What’s a certainty faced by any certification management program? With applications comes application processing.
We have observed that application administration tends to fall into two primary categories:
- Staff reviews are the routine tasks performed on all applications. They ensure that applicants meet the requirements. Data elements that require a staff review are items that require human interpretation. For example, a reviewer may need to verify the relevance of a job title.
- Audits are the elected tasks performed on some applications. Applications are selected for audit because they meet certain criteria that the organization has flagged or are part of a randomly selected percentage. Organizations usually audit to confirm that the applicant community adheres to program requirements. Over time, findings from the audit process may offer guidance to achieve greater fidelity to program goals.
Review and audit tasks can be part of applications for initial certification, recertification/renewal, or even investigations. Given all the time spent reviewing and auditing applications, what if there were a way to help your staff achieve greater efficiency?
LearningBuilder’s “admin” work queues streamline and simplify staff time spent in the system. These queues keep staff tasks organized and easy to take action on.
In short, the queue organizes applications so that staff know what to do!
The LearningBuilder Program Admin Queues: For All Your Application Processing Needs
LearningBuilder offers program staff several different queues to organize their application processing tasks. Which queue they use depends on the type of application or activity. All queues have a similar UI that staff can filter on similar fields. We’ll configure workflows that expose the data or documents submitted for verification. We will also configure the system to implement your specific business rules. For example, the system can flag certain applications or a percentage of applications for an audit. We can even change the names of these queues in your implementation to mirror your program language more closely!
The Eligibility Queue: For Tasks Related to Initial Certification
If your staff are processing applications for initial certification, they will use the Eligibility Queue. Does your organization manage more than one credential? Your staff can filter the queue to tackle applications for one credential at a time.
The Audit Queue: For Tasks Related to Recertification
Most programs only review or audit a specific percentage of recertification applications. Admins process recertification and renewal applications using the Audit Queue. Depending on your continuing competence or maintenance of certification requirements, the audit queue may involve tasks such as assigning reviewers for journal article assessments, auditing continuing education (CE) submissions, or verifying document authenticity. LearningBuilder streamlines and organizes these tasks with clear indicators of actions to be taken so that staff are more efficient reviewers and auditors.
The Activity Audit Queue: For Tasks Related to Individual Activities on an Application
What if you want a specific activity on an application to be reviewed rather than the whole application? If your staff perform tasks related to individual activities like courses and records, they’ll use the Activity Audit Queue. This is especially helpful if an activity only requires the specific expertise of a reviewer on a certain portion of the application.
How to “Work the Queue” to Streamline Time Spent in the System
No matter which tasks your staff need to do, the easiest way to use the LearningBuilder admin queues is to filter them on the “My Inbox” field. This will immediately “cut the noise” and display only the applications on which they need to take action. Admins may also filter the queue on other helpful and configurable fields. These include cycle date, application status, role, and applicant name.
Once staff access the appropriate queue, orange buttons with text indicate actions they can take. Active voice button labels unique to the action required by the program are part of the art of the LearningBuilder UI. If staff need to assign a reviewer to an application, they will see an orange “Assign Reviewer” button. For the assigned reviewer, an orange button might say “Review.”
They can also view application details by clicking the blue “View” button.
Communications on “Queue:” Automated Notifications for Staff Review and Audit
LearningBuilder makes it easy to get work done in the system, but will people know when they have a task to do? After all, not all end users will be logging in every day. Automated notifications alert admins when they have a task to complete as part of an application workflow. Staff actions in the system can also trigger automated communcations; nobody has to send them as a separate step.
Every workflow button a system participant sees can potentially trigger a notification. Some of the automated communications configurable for staff review and audit processes include:
- When an application or activity is assigned for review or audit (you can also include a due date).
- When an application or an activity is approved.
In addition, the system can send notifications from staff to applicants, including:
- Requests for clarification: An uploaded document or other aspect of the application is insufficient (e.g., poor quality or does not match the expected content).
- Activity rejected: An applicant activity submission isn’t valid. For example, an applicant’s academic degree does not appear relevant to the program and will not count toward experience requirements.
- The application requires attention: Based on some irregularity, the applicant must submit additional information to meet requirements.
- The application was selected for audit: a notification that the application will be subject to additional review.
- The application passed audit: A notification that, after review, the application meets the requirements.
- The application audit requires additional information: The audit has surfaced irregularities in the application that require applicant attention and action.
When communications are targeted to a specific part of an application, it’s easier for the applicant and reviewer to clarify and resolve the issue. Which of these communications will you need the system to send? When will you need to send them, who will receive them? What they should include, and how are they triggered in the system? Workflow diagramming exercises can help clarify the answers to these questions and more.
LearningBuilder Moves Certification Management Processes Forward
Certification management should be rigorous. That shouldn’t mean it has to be arduous. With our tools and expertise, we’ll optimize the efficiency of your staff’s time — and work — in the system. That’s part of what we call the LearningBuilder Promise.
With LearningBuilder’s process-based architecture, staff can complete workflow steps independently and in parallel. This keeps all system participants on track on both sides of the application process. Your staff will know what step they’re on and what they need to do next. When an application deluge hits, they’ll be ready.
Are you seeking a more streamlined staff experience in your certification management system? Tell us more on a Discovery Call!