The success of test delivery depends not only on the quality of the assessment itself but also on the maturity of the systems that support it. The test represents the product, and the system reflects the process; together, they combine a culture of piloting for progress in educational assessment, especially in the context of the growing use of technology-based assessment products, which require continuous quality assurance mechanisms.

Piloting, often referred to as field testing in the assessment context, is widely discussed in terms of field-testing questions (items) and validating assessments. However, less attention is given to the piloting of products designed to support system-level development, such as the IAEA Standards^[1], which we explored in detail in our previous article titled International Standards for Delivering Technology-based Assessments^[2] and will be further examined here from a technology-oriented perspective.

This article aims to raise awareness of the importance of pilot testing for product validation, particularly for solutions intended to drive systemic improvements in educational assessment with a specific focus on gathering evidence and sharing insights on a quality audit framework for technology-based assessment production.

Beyond Items: Piloting for System-Level Validation

This section outlines a validation process designed to demonstrate how the standards-based self-evaluation instrument performs in real institutional settings, moving from conceptual endorsement to practical application.

Traditional piloting in assessment typically focuses on validating test items for difficulty, discrimination, and fairness. However, as education systems increasingly adopt digital tools and platforms, piloting must extend beyond items to incorporate the systems that support test development, delivery, scoring, and reporting. In a practical scenario, an assessment organization may pilot a standards-based self-evaluation instrument to validate its effectiveness in assessing institutional readiness against frameworks/instruments such as the IAEA Operational Standards. Rather than using the standards solely to inform practice, this piloting process serves to test the instrument itself, evaluating how well it identifies critical factors such as the alignment and adequacy of training programs supporting the implementation of the assessment cycle.

This is particularly important in the context of technology-based assessments, where item development requires specialized skills in interactive design, multimedia integration, and platform compatibility. While training may be delivered to both internal teams and external item developers, the responsibility often falls across different departments, leading to inconsistencies in focus, scope, and delivery format. Piloting the instrument allows the organization to determine whether such issues are effectively captured, including risks of duplicated content, thematic overlap, or gaps in technical skill development.

Ultimately, this piloting exercise becomes a validation process not only of the organization’s preparedness to implement high-quality technology-based assessments, but also of the instrument’s utility in supporting quality assurance. This process of piloting the standards as a self-evaluation tool allows training programs for digital item development to be systematically evaluated, better coordinated, and aligned with broader institutional goals, laying the foundation for a more integrated and future-ready assessment system. 

The section below outlines the rationale behind the validation process and provides suggested steps, including a potential adoption structure and illustrative implementation scenarios.

Quality Assurance in Technology-Based Assessment: A Framework in Action

This section outlines a proposed validation methodology for piloting a modified version of the IAEA Standards’ self-evaluation component tailored to technology-based assessment environments, with the aim of determining whether the adapted framework generates more actionable and relevant insights in digitally transitioning contexts.

Generally speaking, a systemic quality audit framework in the field of educational assessment helps organizations evaluate and continuously improve their readiness to adopt and expand technology solutions in the evolving assessment industry. For example, technology-based assessments require resources that support interactive design, multimedia integration, and platform compatibility, particularly during the item development phase of the assessment cycle. 

A more tech-oriented and responsive audit framework can help assessment organizations determine whether they have the necessary tools, workflows, and expertise in place to design and deliver high-quality digital test items, thereby strengthening the assessment design component of their institutional processes. To support this shift, the table below presents examples of how the current self-evaluation questions based on the IAEA Standards can be reframed to better reflect the realities of technology-based assessment environments, promoting more constructive and evidence-focused dialogue with large scale assessment institutions:

As the reader may notice from skimming the presented table, the adjustments primarily reflect a shift toward technology-focused questioning to encourage respondents to consider tech readiness by default. This approach is preferable for auditors assessing institutional quality in educational assessment organizations undergoing digital assessment transitions, as it supports more diagnostic and constructive audits that generate actionable insights for improving technological systems. Additionally, the format has been changed from yes/no questions to more open-ended, evidence-oriented prompts, allowing organizations to describe their current baseline practices rather than making binary judgments about their existence.

Potential Validation Methodology

To assess the relevance and added value of a modified version of the IAEA Standards for technology-based assessment environments, two piloting strategies are potentially possible:

In short, the second option may create greater engagement and, if shared with the community for broader piloting, could attract the attention of various stakeholders by offering insights that reflect a wider range of organizational types from the outset.

Toward Smarter Systems Through Piloting for Digital Readiness

As the educational assessment industry grows, especially with the increasing shift toward digital delivery, focusing solely on item-level improvements is no longer a smart move. While item development remains a critical phase of the assessment cycle, the long-term resilience and relevance of assessment systems depend on how well institutions evaluate and improve their organizational processes. Piloting a self-evaluation instrument, such as the modified IAEA Standards framework, offers an opportunity to go beyond validating assessment content. It supports institutions to reflect on their internal capacities, governance structures, and readiness to manage complex technology-based assessment environments. This process promotes not only better coordination and accountability but also a stronger culture of institutional self-awareness and continuous improvement.

The proposed piloting strategies outlined in this article offer a practical starting point for tailoring audit frameworks to the digital realities of today’s assessment systems. By actively engaging in this piloting process, organizations help shape a more inclusive, adaptable, and tech-responsive quality assurance model that can serve both technology providers and public assessment institutions alike. Organizations interested in joining this effort, whether they are developers of digital assessments or implementers within national education systems, are warmly invited to take part in the pilot. Contributing to this collective validation effort is a step toward not just refining tools, but building the foundation for a more agile, transparent, and future-ready global assessment ecosystem.

About the Author

Vali Huseyn is an educational assessment expert and quality auditor, recognized for promoting excellence and reform-driven scaling in assessment organizations by using his government experience, field expertise, and regional network.

He holds academic qualifications in educational policy, planning, and administration from Boston University (USA), as well as in educational assessment from Durham University (UK), with a set of competencies on using assessments to inform evidence-based policymaking. In his work connecting national reforms with international benchmarks, Vali has used CEFR and PISA as guiding frameworks to support improvement strategies for assessment instruments at the State Examination Center of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and more recently, provides consultancy in the same areas to the National Testing Center of Kazakhstan. Additionally, Vali serves as a quality auditor and provides institutional quality audit services in partnership with the Dutch organization RCEC, most recently for the national assessment agency CENEVAL in Mexico.

Vali also has hands-on experience in the CIS region, particularly in Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan, and has strong familiarity with the educational landscape of. Vali is fluent in four languages, Azerbaijani, Russian, Turkish, and English, which he uses in professional settings to support effective communication, overcome linguistic barriers, and deepen contextual understanding across countries in the region. He has also served as a consultant for the UNESCO Institute for Statistics, contributing to data collection on large-scale assessments in the post-Soviet region.

Feel free to contact Vali and ask for a meeting if you are interested in adopting the IAEA International Standards, through LinkedIn.

References

[1] IAEA International Standards https://iaea.info/iaea-international-standards-update-faq/

[2] International Standards for Delivering Technology-based Assessments https://www.vretta.com/buzz/international-standards/

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