In the ever-evolving ServiceNow ecosystem, a strong data foundation is no longer optional—it's essential. With the introduction of the new, and now free, Certified Implementation Specialist (CIS) - Data Foundations exam, ServiceNow is emphasizing the critical importance of data governance. If you're a platform owner, administrator, or developer, this is your signal to level up. In this guide, I'm sharing my personal journey and a complete roadmap to mastering this new certification. You'll get my firsthand impression of the exam, the exact study approach I used, and a consolidated list of the key topics you need to know, from the CSDM framework to CMDB health and governance. Let's crack the code on this foundational exam together and set you up for long-term success on the platform.