Performance Test Creation: Design Phase

Design

The two final deliverables of the design phase are a test specification (with scoring rubrics) and a prototype test (additional deliverables are listed below).

The experience of our members suggests that test specifications for performance tests can be built in days, simply because the direct linkages between performance specifications and job tasks are relatively easy to document and score. There are techniques designed specifically to quickly create performance test specifications. Building a prototype test is usually the other main deliverable of this phase, assuming that one was not constructed as a proof-of-concept in the analysis phase. Often this is simply one representative job task that is tested and scored using the techniques that are anticipated to be used when the test is delivered. It is a good practice to feed the actual cost data of building the prototype back into the pro-forma business plan of the Analysis phase to further refine its estimates. However, note that the cost estimates are non-linear. The cost of building the performance test for the first job task is much greater that the average, while the cost of building the 10th is much less. Again, anecdotal evidence suggests that the cost of building a test of the 10th job task is below that of building an adequate cognitive assessment for that job task.

Intermediate deliverables of the design phase are: evidence-based job/task analysis; detailed test specification with scoring rubrics; method research and report (what is real cost, in time and people, to build it?); prototype test; usability test results; prioritized list of design changes; and data interface specification.

Click here for an elaboration of the next phase: Development.





		Design The two final deliverables of the design phase are a test specification (with scoring rubrics) and a prototype test (additional deliverables are listed below). The experience of our members suggests that test specifications for performance tests can be built in days, simply because the direct linkages between performance specifications and job tasks are relatively easy to document and score. There are techniques designed specifically to quickly create performance test specifications. Building a prototype test is usually the other main deliverable of this phase, assuming that one was not constructed as a proof-of-concept in the analysis phase. Often this is simply one representative job task that is tested and scored using the techniques that are anticipated to be used when the test is delivered. It is a good practice to feed the actual cost data of building the prototype back into the pro-forma business plan of the Analysis phase to further refine its estimates. However, note that the cost estimates are non-linear. The cost of building the performance test for the first job task is much greater that the average, while the cost of building the 10th is much less. Again, anecdotal evidence suggests that the cost of building a test of the 10th job task is below that of building an adequate cognitive assessment for that job task. Intermediate deliverables of the design phase are: evidence-based job/task analysis; detailed test specification with scoring rubrics; method research and report (what is real cost, in time and people, to build it?); prototype test; usability test results; prioritized list of design changes; and data interface specification. Click here for an elaboration of the next phase: Development.