A Decade of Skills Assessment...

At the end of 2013, we celebrated our 10th anniversary, on our journey to develop innovative skills testing solutions for the AEC industry.

Here's a (slightly nostalgic) trip down memory lane, looking back at a decade of skills assessment...

Way back in 2003, we launched a start-up called CADTEST.  Here's our old logo:

This was a plugin software tool, based on the AutoCAD API, which tested basic CAD skills across the following 10 areas (for a simple percentage calculation):
Lines/Sheet Setup & Xrefs/Circles/Text/Blocks/Dimensions/Integration/Layers/Variables/UCS.

We continued developing this application throughout 2004, but eventually realised that we would need more detailed results analysis, if the concept of skills testing was going to go any further.

We also experienced considerable resistance to the 'test' part of the brand, so a new name was launched in 2005 - CADsmart.  We re-wrote the software from the ground up and launched a new application, which offered greater functionality for capturing and analysing results data.

We swiftly progressed our technical offering by adding MicroStation skills testing, plugging into the Bentley Systems API - another industry first.

One of the most important decisions we made early on, was agreeing to focus solely on skills testing, not training, hiring or consultancy services.  And we took an independent approach to recommending training. 

By 2006, we were doubling new sales each year and carrying over 90% renewals.  A brand refresh followed, with a new logo and marketing campaign.

We developed a more sophisticated online admin dashboard, with charting tools, screen recording, 100% movies and detailed user feedback.

In 2007 we introduced performance quartiles, more detailed benchmarking statistics, an 'Xpress' test for interviews, a candidate movie and a web based booking system.  We also ran our first 'CAD Focus Group' meeting, a popular forum for gathering user feedback and software wishlist ideas, which continues to the present day.

By 2008, the world was feeling the effects of the coming 'credit crunch' (read: recession) and the AEC industry was starting to embrace the concept of BIM with greater enthusiasm.  We opened our US office, in sunny Clearwater, Florida.  And we hosted our 'Cutting Edge CAD Management' conference in London.

In the same year, we launched our first interactive Revit Architecture skills test and hosted our first AUGI Top DAUG skills contest at AU, in partnership with 4D Technologies.  We also presented at the Bentley conference in Philadelphia and attended our first RTC conference in Melbourne, Australia.

By 2009, the global recession was taking hold and AEC firms were turning away from hiring and training in large numbers.  This was probably our most challenging year to date.  But it also proved to be a turning point on our journey. With BIM adoption gathering pace, we realised that the plug-in technology we had developed was in danger of becoming obsolete. 'The Cloud' beckoned, and with it the ability for firms to customise their test experience and cover a much broader range of test topics. Our original approach of, 'any colour you want (so long as it's black!)' was not going to allow us to grow much further.

As is often the case with technology, our original ideas were being overtaken by the growth of internet technology and the broad range of software being deployed across the AEC industry. One door was closing, but another one was opening... and the KnowledgeSmart brand was born.

Once again, we found ourselves developing new technology from scratch, but we had 6 years of invaluable ideas to build into our new platform. Plus a loyal customer base and extensive network of authors.

In early 2010, the KnowledgeSmart web based test engine was launched.  And in the summer of 2010 the original CADsmart software was finally retired from service.

Fast forward 4 years and we arrive at the present day, with a fully developed, interactive, web-based test engine, complete with a customisable library of 60+ software assessments (covering the most popular software products from Autodesk, Bentley, Graphisoft and Adobe) and a customer base numbering in the hundreds of firms, right across the globe.

And the funny thing is, in spite of everything we've built over the past decade, all the presentations, meetings, overseas trips, conferences, competitions, highs and lows, in many ways, we're only just getting started on our journey to create a world class skills assessment system.

We can't wait to see what the next 10 years will bring!

R

CADsmart software - end of an era

Some nine years ago, we started developing software plug-ins for AutoCAD and MicroStation, which delivered a practical skills assessment experience, linking to the API of the Autodesk & Bentley applications.

This was a successful formula for many years.  But, as is often the case with technology, time moves on and, particularly with the impact of BIM on the AEC sector, we realised that we needed a more flexible approach, in order to embrace the future direction of our industry, with respect to skills assessment.

We also experienced many headaches trying to keep up with API changes across a broader range of tools, such as Revit, Civil 3D, Bentley Architecture, Rhino, the list goes on.

Hence the KnowledgeSmart web based testing format was created a couple of years ago and continues to thrive, in spite of the challenging economic backdrop.

So, it is with mixed feelings that we announce the official 'retirement' of the 'CADsmart' suite of tools, at the end of September.  Farewell old friend.

R

Logging in to the KS system

OK, this might seem like a pretty basic task, but we thought it was worth documenting for new users of the KS system.  How do admins access and log in to the KS system?

Here's how..

Step one
Go to the KS website homepage and click on the CUSTOMER LOGIN link, top right.

Step two
This takes you to the KS admin dashboard landing page.  Here is the direct link: https://online.knowledgesmart.net.

Step three
To access your KS admin dashboard, click on the ADMIN DASHBOARD LOGIN link, just under the KnowledgeSmart logo.

Enter your administrator username and password, in the grey box and hit the Log In button.

And that's it!  The first page you will see is the KS test list, which lists all of the 'off the shelf' tests on your account.

Here are a couple of additional things to be mindful of.  First, when you are assigned your initial password by the KS system, it is generated by a software program.  Consequently, it is a random series of characters and numbers.  When you first log in to your dashboard, we suggest you change your system generated password, to one of your own choosing.  Here's how..

Hit the Change password link, top right of your dashboard homepage.  Copy & paste your system password in the first box.  Enter your own password in box 2 and repeat in box 3.  Then hit the Change password button - and you're done!

If you forget or lose your KS password, you have the option to re-set the password at any time.  Go to the login page, hit the ADMIN DASHBOARD LOGIN link and click the Forgot details? link at the footer of the grey box.

This takes you to the password re-set page.  Type in your username and hit Submit.  You will be sent a new password to your registered email address.

Lastly, a word about the difference between the 'CADsmart' database and the 'KnowledgeSmart' system.  You'll notice that there is a separate link called 'CADsmart Login', at the footer of the KS dashboard landing page.  This link takes you to the login page for legacy CADsmart users.  It is an entirely separate system and should not be confused with the login routine for the KnowledgeSmart tools.  The CADsmart system has a separate account number and password combination.  If you attempt to login to the CADsmart system using your KS username and password, you won't get very far.  So don't try! :)

Conversely, you can't access a CADsmart dashboard with your KS credentials!

R

One door closes...

...another opens, as the saying goes.

This week, we pass another milestone on the winding road of CAD & BIM skills testing. The much loved CADsmart brand is being superseded by our new name - KnowledgeSmart.

Welcome to our new blog! (Our old blog can still be found at http://cadsmart.blogspot.com/).

All of our existing CAD skills tools are still available, but we are embarking on a new journey in January, with the introduction of our web-based testing platform.

More and more, we find ourselves involved not just in the traditional realm of CAD skills testing, but also straying into the wider field of learning and knowledge management.

Over the coming months, we'll be broadening the range of design and engineering software applications which can be assessed, whilst at the same time developing a community resource for building even more test content. And we have some exciting plans for our friends in the Revit community coming up in the Spring. Watch this space!

We look forward to the next phase of the journey..

Rory