Program Planning
Strategic and Policy Planning
PES will partner with you to articulate strategic goals for your program and to map out the steps needed to achieve those goals. We understand that the policy decisions your organization makes about education, experience, and examination requirements represent the highly visible indicators of the value and meaning of your credential - these policy decisions should flow logically from your mission and should present a consistent message to your stakeholders about your credential.
PES will help you to define the credentialing mission and your organization's vision and to integrate that mission into policies that are reflected in your program objectives. By facilitating discussions among your key stakeholders, we will assist you in developing recommendations for guidelines for initial eligibility requirements, including specific criteria for education and experience. By considering similarities and differences among recently and less recently credentialed practitioners, we will also assist you in developing recommendations for guidelines for professional development initiatives and recertification criteria.
New Program Feasibility
PES can design and implement a study to evaluate demand for a prospective new credential, specialty or advanced practice designation, or assessment-based certificate. We understand that a new program involves more than just the test, and ask the right questions to assess its potential impact on your organization, mission, and services. Through a comprehensive analysis of stakeholder support, the size and growth rate of the targeted candidate population, and the organizational resources required to support the program, a new program feasibility study will help you to understand and evaluate the prospective program’s financial viability, both short- and long-term. Ultimately, the results of the study will provide a sound basis for a “go/no-go” decision and inform program policies should you decide to proceed.
Transition to CBT
When and how your organization implements computer-based testing (CBT) can have a tremendous impact on your credentialing program’s credibility and the satisfaction of stakeholders. PES offers the following advisory and planning services to guide your organization’s decision making related to the transition to CBT:
- An independent study of your credentialing program to ascertain the likely impact of a transition to CBT. Tailored to your specific needs and finances, this study will examine psychometric issues and trade-offs, implications in terms of cost and candidate convenience, timing and preparation issues, and stakeholder perceptions, and will enable you to make sound, informed decisions on the future direction and nature of your credentialing program.
- Management of the RFP process to select the CBT solution that best fits the needs, priorities, and finances of your organization.
- Strategic guidance regarding the economic and practical implications of CBT on program related activities and issues, including, but not limited, to application processing, candidate communications, data transfer, item and examination development, scoring and reporting, frequency of testing, policies and procedures, and fees.
