Developing a Competency Profile typically involves intensive work by a small group of expert practitioners. There is always a worry that the group's conclusions may not represent the broader picture - especially so where the profile is attempting to reflect a provincial or national focus. To overcome this concern, a Validation Process is normally undertaken to collect constituency-wide feedback on the relevance of draft competency statements.

Validation involves consultation with a representative sample of practitioners through activities such as focus groups and surveys. Respondents are questioned about the importance and the frequency-of-use of the proposed competencies in their own work settings. Draft competencies may be revised, dropped or expanded based on frequency and importance ratings received from the field.

One of the most efficient and cost-effective Validation Processes involves the use of on-line surveys to obtain feedback from the field. Statistical analysis of the resulting data can provide objective validation criteria.

Catalysis Consulting has expertise in the design and administration of Validation Processes, and extensive experience with on-line surveys.

View an on-line competency validation survey