(rant) One thing you take for granted in a test

Question

.... is knowing what question you are on, and how many questions are left. Not the case with 070-467 (at least): the exam is split into several sections, each with its own numbering, and the "overall" question number is not displayed. Or did
I miss it? Dear Microsoft, please correct me if I am wrong. 

Answer 1

Actually, let me go ahead and just include the letter I sent to Microsoft. (The European version; the US never responded).
Microsoft Regional Education Service Centre
Postfach 4000
33414 Verl
Germany
November 16, 2014
Re:  “Designing Business Intelligence Solutions with Microsoft SQL Server” (070-467) exam
Dear Sir or Madam,
I am currently pursuing
MCSE: Business Intelligence certification. Having passed four levels of the certification program, I stumbled on the fifth and last one, exam 070-467, taking and failing the
test three times. Although a high degree of frustration could be expected from a triple-fail test taker, I believe that there are real problems with this specific exam. Allow me to share with you a few elements of my experience with 070-467.
My scores over the three attempts were 576, 576 and 610 - falling well below the passing score of 700 and my scores on the preceding exams. In my mind, this suggests three questions.
First, one wonders whether the published exam description is adequate, if apparently fairly conscientious and experienced candidates - who, after all, have passed four exams before attempting 070-467 - fail with low scores. Second, one questions the test-scoring
method (specifically, conversion of a raw score into a scaled score), if candidate’s preparation yields either a tiny score improvement, or no improvement at all. Third, one has concerns about the test questions, if a candidate fails to significantly improve
his score even with the benefit of knowing the questions encountered over a previous attempt.
Continuing with the last point above, I have repeatedly had issues with test questions, and raised multiple item challenges after each exam attempt. In all cases but one, I was
granted a free exam retake - although, in honesty, I don’t know if this was because my complaint had merit, or
because MCP
Customer Service “felt bad” about a missed response deadline. (In one case, resolution of an item challenge took 8 weeks). In the case where my item challenge was denied, I received
no explanation.
Among the problematic test questions, I distinguish those which ask the candidate to select the best option among a set of choices, and feature two equally acceptable options. For
example, there is a test question which asks one to choose between <REMOVED> . After considerable Internet research, I cannot select either one as a “best practice”. (I also hesitate to ask the question online, as this could be interpreted as an exam-policy
violation). Note that such questions are likely to have more “wrong” answers, and be over-weighed in the total score. 
Some of the test questions are organized around specific scenarios. Have the test authors noticed just how long the scenario descriptions have become? On my last test attempt, I
recall seeing a scenario described over, I would guess, a dozen tabs. (Furthermore, (a) two of these tabs seemed to contradict each other with regard to a specific requirement, (b) one question referred to a business requirement that I failed to locate in
the text). I urge the exam team to avoid making the test about candidate’s speed-reading skills and short-term memory.
Point (4) complains about long questions, but sometimes answers are long too. My latest exam featured a question where one had to select one of several MDX queries. Each query choice
included 7-10 long lines that did not fit in the small frame, so that one had to scroll both vertically and horizontally to see the text. As in (4), is this a suitable challenge?
A taken-for-granted part of test experience is knowing how many questions have been answered, and how many remain. Strangely, in 070-467, one has no way to tell the number of the
current question! I have resorted to keeping count on my memo pad, but on the latest attempt, a counting mistake cost me six questions I had no time for.
In my opinion, 070-467 materials and presentation are in need of review and change. With 070-467 being the last stop of the MCSE: BI track, it is important
to produce a positive last impression on the people with high personal investment in Microsoft certification. 
Sincerely,