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The Professional Testing Blog

Revitalizing & Expanding Credentialing Programs: Strategies for Growth & Engagement

Presented by:
Cynthia Allen, MA, ICE-CPP, President, SeaCrest
Michael Mayer, PMP, President, Prolydian; and
Christine D. Niero, PhD, Vice President, Professional Certification, Professional Testing, Inc.

In this webinar, industry professionals present three phases to revitalize your certification program, wherever it is in its lifecycle: 1: Analysis & Retrospective provides strategies for examining the overall health of a program using meaningful performance indicators; 2: Evolution & Implementation provides strategies for diagnosing and analyzing factors contributing to the need for potential changes and implementing targeted improvements; and 3: Evaluation & Realignment provides strategies for continuous assessment and maintenance to help credentialing programs evolve to meet changing industry and workforce needs. Here are some highlights from the webinar.

Analysis & Retrospective

In Phase 1: Analysis & Retrospective, it’s important to identify what is working and what is not working across key components of your certification program. One way to do this is to use program metrics and KPI’s to gather data on indicators such as: the candidate experience; completion rates; retakes; pass rates; and projected revenues. Certification personnel should also determine where and why candidates drop off in the application and examination process; the accessibility and effectiveness of prep materials and candidate communications; any barriers to completion or successful outcomes; and common themes in candidate feedback. It is also important to gather feedback from industry stakeholders such as employers to determine the alignment of credential holders with hiring and workforce needs, the relevance of the competencies being assessed to job-relatedness, and recertification and renewal trends. These data will yield insights into the perceived value and benefits of the credential.

Conducting a competitive market analysis will enable certification organizations to assess where their program places in the broader credentialing ecosystem, for example, against competing credentials in your field. The market analysis should include pricing, delivery models, accessibility and other features such as candidate support. Understanding your market position can highlight opportunities for improvement, expansion or repositioning. It will also enable you to distinguish the unique features of your program from your competition.

It is also important for credentialing organizations to look inward and assess if the credential still aligns with organizational goals, for example, revenue, workforce development initiatives, stakeholder and subject-matter-expert (SME) expectations, and continued viability within the field or profession. This is a good opportunity for organizations to examine the internal workings that support the program, such as the integration of LMS and CRM systems, examination delivery platforms, automation and other efficiencies to optimize operations and enhance growth.

The results of analysis will yield data that can identify opportunities for improvement, inform decision-making about these opportunities, prioritize next steps, and present a pathway for moving forward.

Evolution & Implementation

In Phase 2: Evolution & Implementation, credentialing organizations can work on strategies to evolve a struggling program or build on its current offerings. A good place to start is with a realignment of the program with audience needs based on the data collected in Phase I. For example, if your certification is targeted to an entry-level audience, determine if it still meets the needs of candidates, stakeholders, and the industry or profession, or if it’s time to evolve to a different level, e.g. advanced or specialty. There may be a need for multiple levels as the audience advance in their careers. Consideration should also be given to the delivery method of the exam and its accessibility—credentialing organizations should ask if testing opportunities can and should be expanded and review application processes and requirements to assure there are no unnecessary barriers to qualifying and sitting the exam. For example, the application and eligibility criteria established at the outset of the program may no longer be necessary, or other pathways may have emerged over time.

Understanding the characteristics and demographics of the applicant pool and certified persons will also help organizations determine if additional support and resources are required, for example, training opportunities, practice exams, or other prep tools. Consideration should be given to the recertification model regarding the purpose, scope, level and requirements for recertification to make sure they align with the purposes of the certification. Specific requirements should be reviewed to determine if there are unnecessary barriers which can be removed, or if alternative pathways have emerged over time. This will help to keep certified persons engaged and will reinforce the value of credential maintenance. Of course, any changes should be rooted in the purpose, scope, and level of the program.

Just as the needs of the workforce evolve, so too can credentialing options to meet those needs. Credentialing organizations might consider developing micro-credentials or skills-based certificates to provide opportunities for certified persons to up-skill or attain supplemental knowledge. Partnering with industry stakeholders can help credentialing organizations identify what additional skills may be required or expected of certified persons.

As credentialing organizations implement strategies to increase their viability and value, it is important to understand the needs of the audiences that the credential serves, e.g. certified persons, regulators, employers, and the industry/profession, and to make purposeful and data driven decisions. As your program evolves and as changes are implemented, be sure to carefully manage change and monitor the effects of change on the organization’s resources, its brand, the experience of current and potential certified persons, the expectations of end-users, and the reputation of the organization.

Evaluation & Realignment

In Phase 3: Evaluation & Realignment, it’s important for credentialing organizations to continuously monitor and manage change for relevance, viability and value. This begins with data. Credentialing programs have access to a wealth of data at every point of engagement—inquiry, application, examination, recertification and ongoing customer service—so use it! Data will enable organizations to make purposeful decisions regarding many program elements, for example, eligibility pathways, exam prep tools, examination delivery models, recertification options and types of credentials offered. With direct access to prospective and certified persons, certification organizations can periodically check-in on the most valuable services provided, connect certified persons, and build a community of resources and support. Credentialing organizations have a unique audience from which to directly collect feedback through surveys, focus groups, town-halls and chats to determine program changes, improve services, and keep a pulse on the value and benefits of certification. In addition to making purposeful program decisions, data can be used to generate content and other relevant information to give back to the certification community.

The end-users of certification, for example, employers, regulators, and academic institutions are also good sources from which to collect data to inform future directions of your program. End-users yield valuable input regarding the needs of the workforce or industry/profession; gaps in skills or knowledge of practitioners; opportunities to develop additional credentials such as micro-credentials; changing trends in the workforce or on the job; and alignment of the credential with the expectations of employers. Engaging stakeholders will help to keep your certification program at the fore and may direct candidates your way.

Building relationships with industry stakeholders is more important than ever to helping you leverage the strengths of your credentialing program and to stay in touch with industry and workforce trends that may inform future growth and directions for your program. Relationship building may also enable you to determine if there are opportunities for partnerships with industry in research; credential embedding for prospective candidates to seek certification post-graduation; and alignment of industry training or academic programs with prerequisites for certification. Industry stakeholders may also be a good source of subject-matter-experts (SMEs) which can create further buy-in to the certification program. Routine stakeholder engagement can be an effective way to assess continued program viability and relevance.

Promoting the value of certification is an ongoing activity and every aspect of your credentialing program, every change, revision or realignment that you make, is an opportunity to promote its value, whether you are improving customer service, developing a new credential, revalidating an existing one, or conducting research. Tell your story every step of the way. In doing so, be sure to highlight the tangible benefits of certification, for example, employer satisfaction, preference in hiring for credential holders, job advancement or promotions for credential holders, time saved in training new hires, and other benefits to the credential. Also be sure to promote the activities and processes most people will not see, for example, implementing best practices in examination development and maintenance; assuring examination security; and requiring a Code of Ethics as a condition of earning and maintaining certification. Be sure to underscore the quality and integrity of all program elements, including the importance of fairness and impartiality throughout the certification process. Promoting the value of your certification program can enhance engagement and reinforce its viability.

In monitoring engagement and assessing your program for continued viability, don’t forget to review your program for mission relevance. This means reviewing the mission of the certification for alignment with the needs it is intended to meet and the stakeholders it is intended to serve. Have those needs evolved, or have changes to the industry or profession, or the program itself, necessitated changes to the mission? This is a good time to engage stakeholders and leadership in the discussion. Hand-in-hand with a review of the program’s mission is a reexamination of the governance structure to make sure it supports the mission. As programs evolve, the role, structure and scope of the governing body will evolve as well. This may entail reconsidering the categories of expertise represented, stakeholders involved, size, term lengths, number, and types of supporting committees. As you implement strategies to revitalize and expand your credentialing program, be sure to conduct an audit of program policies to assure they support program growth and change, for example, the data you collect, use of AI, and remotely proctored exams. Check that the policies are fair and impartial, address all decisions related to certification, and do not unintentionally disadvantage anyone. In short, as credentialing programs grow and expand their engagement, governance practices and associated documents such as bylaws and policies need to be reviewed and revised accordingly. Growth should not get ahead of governance. Self-analysis and assessment is a commitment; it is an essential and continuous process for monitoring the success of your credentialing program and assuring its future.

Programs, organizations, and industries evolve over time, some faster than others. Creating proactive mechanisms to gather and monitor feedback and adapt to the findings is essential to staying relevant and valuable to the audience served. Whether your program is facing challenges or repositioning itself for growth, the practical insights and strategies offered in this webinar will help you to future-proof your credentialing initiatives and guide your efforts.

For access to the webinar https://vimeo.com/1090230165.

Categorized in: Industry News