It’s a fully hosted, web-based system that automates the delivery, scoring, and reporting of your company’s assessments (e.g., product knowledge, pre- and post-training assessments, certification). The online testing platform provides a high degree of flexibility and very powerful and robust reporting capabilities.

While we normally think of these kinds of assessments as “knowledge tests,” the online testing platform can be used to measure any kind of competency, skill, or knowledge area for which objectively scored items can be written. For example, situational questions, or items with pictures sound files, video, etc., can be used to measure customer service skills.

These are some of the main reasons:

• To streamline labor-intensive testing processes
• To utilize market-leading flexibility/customizability
• To allow employees anytime-anywhere access
• To access real-time performance data via powerful reporting capabilities
• To implement a testing system quickly and efficiently
• To save time and money

There are four options:

• The client provides Censeo with an employee database and we import it into the online testing system.
• Users can self-register using a company specific, multiple-use, keycode.
• Company administrators can create new users via an easy to use functionality in the platform itself.
• Automated via linkage from another system (e.g., HRIS, LMS)

There are several levels and types of security.

• Censeo’s servers reside in a highly secure environment (restricted access facility, behind firewalls, etc.).
• All the data transmitted between clients and the servers can be encrypted (via SSL, F-5 technology).
• Each company has a completely separate database, and access is controlled via company codes and passwords.
• Within a company, access to assessments and data is permission based, normally reflecting the hierarchical structure (e.g., managers can access data for only people below them, company administrators can access all data).
• Clients can control the scheduling of assessments, and when users can view their results.

The platform has five features to help prevent cheating: (1) The assessments open in a new window where printing, saving, right-clicking, etc. are disabled. (2) Item timers and total test timers are available. (3) When save-and-bookmark is enabled for an assessment, the current question must be answered before the user exits. (4) The number of sessions allowed to take an assessment can be controlled. (5) Clients can tightly control by whom, and when, assessments can be viewed.

In very high-stakes online testing situations the sessions should be proctored. Censeo works with clients in these situations, including arranging for testing locations across the country, and performing other project management tasks.

Censeo KnowledgeTrack is a true online testing platform in the sense that new companies and new assessments can be set up without requiring any additional programming. This allows us to be very fast and efficient, and to offer competitive pricing.

There are three components to the cost – a one-time fee for setting up the company, a fee for posting assessments, and a per assessment fee that is steeply discounted for high volume clients. There are no charges for licensing, hosting, product updates, administrative access (e.g., generating group reports), or customer service. New clients can be “up and going” for as little as $2,500.

Contact Censeo and we’ll be happy to estimate fees for your particular situation.

First of all, many clients allow users access to the online testing platform on an ongoing basis so they can review their entire assessment history. This helps promote a culture of continuous learning and development over time.

But, on the question of who else has access… There are almost always “company administrators” – people who manage the testing process, create users, generate reports, and, in general, use the platform to create value for the organization. Many clients get line managers involved in the process and using the assessment information to develop the talent pool. Managers are held responsible for developing their people; the online testing platform can be a powerful tool in helping them do that.

Again, it depends on what the client needs. Our philosophy is to perform only those tasks that add value. Sometimes it’s simply doing things to save time on the part of internal personnel who are overloaded with other projects. At other times it’s because we have expertise in a particular area that the client doesn’t have. The scope of support can range from merely suggesting better ways to leverage the assessment information the client has, to working closely with the client to develop an overall, comprehensive, long term assessment strategy.

While Censeo’s technology is very sophisticated and leading edge, we’re not really a “technology house”… we’re fundamentally a consulting company helping clients use assessment results to further organizational goals.