SmarterProctoring is an amazing tool. There is not another proctoring service like it. It is the only system that allows you to offer your students the full spectrum of both face-to-face and virtual proctoring modalities. SmarterProctoring also manages all of the details and workflows associated with scheduling, re-scheduling, providing accommodations, accepting payment, securely communicating passwords, anomaly reporting, and much more in one, convenient, LMS-integrated dashboard.
Because SmarterProctoring does so much, schools often like to test it out with a few faculty in a few courses through a product pilot. In this blog, I will be sharing 9 tips and strategies you can use to make sure your pilot is a success.
Take a look at this short video to learn more.
Don't want to watch the video? No problem! Keep scrolling to read the video summary.
Video Summary
9 Steps to Prepare for a Successful SmarterProctoring Pilot
1. Define the Scope
The first step for a successful pilot is defining the scope. It is really important that you identify early on what you expect from the pilot experience. If you're not sure what to expect, we're eager to have a conversation with you. Overall, we will collaborate with you to make a list of the features, functions, and services you plan to include and how you expect them to perform in the environment of your eLearning program.
You will also want to identify any applications and tools (i.e. LMS, testing engines, testing center scheduling software, etc.) that will interface with SmarterProctoring, and try to test as many connections as possible. It is a good practice to develop a contingency plan if a testing scenario fails, and be sure to describe how you expect to proceed after the pilot is complete.
2. Develop Objectives
Just as a faculty member first defines the learning objectives in a course, it is good to articulate the objectives of the pilot program. You will use the objectives to identify the criteria for measuring the pilot’s success.
Here are some example pilot program objectives:
- Quantify the degree to which SmarterProctoring meets your business requirements
- Verify that SmarterProctoring works properly in the business environment from an integration and user experience perspective.
- Observe the rate and ease of the deployment process into online courses.
- Document how SmarterProctoring adds value to the eLearning program.
3. Understand the Investment
Because SmarterProctoring is such an extensive solution, engaging in a pilot is a considerable investment of the time and resources of your school and SmarterServices. Our pledge to you is that we will commit the resources to ensure that you have a positive experience. In return, we expect that your organization will also commit the resources needed to engage in the pilot.
Even though the scope of a pilot may be for a limited number of faculty in a limited number of courses, recognize that the process of installing the software in your LMS, training the participating faculty, crafting the instructions for students, etc. is exactly the same as the full process for using the product enterprise-wide. During a pilot of SmarterProctoring, you receive the full product, not a “trial size.”
4. Identify the Requirements and Resources
Before starting the pilot, it is efficient to make a list of all of the necessary hardware and software that will be needed by the institution, faculty, and students. It is also good project management to identify all business, technical, user support, and SmarterServices personnel, including their role and responsibilities who will be involved in the pilot, and make a contact list so that all participants can be quickly contacted if needed.
5. Listen to Your Participants
During the planning stages of the pilot, it is important to listen to your participants, especially faculty who will be testing it in their courses. We recommend having faculty complete a survey or interview prompting them to identify the course they want to be included in the pilot, the enrollment size in the course, why they are interested in using SmarterProctoring, and other proctoring software they have previously used.
6. Secure Faculty Buy-In
The top reason why some schools do not have a positive proctoring experience is that they did not first secure buy-in from the participating faculty. It is tempting for an eLearning leader or testing center administrator to get excited about all of the management tools in SmarterProctoring and then launch a pilot. But if the faculty do not share this enthusiasm, they are likely not to carry through and the pilot process will stall.
After you have received the information from the faculty, make sure that you have buy-in from the faculty prior to the start of the pilot. Our experience is that if you select participating faculty who are comfortable with technology, collaborative in their efforts, and willing to try new things, that you will have a better experience.
7. Timeline and Evaluative Criteria
For each phase of the pilot, specify the persons responsible, the expected completion date, and the project completion date. It is also good to articulate individual criteria across a variety of categories, such as system performance, user satisfaction, and business goals. Each measurement description should include a target metric and an acceptable range of values. When you quantify the level of performance and satisfaction, this will make a go/no-go decision much easier than when you are dependent only on subjective feedback.
Include the processes by which lessons learned will be incorporated into the final solution deployment, the methods for assessing the quality of the pilot deployment process (such as user surveys, peer reviews, focus groups, and user interviews), and the procedures for identifying, assigning, and following up on action items related to deployment or product issues identified during the pilot.
8. Identify Risks
While pilots of any software are designed to be positive experiences, there are some populations of users who could be disadvantaged by the new process. It is a good exercise to determine how likely risks are to occur, what are the consequences that may result, and what actions can be taken to control them. To mitigate risks due to accessibility, plan to engage your Office of Disability Services to ensure that persons needing accommodations are properly guided on the use of SmarterProctoring.
9. Engage and Communicate
As a part of the pilot, we will provide training via Zoom for system administrators, program managers, and faculty. The training will cover topics ranging from initial system integration, exam configuration, and post-proctoring session reporting. Encourage everyone who will be involved in the pilot to be a part of the training. Finally, frequently and clearly communicate the goals, phases, steps, requirements, etc. of the pilot to all involved constituencies. Everyone should clearly understand their role and when to perform it.
Launch your SmarterProctoring Pilot
Overall, thoughtful planning prior to the pilot and efficient implementation during the pilot will result in a positive experience for everyone involved. To get started, click here to schedule your SmarterProctoring demo or reach out to us if you have other questions.
Other proctoring resources you may be interested in:
- SmarterProctoring Comparison Guide
- How to Choose a Great Proctoring Provider
- Exploring the Myths of Virtual Proctoring eBook
