Small Steps, Big Rewards: Implementing a Pilot Credentialing Program

[ErinMR]

Getting a credentialing program off the ground can be a series of important decisions: preparing for change, making decisions about taxonomy and governance, even designing badges. Before launching the full-scale program, consider whether it might be useful to start with a small, pilot group. Many organizations begin with a small cohort group — faculty or employee professional development, a summer program, or a small student club. Below are 5 considerations for a test run of your credentialing program:

• Ensure functionality: The Canvas Credentials platform integrates seamlessly with Canvas courses, but the pilot is a great opportunity to ensure that your module or other triggers are correctly configured. If using badges outside of Canvas, do the QR codes work? Should you add an expiration date to the badges? Are the skills tied to the earner’s badge appropriately tagged?

• Reflect on design: Look at the collection of badges you’ve created. Do they reflect a thoughtful taxonomy? Are they readable? Do they reflect your institutional style? Will they be used for marketing purposes for your program(s), and if so, do the designs reflect that vision?

• Review your public page: Which badges and pathways have been set for public viewing? Which are hidden? Have these choices been made intentionally? (Often, organizations will keep the badges and/or pathways for a pilot program set to private until they have fully fleshed out their credentialing decisions.) Do you need to set a public badge to private, or vice versa?

• Explore data: The Canvas Credentials platform provides a number of valuable insights about the program you’ve launched. Issuer and Badge analytics can help you track the number of awards, as well as when and if badges are being shared. 

• Gather feedback: A pilot program is a great opportunity to seek targeted feedback from a smaller group of users. What were your earners’ experiences with Credentials? Consider asking users about whether information and instructions about the program were adequate, as well as their perceptions of the badges earned. If you have created (or plan to create) public-facing webpages announcing the program, pilot participants can provide useful feedback on whether these pages accurately reflect their experiences.

Each of these items represents an opportunity to fully perfect the program before launching it on a larger scale. We are excited to hear more about the programs you’re launching with Canvas Credentials. Did you utilize a pilot with Credentials? Why or why not? Let us know in the comments!