Many industry alliances and associations exist for the purpose of institutionalizing some kind of standard, whether it’s knowledge-based, process-based, or technology-based. To achieve this, certification programs are a powerful tool for such organizations to consistently and equitably evaluate adoptions of a standard, and these can take countless forms, but many share several common components.
Test Program: A means of evaluating compliance with a given standard. Test program content is typically created by subject-matter experts from the alliance. Depending on the standard and content being evaluated, the test program itself may take many different forms.
Candidates: Represent the person or thing undergoing evaluation by a test program. Depending on the nature of the program, candidates’ credentials for accessing the (right) program might need to be verified.
Test Process: Encompasses the means by which candidates interact with the evaluation. The process could range from using an online web tool to physically visiting a third-party test lab facility.
Test Data: This includes the raw output from the test program evaluation of candidates. The data must be reviewed for accuracy/completeness by the Certification Authority.
Test Result: Represents the output of the test process after a candidate has undergone a test program assessment, and the test data review is complete. A test result is typically stated as a “Pass” or “Fail” conclusion. In accordance with a “Pass” result, some physical proof of success, such as a certificate or a license to use a certification program mark, is granted to the candidate to display. In addition, alliances commonly maintain a central listing of all completed certifications for public marketing and validation purposes.
Assembling and managing the real-time coordination of these common components involves many different facets of expertise. Preparation is key; a well–designed and implemented certification program will be scalable and robust, able to absorb changes and be managed smoothly on a day-to-day basis. Many alliance membership pools lack the broad experience or simply the available time to appropriately service these critical needs.
With more than 35 years of helping alliances and associations succeed, Inventures has seen it all. We have the knowledge to raise the thoughtful questions and concerns to help design certification programs that can handle the unexpected and future requirements. We also have the templates to help your design go faster and the experts and capabilities to make the program happen and keep it running smoothly.