Hale Center's Credentialing Services

The Center has developed innovative tools and methods for developing standards, identifying competencies, determining the level of a job, fairly conducting merit reviews, assessing work portfolios, and defining the environmental factors that influence job performance. We have experience developing credentials for small populations.

Here is some information about what distinguishes our work as it relates to certification.

1. Our processes and criteria related to certification are documented. The documentation addresses feasibility, business case, governance, administration, assessment and testing, analysis and validation, remediation, rewards, benefits, and public relations and communication. The benefits? You get a model you can use for other jobs and a way to communicate the scope of the initiative to management and other stakeholders.

2. We build on the work you have already done (competencies, training, tests, etc.) and the technological systems you have in place (electronic communication, testing, conferencing, tracking, registration, etc.) rather than requiring you to start over. The benefit? You can leverage your investments to date.

3. We encourage you to base the qualification process on proven performance over time instead of or in addition to a test score. Where appropriate, we incorporate training and testing as steps in the process. The tests can include simulations, problem scenarios, check of work performed or produced, and the other more typical methods (multiple-choice, etc.). The benefit is a more defensible process that can be linked to a business driver and is easier to maintain.

4. We encourage you to incorporate multiple criteria such as productivity measures (time at task, volume of work produced, etc.), customer satisfaction measures, quality measures (accuracy, compliance, etc.), process measures (cycle time and response time), financial measures (costs avoided, within budget, etc.), and the like. In addition to strengthened defensibility, the benefit is a process that provides a legitimate platform to question expectations, assure consistent direction from management, challenge the adequacy of support systems, and confirm what will be accepted as evidence of proficiency and by whom.

5. We have standards and proven methods for:

· Selecting and writing items including multiple choice, fill-in, matching, and performance checklists.

· Setting pass scores and doing item analysis.

· Validating tests and test administrative procedures.

· Qualifying jurors.

· Identifying competencies and developing performance standards.

· Determining the level of a job.

· Fairly conducting merit reviews.

· Defining the environmental factors that influence job performance.

6. We assist clients in:

· Revalidating or updating existing certifications and their certification processes.

· Coordinating the process for implementing a new credential.

· Getting their credentials registered.

Please contact us at Judy@HaleCenter.org for a discussion of your needs.