Inviting Users to take a KS Test

Administering the KS tools is a pretty straightforward process.  The system is web-based, so there is no software to install, maintain and upgrade.  In general, it's a low-impact system, from an IT administration point of view.

Let's take a look at the process for inviting users to take a test.  There are three different options, depending on your requirements.  Let's take a look at each one..

Option one - inviting a small number of users to a test

Step one
Select the test you want your user(s) to take, from your library.  Each test has a small 'envelope' icon, next to the test name.

Click on the envelope icon, which takes you to the test invite page.  Your selected test will automatically appear in the test list dropdown.

Alternatively, you can select the INVITES link, from the top navigation bar of your dashboard.  (You'll end up in the same place).  However, bear in mind that if you do use the top navigation route (rather than the envelope icon next to a specific test title) then your required test will not automatically get selected in your dropdown.  (It presents your test library in A-Z order, starting with 3ds Max).  If you don't select the test you want from the dropdown, before you send out your invites, then your users will receive an invite to a 3ds Max test! :)

Step two
Enter the email, first name and last name of your test taker(s) in the fields provided.  You can also capture user status, i.e. employee, interviewee, student, etc.  Click Add to confirm your candidate's details.

Step three
Decide on your test invite text.  You have a couple of different options for customising your invites.  Here is a separate blog entry on this topic:  http://the-knowledgesmart-blog.blogspot.com/2011/03/customising-your-test-invite-text.html.

Step four (optional)
You can set an expiry date on your test invites.  After this date has passed, your users will no longer be able to access this test session.  If they haven't completed their test before the expiry date, you will have to issue a new test invite.

Step five
OK, so you have completed the following steps; selected the correct test title from your library; entered all your user data; edited your invite text; maybe set an expiry date.  The final step is to hit the Send Email button.  This step prompts the following routines to take place, in the background; it generates your users' profile(s) on the KS system, adds them to your user list (in the 'Users' page of your dashboard), creates a username/password for each user and sends out their individual test invite emails.


Option two - inviting a large number of users to a test

You have the option to batch invite larger groups of users to take a test.  Rather than entering their user details one at a time, as highlighted in the process above, you can invite them all at once, from the 'Users' section of your dashboard.  Here is a separate blog entry about building your user list and batch inviting users to the same test: http://the-knowledgesmart-blog.blogspot.com/2011/03/building-your-list-of-users.html.


Option three - setting up a test session from a browser

Sometimes, you will need to set up a test session, without sending an email invite to the user.  It is possible to set up a KS test session, straight from a web browser.  Here is a separate blog entry on this topic: http://the-knowledgesmart-blog.blogspot.com/2011/03/setting-up-test-sessions-from-browser.html.

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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!

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8 Steps to More Effective Training Needs Analysis

OK, so you've captured a range of test scores in your firm. What next?  The KnowledgeSmart dashboard offers you a number of options for reporting on your firm's results and identifying skills gaps across your teams.

Here are some steps you can take to interpret your test data..

Step one
Use the searching tools in the 'Results' page of your dashboard, to filter your raw test data.  You have a range of search parameters available.  For example, min score, max score, elapsed time, user name, test name & ID, date ranges, training meta tags, plus 5 extra datafields for categories of your own choosing.

You can use the 'List all training tags' tool, in the 'Your Tests' page of your dashboard, to export a master list of training workshop topics, for each test in your library.  You can then search on these keywords, to identify users who require training on each category.

Step two
When you have run your search, create a new sub-group of your data, using the grouping tools.  For example, all users who scored 60% or less on basic AutoCAD; all users who took longer than 90 mins to complete a basic MicroStation test; all users who require training on worksets in Revit Architecture; all users in your Kansas City office who scored 80%+ on Adobe Photoshop, and so on.

Step three
Use the charting tools to create management reports for each group and highlight priority training issues.  The Training Requirements chart gives you an easy at-a-glance way of identifying the most urgent training topics, for a given group of users.

The Question Performance chart helps you to monitor question scores for each test in your library and further recognise any potential problem areas.  Use the export to PDF tools to create hard copies of your charts.

Step four
Use the Group Comparison charts to analyze and compare results across a range of search results.  For example, the same group of users, pre-and-post training (to measure performance improvement); multi-office results comparison; interview scores vs employee scores, and so on.

The Global Comparison chart offers you an external benchmark, for our most popular test titles.

Step five
You also have the option to export your results data to csv.  When you export results, you will see on the right hand side of the sheet, a field called, 'Training Tags'.  This is a personal summary of training topics for each user, representing keywords relating to questions where, for whatever reason, they didn't score 100% on the question.

Step six
It's a good idea to schedule a brief one-to-one sit down with your users, to discuss their test results and training recommendations summary.  Disregard tags relating to questions where they made a silly mistake, or misread the instructions, etc.  What you are left with is a list of training workshop topics that you - and they - both agree represent genuine skills gaps for a given software topic.

Step seven
Follow up with modular training workshops, which specifically target the highlighted skills gaps. If possible, try to group people together according to experience and ability.  For example, avoid training novice users and expert users in the same session.  You can use the KS meta tags to link to corresponding modular learning content from third parties (i.e. Evolve Consultancy, White Frog, 4D, Bentley Learn, ATC's, etc.) and your own in-house training collateral.

Step eight
Identify your most experienced users for the most significant software titles used by your firm.  They will typically be the people appearing in Quartile 1 or Quartile 2 on your Performance Spread charts, or the people featuring in the top third of your Group Scores charts.

Challenge your leaders to help create bite-sized, modular training material, which you can then use to share knowledge and best practice across the firm.  This is an effective way to turn 'tacit' knowledge (i.e. the information locked away in people's heads), into 'explicit' knowledge (i.e. documented, searchable and accessible to your organisation). Tag your learning material, so it can be searched and easily found via your firm's intranet, LMS, or similar.

Using the KS tools in this way, you can identify both problem areas and examples of excellence and best practice, across your firm.  And target the main productivity issues with focused, relevant training and learning resources.

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KS Test Library Update

It's fair to say that the KS test library is a work in progress.  It has also been mentioned (on more than one occasion!) that creating up to date test material for the plethora of design, engineering, modelling, civil, structural, building services and analysis tools used by AEC firms - is a job for life! :)

However, we like a challenge, so ever onwards do we march with our library roadmap!

Progress to date has been very good, with almost 30 test titles currently available to AEC firms, across a range of leading vendors.

Here's an up to date list, as of the end of March:

• 3ds Max – modules 1-4
• Adobe InDesign for occasional users
• Adobe Photoshop for occasional users
• AEC Layers Standards – Autodesk
• AutoCAD 2D fundamentals
• AutoCAD 2D – Xpress
• AutoCAD 2D for occasional users
• AutoCAD Civil 3D (part 1)
• AutoCAD Civil 3D (part 2)
• Design Review fundamentals
• Revit Architecture fundamentals
• Revit Architecture – Xpress
• Revit MEP fundamentals (Mechanical)
• Revit MEP fundamentals (Plumbing)
• Revit Structure fundamentals
• Revit Structure – Xpress
• AEC Levels Standards – Bentley
• Bentley Architecture fundamentals
• Bentley GEOPAK (Drainage)
• Bentley InRoads (Roadway Design)
• Bentley View fundamentals
• MicroStation 2D fundamentals
• MicroStation 2D – Xpress
• MicroStation 2D for occasional users
• MicroStation 3D fundamentals
• Rhino fundamentals

We also have a pretty hectic 'work in progress' list, with a variety of new modules at various stages of completion.

Here's what's on the drawing board at the moment:

• Revit Families 
• Revit Project Process 
• USACE ‘Attachment F’ 
• Ecotect 
• Navisworks Manage 
• Revit Architecture 2012 (additional questions) 
• Revit MEP fundamentals (Electrical) 
• AutoCAD Civil 3D (part 3)
• Revit MEP 2012 (additional questions) 
• Google SketchUp 
• AutoCAD Architecture
• Revit Structure 2012 (additional questions)
• Bentley ProjectWise
• Bentley Navigator
• MicroStation V8i (Select Series 1-3)
• IES Virtual Environment
• Tekla Structures
• Bricscad
• Codebook

So by the time we get through that little lot, we'll have close to 50 titles in the KS library.  Well, that's our goal for the end of 2011, anyway!

In addition, we're seeing quite a bit of activity in customer dashboards, with some high quality custom test material being authored in many AEC firms.

So, that's a quick summary of where things currently stand with our test library.  As always, we welcome your comments, feedback and requests for new material.  If it isn't on the list, please let us know and we'll make sure it gets added to the workflow.

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Customising your Test Invite Text

KS admins have two main options for adding custom text to their test invites.

Option one
The default invite email text appears in the 'Invites' page of the KS dashboard.

From this page, a KS admin can overwrite the default text, in the 'Email subject line' field and in the 'Your message' field, on a per invite basis.  You have a maximum of 800 characters for your test invite text.

Option two
Alternatively, KS admins can write their own custom invite text, which overwrites the KS default text.  To do this, go to Settings > Test Invite.

Here, a KS admin can enter their custom invite text and email subject header.  You have a maximum of 800 characters for your test invite text.  Click 'Save' to register the changes.  This custom text will now replace the KS default message on all test invites sent from the account.

The custom invite text appears on the main test invite page.

To revert to the default KS invite text, at any time, a KS admin simply has to delete the custom text from the Settings > Test Invite page of the dashboard.

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Building your List of Users

KS admins can upload a list of users into their dashboard and capture additional data against each user record, which can later be used for searching and grouping test results.  Here's how the process works:

Step one
Log in to your admin dashboard and select 'Users' from your navigation tools.

Step two
Click on the 'Upload User Data' link and take a look in the 'Help' notes box on the right hand side.  Tucked away in paragraph 2 is a link to a sample csv file, which you can use to build a list of your users.

Step three
Copy your user info from Excel, into your csv file.  You need the following fields; Email, First name, Last name.  You can also capture user status and 5 additional data fields for information of your own choosing.  For example, employee ID, project team name, office location, job title, industry discipline, etc.  Think of information you might like to use, when searching and filtering your results data later on.

Step four
Browse for your completed csv file and use the 'Upload' tool to add your user list to your KS dashboard.

Step five
Click on the magnifying glass icon, next to the user name (far right of the row), to add to or edit the 5 user datafields.

That's it - you've built your KS user list!  If you subsequently upload a new csv, with additional user records, then the new list will merge with the existing user list.

Searching your user datafields
You can use the information captured in these 5 datafields, to filter your results data in the 'Results' area of your dashboard.  Select the 'Show search' link in the orange bar, at the top of the Results page.  You'll see the five datafields on the right of the search box.

Enter the information in the relevant datafield to filter your data, then select the 'Show groups' link in the orange bar, to create new sub-groups, based on the content of your user datafields.

Batch inviting
Once you have built your user list, you can invite groups of people at the same time, to take a test (provided they are all taking the same test!).  Check the boxes next to the names of your invitees and hit the 'Invite selected users' button at the bottom of the page.

This takes you to the test invite page and pre-populates your user fields.  It is important to remember to select the test you want from the library dropdown at the top.  The default list displays A-Z, with 3ds Max at the top. (If you forget to change the test title, before sending your invites, you may have some confused users asking why you're asking then to take a 3ds Max test!  Unless, of course, that's the one you wanted! :) ).

When you're happy with your invite text, just hit the 'Send Email' button to send your batch invites.

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Test Feedback Options

KS admins can set different levels of feedback for users at the end of a test session.  It is also possible to select different levels of feedback for interview candidates and in-house users.  Sometimes firms don't want interview candidates to receive a test report immediately after their test session.  So now you have the choice of when to provide user feedback - and just how much information to share.

It's a straightforward process to choose your feedback settings:

Log in to your KS dashboard and click Settings > Test Feedback.

There are 4 choices:

1) No report
2) Basic report
3) Feedback on report and
4) Feedback & coaching on report.


The default setting is as follows:

Interview candidates - basic report

In-house users - full report with feedback and coaching notes

When you've made your selection, hit 'Save' to register your changes.  This setting applies to all tests taken on your account.  If you want to adjust the amount of feedback for different groups, just amend the setting in your dashboard, before you send out the test invites.

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