Communicating candidate progress hasn’t always been an expectation of certification programs. It hasn’t even always been possible. This was especially true in the age of PDF applications and paper forms. Of course, these were also the days of shoebox receipts for CE tracking; we’re not going back. There are better ways!
Now, not only can certification programs keep candidates informed of their progress, but candidates also expect to stay informed. Does your certification management system communicate to your candidates:
- Which steps are complete?
- What should happen next?
- What requires attention?
- What not to worry about right now?
If not, they will pick up the phone and call you.
Communicating candidate progress (the when, why, what, and how) is an art. Intentionality must be shown in both outward communications and interface design. LearningBuilder ensures that your end users get all the information they need to know their progress and take action by:
- Sending automated communications to let candidates know before they ask.
- Showing candidates where they are and what’s next through intentional and conscientious UI design.
Automated Communications: Deliver the News
One of the benefits of taking your certification program online is the ability to build in automated communications. Email and SMS notifications alert candidates to open application windows and approaching deadlines and instruct them on what actions to take. A well-timed reminder can also “nudge” candidates to take action, like those who have opened an application but left it incomplete. If your application involves an audit or review, notifications keep the process flowing between system participants. When an application is reviewed, if it’s rejected, if a candidate submits supporting documentation or takes other actions, notifications keep all related parties in the know.
LearningBuilder’s Automations Engine handles both broadcast and targeted communications. Triggers to send these notifications can be date-based (like a certain number of weeks or months from an application deadline) or based on actions taken (or not taken) within the system. We help you set up your communications and you let the system perform the work as part of your holistic credentialing processes. Your candidates will know what’s going on with their application process before having to ask.
Software UX/UI Design: Show the Way
What about when a candidate logs in to your platform? How much does the system guide them? A well-designed candidate dashboard can make a tremendous impact on the candidate journey. A candidate’s progress may differ depending on their background and goals. Are you curious about the philosophy behind our candidate dashboard design? Check out this article by Heuristics CIO Christopher Butcher: Why Certification Management Needs a Well-Designed Candidate Dashboard.
LearningBuilder’s simple yet sophisticated design creates an intuitive system of visual meaning. Once a candidate logs in, it’s easy to grok where they are in an application and what they can, can’t, and should do next.
How does LearningBuilder’s design help candidates understand their progress?
The first layer of communication includes customizable sections of the candidate dashboard, where you can choose to display deadlines or other important application information in a highly visible way.
Next, within the application itself, progress bars (with the progress also listed as a numeric value, like 4/5) help candidates know their progress at a glance, and icons show the specific status of various requirements and the application as a whole. These icons have a color scheme: Green means complete, blue means in progress, red means a task was completed unsuccessfully, and grey means there is no action to take. Of course, color alone does not convey information in an accessible way, so an icon will always appear in combination with its corresponding color. For example:
- A checkmark indicates completion.
- A lock icon indicates a section where a candidate cannot take action. The lock may appear or disappear depending on other actions taken within the system.
- A half-circle indicates incomplete requirements.
- A circle within a circle indicates an undefined amount of requirements.
- A circle with a bar through it (also known as the “Ghostbusters” symbol) indicates unsuccessful completion of a task.
- A person with a clock indicates that someone else is taking action (for example, a submission is under review).
If the meaning of an icon isn’t immediately clear, a short text-based explanation called a tooltip will pop up when a user hovers their mouse over it.
LearningBuilder also uses a button scheme combining color and text to guide end users. If a candidate sees an orange button, there is an action to take. Every time a candidate clicks an orange button, the action can trigger a related notification. If they see a blue button, they can add something to their application (like an uploaded document) or save it before moving forward. The text on these buttons will change depending on the action to take (for example, “open” may change to “submit” after a candidate meets all requirements).
Open this image in a new tab to see a full-size version.
Reports: A Tool to Assess Candidate Progress and Success
Outside of phone calls to your staff, there is another way to discover where candidates may be unclear on their progress: Try running a report! LearningBuilder’s Reporting Module can help you create reports to identify pain points in the application process. Then, you can add or tweak your messaging or instructions in response. You can even send an ad-hoc message letting your candidates know how best to proceed. After all, proactive, one-to-many communications are usually more efficient than one-to-one support.
LearningBuilder Makes Communicating Candidate Progress Easy
Are you seeking a proven certification management solution that keeps your candidates in the loop on their progress — so you don’t have to? At Heuristics, managing credentials is our business. We know earning a credential can (and should) be a rigorous process. That’s all the more reason why the application process should be straightforward and clear. Schedule a call with us to explore how LearningBuilder can support your program.
