing up and across, Communication and Culture and values). Every question is an original scenario based on a published standard, official documentation or research, named under the question.

Who should take the Engineering Manager Test?

Engineering manager, Tech lead moving into management, Director of engineering, Senior software engineer and CTO at a startup. It suits anyone who wants a quick, verifiable way to show Engineering Manager skills, from students and career switchers to experienced professionals.

Can I use this for engineering manager interview questions, engineering management assessment or software engineering manager quiz?

Yes. The Engineering Manager Test is free and covers all of these: 25 scenario questions in 25 minutes, each answer explained with the source it comes from, so it works as interview and exam practice. It isn't a full course, so use the areas you miss as your study list. Scoring 70% or more earns a verifiable certificate.

Can I take the Engineering Manager Test from any country?

Yes. The test is online, in English and free everywhere — people take it from India, the US, the UK, Europe, Africa, Latin America and Asia-Pacific. Your certificate is dated with your own local date and can be verified from anywhere at scienceofapps.com/certification/verify/.

How long is the Engineering Manager Test?

25 questions — 5 from each of 5 skill areas — with a 25-minute limit. You need 70% (18 of 25) to pass and 90% for distinction.

How hard is the Engineering Manager Test?

We rate it Advanced: assumes years in the role or deep specialist knowledge. It has 25 scenario questions — 5 from each of 5 skill areas — and a 25-minute limit. You need 70% (18 of 25) to pass and 90% for distinction.

How much do Science of Apps certifications cost?

Nothing. There is no fee to take a test, to receive the certificate, to have it emailed or to verify it, and no sign-up.

How are the tests graded?

On our server, not in your browser. The answers never reach the page until you submit, so a certificate can only be earned by passing. Each certificate gets a unique credential ID stored by Science of Apps.

What happens if I don't pass?

You see your score for each area and every question with the correct answer and why, with the published source behind it. You can retake after 30 minutes, and the retake draws questions you haven't seen yet.

Do the certificates expire?

No. Every certificate is dated, so it always shows when you passed. Retake a test any time for a newer date or a higher score.

Can I add the certificate to LinkedIn?

Yes. After you pass, Add to LinkedIn opens the Licenses & certifications form with the certificate name, Science of Apps as the issuer, the issue date, your credential ID and the verification link filled in. You can also download it as a PDF or PNG, and it's emailed to you as a PDF.

How can an employer verify my certificate?

Every certificate has a credential ID and a QR code. Scanning it, or entering the ID at scienceofapps.com/certification/verify/, shows the holder's name, the certification, the score and the issue date from our records.

Are these accredited qualifications?

No. They are Science of Apps' own assessments of applied skill. They aren't issued by a university or standards body, and they work best alongside a portfolio that shows the skills in real work.

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