Developing a Digital
Badge Roadmap
Veronica Diaz, PhD
vdiaz@educause.edu
@drvdiaz
Director, Online Programs, Associate
Director, EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative
EDUCAUSE
Image source: shutterstock

COMPETENCY-BASED
DIGITAL BADGES
What if we built learning
experiences around

7 Steps to Badging
1. Identify badge components
2. Map meaning to each badge and to the overall badge
system
3. Determine relationships within a badge system and how a
learner may progress through the system
4. Design badge benefits, opportunities, and rewards into
the system
5. Develop an assessment strategy
6. Technology considerations, i.e., sharing capability,
participant badge system plans, technology, badging tools
and platforms
7. Develop the graphic design of the badges

Constellation Design: Step 1
• Individual skill or knowledge
development
• Summative achievement
• Progressive or milestone
accomplishments
• Other
Image source: shutterstock

Map Meaning to Each Badge and to the
Overall Badge System: Step 2
• The foundation of each badge is one of the course-
program- ?-level competencies.
• Next: determine what criteria one will need to meet
to demonstrate competency and earn the associated
digital badge.

Assessment Strategy: Step 3
• Review of a submission
of evidence or an
authentic artifact
created during a
learning experience or
activity
• Peer review of work
• Verified participation at
an event or in a learning
program
• Test, quiz, or other
formal assessment

Relationships within and Progression
through the
Badge System
Step 4

• The constellation
should guide the
learner, show the path
• Determine how one
component of your
system relates to
another
• Several smaller
achievements may be
necessary before a
more meaningful
badge is awarded

YOU TRY IT
Planning a Badging
Roadmap Worksheet

Benefits, Opportunities,
and Rewards: Step 5
• Motivation
• Rewards
• Opportunities
• Extrinsic or intrinsic
motivators
• Communicating value
in the metadata

Metadata Sample

Technology Considerations:
Step 6

Graphic Design: Step 7
• How should one
balance the skills or
competency
represented by the
badge with the granting
institution’s brand?
• If your badge system
has multiple tracks or
categories, how should
those taxonomies be
reflected in the design?
• Will you display a logo
on the badges? Does
the logo need to
integrate with the
institutional, unit, or
departmental brand?
• Will the badge graphic
include a year?
• Will the badge color or
art change from year to
year?

WHAT WE LEARNED

Lessons Learned
Badge what you have.
Flickr Photo, hellolapomme, https://flic.kr/p/4TxryM
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

Lessons Learned
Stack with care.
Flickr Photo, Jeff Laitila, https://flic.kr/p/6pwSCU
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/

Lessons Learned
Educate and communicate.
Flickr Photo, Chris Perriman, https://flic.kr/p/f8JP7q
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/

Lessons Learned
Design matters.
Flickr Photo, James Beattie, https://flic.kr/p/5APTfY
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

Lessons Learned
Metadata matters.

Lessons Learned
Program planning is challenging.
Flickr Photo, Kim Quintano, https://flic.kr/p/oC6mFg
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

Badging Resources
• Developing a Higher Education Badging Initiative:
http://www.educause.edu/library/resources/develop
ing-higher-education-badging-initiative
• The Potential and Value of Using Digital Badges for Adult Learners:
https://lincs.ed.gov/publications/pdf/AIR_Digital_Badge_Report_50
8.pdf
• 7 Things You Should Know About Badging for Professional
Development: http://www.educause.edu/library/resources/7-
things-you-should-know-about-badging-professional-development
• 10 Lessons Learned in Launching and Award Winning Digital
Badging Program: http://nextgenlearning.org/blog/10-lessons-
learned-award-winning-digital-badging-program

Badging Resources
• EDUCAUSE Badging Program:
http://www.educause.edu/badging
• Microcredentials and Badging Constituent Group:
http://www.educause.edu/discuss/information-
technology-management-and-leadership/microcredentials-
and-badges-constituent-group
• 7 Things You Should Know About the Evolution of the
Transcript
– https://library.educause.edu/resources/2016/1/7-things-you-
should-know-about-the-evolution-of-the-transcript
• EDUCAUSE Badging Resources
– http://www.educause.edu/library/badges
– https://library.educause.edu/topics/teaching-and-
learning/credentialing

Veronica Diaz, PhD
Associate Director, EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative
Director, EDUCAUSE Online Programs
EDUCAUSE
@drvdiaz
vdiaz@educause.edu
http://www.educause.edu/eli
https://www.linkedin.com/in/veronica-diaz/