[BSDCert] Test Delivery Survey

[Dru]

On Thu, 13 Jul 2006, Khairil Yusof wrote:

> Thanks, I will repost this to other lists also in developing countries.
> For us, affordability and accessibility is quite important.


This has always been one of our primary goals (that and making a very good 
exam).


> Availability of low cost alternative testing would be very much welcome.
> Even paper exams as a stop gap measure before better solutions are
> developed would be good (as currently done by LPI).


On our end, we have been putting out the idea of an affordable delivery 
solution that is not based on volume to possible sponsors and partners. 
Originally this was a very hard sell as people weren't convinced a need 
actually existed. We're at the point now where people see merit in the 
idea but haven't quite made it to the "here is some money and some 
developers to make the solution" yet. Anyone on this list who may be able 
to assist us in coming closer to a solution, please email me off list.

Here are some facts from a purely financial perspective regarding the 
existing exam delivery solutions:

- there is an annual fee of $75,000
- there is a publication fee of $2000 which is paid whenever a new exam is
   uploaded, an exam is changed, or a translation of an exam is uploaded

This is just exam delivery fees and doesn't include the psychometrician's 
fees. Here's some quick math assuming there is only one exam uploaded per 
year (i.e. no translations): if 1000 exams are delivered per year, $77 per 
exam has to be paid for delivery, if 500 are delivered per year, $144 per 
exam has to be paid for delivery. Besides the high costs, being tied to 
volume really sucks if you don't deliver as many exams as you estimated 
into the exam price.

Dru