Graham Livingstone, Director of Business Development at Examity, has an extensive background in the information technology and online testing industries. His vast knowledge gives us valuable insight into the world of information technology – specifically, IT certification exams. He also discusses how Examity’s dedication to security and our industry-leading, innovative proctoring technology make us an excellent solution for these types of exams.

What makes Examity’s proctoring technology innovative?
The reason why I joined Examity was due to our commitment to security and test integrity, as well as our global leadership and innovations in the remote proctoring space. Our approaches and features that demonstrate our position as innovators include our industry-low, unmatched test-taker-to-proctor ratio and our Live Authentication + Audit offering, which is completely unique to Examity. Our auto proctoring technology is another example, and also one-of-a-kind. This state-of-the-art technology thoroughly monitors the exam process and flags unusual test-taker behavior.

What I also greatly admire about Examity is how we always strive to improve the test-taker experience. We deliver these improvements through an innovative product development process, which balances the needs of our testing programs with the needs of our test-takers. Our recently-implemented ambient system check, “Report Your Experience” survey, and support agent chat in the sidebar have helped create smoother and more positive test-taking experiences. 

What do technology brands look for in an online proctoring solution and provider?
Technology brands look for an online proctoring provider that can simplify the assessment process, reduce test-taker anxiety, and provide a proctoring technology platform that can scale and grow with the brand’s certification program while supporting it. They also want a provider that can deliver industry-standard, highly-secure assessments that are easy for test-takers to take, and who can modify their solution to fit the needs of the organization. Organizations choose Examity because we continuously work to enhance our security practices and our security model to fit the latest security standards. And, our solution is profoundly scalable and customizable – we tailor it to best serve the objectives of the organization’s program. 

What also matters to these technology brands is convenience. They know that their test-takers want to be able to schedule their exams right away and to take them wherever and whenever is most suitable for them. Examity offers 24/7 scheduling, so test-takers can schedule and take their exams when they want them, where they want them. 

What makes IT certification exams different from other types of exams?
IT certification exams are typically high-stakes and can often include performance-based testing. This type of testing gives the candidate an opportunity to showcase everything that they know. It measures the test-taker’s ability and proficiency in a certain skill set and demonstrates their understanding of it. Therefore, online proctoring using a live solution would be perfect for these exams, in order to fully certify the test-taker’s competency.

More recently, however, IT organizations have been offering test-takers micro-certifications, and these micro-certification exams are often lower-stakes. A micro-certification is a cut down credential that tends to be more specific to an IT organization’s skilled need. It’s an opportunity for an IT professional to brush up on their skills without having to spend the money on acquiring a diploma or degree. Organizations would benefit from using online proctoring for these assessments. But, because these types of exams are low-stakes and aren’t used to validate a professional’s capabilities, it may be best to use an automated solution for them.  

Not only are IT certification assessments different from other types of exams, but their test-takers are usually more tech-savvy and security conscious. For example, technology professionals don’t want to download unfamiliar software onto their computers in order to take an exam. Test-takers don’t have to worry about that with Examity, because our solution takes place fully in the browser, including our extension. 

How does Examity’s solution keep exams safe and secure?
As a remote proctoring platform, Examity is always focused on improving our security and compliance to meet industry standards. Security is extremely important to us, and both security and our commitment to test integrity are at the core of our solution. We make our exams safe and secure by offering live solutions that use real, human proctors to monitor exams. These proctors are technologically-skilled and endure an intense training process, which includes coursework on privacy and data security. Another advantage of Examity is that the same proctor greets and supports the test-taker throughout the entire exam process. This allows us to avoid a hand-off process during check-in, making the test-taker feel more comfortable. 

To further ensure high-level security and protection of the integrity of an exam, the majority of our offerings also include a formal audit conducted by our auditing team after the completion of an assessment, providing an extensive review of the entire assessment process. This auditing process also provides an additional layer of protection for test-takers, ensuring that everyone is treated fairly. We are devoted to optimizing our solution and making it the safest and most secure it can be. 

Ready to learn more about what makes Examity the best online proctoring solution for your IT certification exams? Contact us today, or fill out the form.