Delivering Quality in Certification Tuesday, August 18, 2009 12:45 – 2:00 PM Content Leaders: Christine D. Niero, PhD Vice President Professional Testing Steven Schoolcraft, CSP, PE, CAE Examination Director Board of Certified Safety Professionals Aaron White Vice President FirstPoint Management Resources Executive Director Cardiovascular Credentialing International Connecting Great Ideas and Great People www.asaecenter.org

Participant Demographics Association CEOs or staff Certification CEOs or staff Thinking about developing a program New program < 2 years Program between 3 – 5 years Program between 6 – 10 years Program 10+ years Accredited programs

Association CEOs or staff

Certification CEOs or staff

Thinking about developing a program

New program < 2 years

Program between 3 – 5 years

Program between 6 – 10 years

Program 10+ years

Accredited programs

Unique Purposes of Certification Certification is a unique business model …(1 of 3) Establish an industry standard Own a body of knowledge (IP) Assess competence

Certification is a unique business model …(1 of 3)

Establish an industry standard

Own a body of knowledge (IP)

Assess competence

Unique Purposes of Certification Certification is a unique business model …(2 of 3) Meet needs of advancement for practitioners (personally and professionally)

Certification is a unique business model …(2 of 3)

Meet needs of advancement for practitioners (personally and professionally)

Unique Purposes of Certification Certification is a unique business model …(3 of 3) Safeguard the public’s trust Other—revenue, new products & services, competition

Certification is a unique business model …(3 of 3)

Safeguard the public’s trust

Other—revenue, new products & services, competition

Best Practice Best practices lead to quality in certification and quality management… Key concepts: Integrity Autonomy Independence Authority ISO/IEC 17024 Accreditation Standards

Best practices lead to quality in certification and quality management…

Key concepts:

Integrity

Autonomy

Independence

Authority

ISO/IEC 17024 Accreditation Standards

Major Program Areas Evaluated based on key concepts …(1 of 2) Governance Policies & Procedures Program elements—eligibility, exam, recertification, ethics and disciplinary Management system

Evaluated based on key concepts …(1 of 2)

Governance

Policies & Procedures

Program elements—eligibility, exam, recertification, ethics and disciplinary

Management system

Major Program Areas Evaluated based on key concepts …(2 of 2) Personnel—voluntary, paid & contracted Financial viability Protection of IP & ownership of property Security Ongoing evaluation of program

Evaluated based on key concepts …(2 of 2)

Personnel—voluntary, paid & contracted

Financial viability

Protection of IP & ownership of property

Security

Ongoing evaluation of program

Transitioning Practices to Delivering Quality through Management Relevance of best practices in delivering on the purposes of certification and how best practices relate to the management and business externally and internally to the certification program.

Relevance of best practices in delivering on the purposes of certification and how best practices relate to the management and business externally and internally to the certification program.

Quality Management Governance and Policy Management Systems Personnel Planning/Implementation Customer Service

Governance and Policy

Management Systems

Personnel

Planning/Implementation

Customer Service

Governance and Policy Strategically Commissioned Flexible and Agile for Handling the Business Sensible Structure and Electoral Processes

Strategically Commissioned

Flexible and Agile for Handling the Business

Sensible Structure and Electoral Processes

Governance and Policy Documented Committee Operating Procedures Documented Board-to-Staff Liaison Processes

Documented Committee Operating Procedures

Documented Board-to-Staff Liaison Processes

Management Systems Focus on the processes, not the people. Understand the end, then develop the means to the end. Listen to what your customers are saying.

Focus on the processes, not the people.

Understand the end, then develop the means to the end.

Listen to what your customers are saying.

Management Systems Measure. Simplify. Improve. (and repeat.)

Measure.

Simplify.

Improve.

(and repeat.)

Personnel – Volunteers Limited availability Passionate about the profession Top-drawer Practitioners Not experts in association and credentialing management

Limited availability

Passionate about the profession

Top-drawer Practitioners

Not experts in association and credentialing management

Personnel – Paid Full-time or part-time Management experience Practitioners? Maybe. Implements Board Direction Requires accountability to the Board

Full-time or part-time

Management experience

Practitioners? Maybe.

Implements Board Direction

Requires accountability to the Board

Planning and Integration of Program Elements Integrate program quality early in the certification’s lifecycle Ensure the program will remain a going concern

Integrate program quality early in the certification’s lifecycle

Ensure the program will remain a going concern

Planning and Integration of Program Elements Establish defensible eligibility and recertification standards Incorporate meaningful ethical and professionals codes of conduct Establish and enforce disciplinary and appeal-related due process

Establish defensible eligibility and recertification standards

Incorporate meaningful ethical and professionals codes of conduct

Establish and enforce disciplinary and appeal-related due process

Customer Service Establish a consistent customer experience, while… Enforcing your policies Implementing hardship evaluations

Establish a consistent customer experience, while…

Enforcing your policies

Implementing hardship evaluations

Customer Service Implement a fair, case-by-case hardship evaluation process Know where the money went Listen to the customer

Implement a fair, case-by-case hardship evaluation process

Know where the money went

Listen to the customer

Implementing Quality Management System Resource Management Operations Efficiency Quality Product Output Competition

Resource Management

Operations Efficiency

Quality Product Output

Competition

Resource Management What is the best use of the organizations financial and human resources: Will the investment improve the validity of the program? Will the investment improve the recognition of the credential?

What is the best use of the organizations financial and human resources:

Will the investment improve the validity of the program?

Will the investment improve the recognition of the credential?

Operations Efficiency The cost of a program to a constituent (both examination and renewal fees) must always be kept in mind. Operational efficiencies are crucial for proper cost structures.

The cost of a program to a constituent (both examination and renewal fees) must always be kept in mind.

Operational efficiencies are crucial for proper cost structures.

Quality Product Output Assess the quality of the program through surveys… Constituents: Exam Content Constituents: Credential Recognition Industry: Exam Content Industry: Credential Recognition

Assess the quality of the program through surveys…

Constituents: Exam Content

Constituents: Credential Recognition

Industry: Exam Content

Industry: Credential Recognition

Quality Product Output Assess the quality of the program through (other means than Surveys)… (Post to Certification Institute)

Assess the quality of the program through (other means than Surveys)…

(Post to Certification Institute)

Competition Competition is GOOD…as long as the field of practice can support multiple programs. Differentiate yourself… third party accreditation, marketing your values, customer service, cooperative with competition.

Competition is GOOD…as long as the field of practice can support multiple programs.

Differentiate yourself… third party accreditation, marketing your values, customer service, cooperative with competition.

Contact Information Christine D. Niero, PhD: cniero@proftesting.com Steven Schoolcraft, CSP, PE, CAE: steven@bcsp.org Aaron White: awhite@firstpointresources.com SEE YOU NEXT YEAR! Annual Meeting & Expo August 21 - 24, 2010 Los Angeles, CA