COMPUTER TESTING DESIGNS RANGE FROM SIMPLE TO COMPLEX because there are many design options to choose from. A designer should identify which options to include early in the design process for the best results. Without careful consideration, there is a risk of designing a test environment that doesn't meet the needs and constraints of the project or student.

Technology is changing at a frenetic pace. It seems that every day there are new considerations to plan for in the design process. 

Be careful to design for the lowest common technology. For example, don't distribute a test on CD ROM if your students will be using laptops that don't normally include a CD ROM drive!

So you've completed the design, created the questions, given the test out, and now you're done, right? No, far from it. 

How are you going to get the test results - through email, the Post Office? What are you going to do with the results - store them in a database? Who is going to create and maintain that database?

Who is going to score the tests? Do you have to certify someone when they pass? Should certification information be in a separate database? What if a person retakes the test? Do you need to be ISO 9000 compliant?

What happens if there is no one to watch over your student while they take the test? Even if security isn't a high priority, how do you ensure the person taking the test is who they claim they are? 

Some type of identification system is usually set up before the student takes the test. A common solution is to use an identification number and password. It may not be a good idea, and possibly against the law, to ask for someone's Social Security Number. You may have to create a system of your own.

Navigation entails more than just steering the student from one question to another. Can they retake a question? How many times? Can they go back and look at previous questions and answers? 

Keep in mind that the more complex you make the test design, the longer it will take to develop. This is especially true if you are developing the test "in house".

What part of the test are you timing? The overall length, or individual questions? 

Timing a test via the Internet adds another layer of complexity. This is especially true if your student is using a slow dial-up connection. What should happen if your student's computer disconnects from the Internet?

What kind of feedback will you provide? A simple "Yes, that is correct", none at all, or something else? Will you provide a score as to how the student performed? Will you show which questions were missed with links to corresponding remedial instruction?

What information are you going to track? Most designers track at least the test score, name, identification number and password. 

Other items to think about are individual responses to each question, time spent on each question, and the number of attempts on each question.

Collecting data can help validate training results and identify confusing questions. It is also common to collect too much data! Consider the utility of the information before you decide to track it. Every extra piece of tracked information adds to the development and analysis time.

The options mentioned so far are just the beginning. More complex designs incorporate adaptive branching, randomization of questions, answer shuffling, and more.

There are many third party software solutions, but they are not cheap. The costs range from hundreds to tens of thousands of dollars, depending on your need (and budget!) For more information, search on the Internet for "Testing and Assessment".

Ultimately, designing & developing a test may be a trade off between the test you want, the test you need, the test you have time to create, and the test you can afford.

Ken Mitchell