title: Expert validation of fit-for-purpose guidelines for designing programmes of assessment.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  An assessment programme, a purposeful mix of assessment activities, is necessary to achieve a complete picture of assessee competence. High quality assessment programmes exist, however, design requirements for such programmes are still unclear. We developed guidelines for design based on an earlier developed framework which identified areas to be covered. A fitness-for-purpose approach defining quality was adopted to develop and validate guidelines.
  
  
  METHODS
  First, in a brainstorm, ideas were generated, followed by structured interviews with 9 international assessment experts. Then, guidelines were fine-tuned through analysis of the interviews. Finally, validation was based on expert consensus via member checking.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total 72 guidelines were developed and in this paper the most salient guidelines are discussed. The guidelines are related and grouped per layer of the framework. Some guidelines were so generic that these are applicable in any design consideration. These are: the principle of proportionality, rationales should underpin each decisions, and requirement of expertise. Logically, many guidelines focus on practical aspects of assessment. Some guidelines were found to be clear and concrete, others were less straightforward and were phrased more as issues for contemplation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The set of guidelines is comprehensive and not bound to a specific context or educational approach. From the fitness-for-purpose principle, guidelines are eclectic, requiring expertise judgement to use them appropriately in different contexts. Further validation studies to test practicality are required.
authors.affiliation: Department of Educational Development and Research, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands. Joost.dijkstra@maastrichtuniversity.nl
authors.forename: Joost
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dijkstra
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Galbraith
authors.forename: Brian D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Hodges
authors.forename: Pauline A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: McAvoy
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: McCrorie
authors.forename: Lesley J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Southgate
authors.forename: Cees P M
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Van der Vleuten
authors.forename: Val
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Wass
authors.forename: Lambert W T
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Schuwirth
mesh_terms: D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000592:standards*; D017408:Guidelines as Topic / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation / Q000592:standards; D015203:Reproducibility of Results