Hey, I know one of those guys! You actually let *him* post here?
First, I can testify to the blood, sweat & tears involved in writing exam
questions - not for the CRM, but for both the TAWPI Information Capture
Professional (ICP) and an earlier version of the CDIA+. Writing questions
that
A) do not give away the exam to a savvy test-taker (e.g. three choices are
very short, one is three lines long, or any question involving "all of the
above/none of the above"/"both X and Y")
B) Meaningfully measure knowledge, skills, and analytical abilities rather
than rote regurgitation of trivia
C) have one and ONLY one right answer (typically through use of a modifier
such as the first, most, fastest, least, critical, etc.)
D) are factually correct and beyond debate
is at least as much art as science.
Second, most exams cover a broad range of topics. ICP covers mail and
remittance processing, forms, imaging, document manaagement, HR, project
management, and ergonomics. CDIA+, same thing: imaging, project management,
process analysis, technology. Ain't nobody a world-class expert in ALL of
those domains, and everyone has a different idea about what's important and
what isn't: for me, it's all about email attachments and metadata; for
someone else, it's cafeteria benefits plans (which Patrick has convinced me
are in fact important).
So the exam will reflect the experiences and biases of those who write the
questions, and those people are typically ones who have lots of expertise,
fairly senior people...who may not be involved in the day-to-day operational
requirements of the exam candidate's role. Not a dig against any cert
generally, but one all of them are susceptible to. I suspect PMP, CA, and
CRM are somewhat inured to this for several reasons, one of which is that
basic principles don't change quite as frequently or quickly as do
technologies such as would be found on the CDIA+ or many Microsoft certs.
But as Bruce correctly notes, all of them have to change to remain relevant.
Jesse Wilkins
CDIA+, LIT, ICP, edp, ermm, ecms
IMERGE Consulting
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(303) 574-1455 office
(303) 484-4142 fax
YIM: jessewilkins8511
The AIIM ERM Master Class returns to Los Angeles Oct 30! Visit
http://www.imergeconsult.com/ermworkshops.html
for details and to register.
-----Original Message-----
From: Records Management Program [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf
Of White, Bruce
Sent: Thursday, October 05, 2006 2:56 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: ERM vs CRM professional certification
Doug Allen said:
>I would tend to agree that the CRM exam can always be improved
upon.....
>Fortunately, it is improved upon on a regular basis, with new questions
>being added, old questions that no longer apply being dropped, etc.
The >ICRM Board is very focused on ensuring that the exam is relevant to
Records >and Information Managers, and to BOTH paper and electronic records.
Doug is correct. I had the distinct opportunity to spend a day this past
weekend with the committee that develops the questions. The Regent
responsible for overseeing this committee is Debra Gearhart, a person I
consider one of the leaders in our profession. Most of the committee
members are either practicing RMs (many with 20 years plus experience) or
academics. They are constantly updating questions, deleting old ones and
adding new ones to the test bank. It is probably one of the most thankless
and demanding jobs I've ever come across in a volunteer organization, yet
everyone of them takes their roles very seriously.
As I stated yesterday in a post most records managers must deal with both
worlds, paper and electronic. The test reflects that reality in my honest
opinion. Many of the new questions I saw for Part V are relevant to current
trends in electronic records management; some of them will challenge even
the most technology savvy amongst us, including a former
Marine Drill sergeant who occasionally posts on this forum. :>)
Doug's comment that "the CRM exam can always be improved upon" is a valid
point, something that the ICRM Board is keenly aware of. But I suspect this
same issue applies to other professional certifications,
especially those in fields such as ours that is constantly evolving.
Bruce L. White, CRM, PMP
San Diego, CA
TEL: 619-696-4671
FAX: 619-696-2534
CELL: 619-952-7145
List archives at http://lists.ufl.edu/archives/recmgmt-l.html
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List archives at http://lists.ufl.edu/archives/recmgmt-l.html
Contact [log in to unmask] for assistance
List archives at http://lists.ufl.edu/archives/recmgmt-l.html
Contact [log in to unmask] for assistance
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