Supersizing Your SMEs’ Output In A
Supersizing Your SMEs’ Output(and Satisfaction!) in a VirtualEnvironmentLaura BrooksSarah Hughes
Introductions – Sarah Hughes 20 years of experience facilitating diverse groups ofpeople responsible for assisting clients with testdevelopment including job analysis, item writing,item review, and standard setting. Master’s in educational leadership from theUniversity of Northern Arizona; lives with her husband and children in California.2
Introductions – Laura Brooks Program Manager and former Test DevelopmentProfessional over a decade of experience in the fields ofeducation and training, both in the public andprivate sectors. Masters in Anthropology and InternationalDevelopment from George Washington University lives with her husband and son in Alexandria, VA.3
PresentationAgenda Background information Unique challenges of the virtualenvironment Who is succeeding, and who is struggling,and why? Building rapport – does it really matter? Maintaining SME attentiveness– tools, tipsand tricks Addressing fatigue, low motivation andjust LIFE!4
Who are we, and why should you listen to us?5
Who are we, and why should you listen to us? Alpine has been 100% virtual since 2006! Work with professional credentialing and licensing organizations, ITprograms, educational institutions Our partner orgs have SME cadres ranging from ten to hundreds of SMEs We have seen a wide range of responses to the pandemic from ourclients– and we know what has worked and what hasn’t We have dedicated countless hours to researching new approaches tosupport our clients and their SMEs6
Challenges of Exam Development in a VirtualEnvironment7
Common Challenges Include: Loss of rapport, trust and sense of belongingDifficulty integrating new SMEs into existing SME groupsLack of attentiveness during virtual workProduction challenges Oh, and you know there’s a GLOBAL PANDEMIC to think about.8
Let’s talk about what isn’t working 9
In our work, we have seen a wide range of responsesto these challenges Here’s what isn’t working for testing orgs: The “Let’s just pretend this isn’t happening” The “Let’s double the time commitment required of SMEs to make surewe hit our targets” The “Let’s just recruit double the normal amount of SMEs to hit ourtargets” The “I’m going to email you every day until you turn in your assignments”10
So what CAN you do to SOS (SAVE OURSMES)?11
What IS working for our clients? Taking the time to BUILD RAPPORT This is not the time for just the quickand dirty “What’s your favoritefood?” icebreaker. We recently conducted extensiverapport building activities with oneof our clients with a large numberof SMEs.I would like to have these activitiesbuilt into the nextitemactivitiesThe ice breaker/teambuildinghelpeddevelopmentbuild rapportmeetings.with my fellowDisagreeI ee5%Agree orstronglyagreeAgree or95% stronglyagree86%Agree orstrongly agree91%12
Rapport Matters We know these activities aren’t universally beloved You will have those who think “this is a waste of my time we should be doing realwork!” However, our experience shows time and time again: rapport matters. Helps develop feelings of responsibility:‐ “I’m going to make time to do this assignment because my team is counting on me.” Helps expedite discussions:‐ People who are comfortable with one another can “get to the point” more quickly, and it helpsminimize the awkward silences. Increase quality of discussions:‐ Developing mutual respect increases likelihood that SMEs will treat each other as people, not justvoices coming from their computers.13
The GOOD STUFF– Activities to help you build rapport Mentimeter https://www.mentimeter.com Content‐relevant “mad libs” Using Google Jamboard Creativity‐inducing games/activities MapsPictionaryBalderdashScattegories‐ e.xhtml14
Remember– it may feel like it, but it’s not just fun and games Increase creative thinkingHelp people enter a positive mindsetGet to know fellow SMEsTreat everyone as equals – new or veteran SME, the activity will be new toall, so the playing field is level! Building rapport is fun but it does take effort and planning15
Ok, on to heavy stuff Productivity16
First, let’s level set‐‐ People are working from home Children are often at home People have additional family/community/etc. obligations than they had a yearago Life priorities have shifted There is a LOT for people to feel anxious about, and many people feel severelyoverextended And, can’t forget there’s a GLOBAL PANDEMIC to think about. The fact that you even HAVE SMEs willing to dedicate any of their mental energyis frankly amazing.17
Straight talk– chances are, you are going to see a declinein productivity Recognize that to some extent, this is out of your control Here is what you CAN do to try to match in‐person meeting productivity18
Productivity and Attentiveness Enhancers Time blocking Doesn’t rely on SMEs completing homeworkAllows them to ask “just in time” questionsCompetition can be a motivator (if culturally appropriate)Helps people compartmentalize and focus – asking for complete attention for ashort amount of timeProviding realistic expectations for what can be accomplished in that timeGives SMEs a feeling of accomplishment with incremental, achievable goals19
Intersperse your rapport building activities If you aren’t using time blocking, have pre‐established activity breaks(hint hint all the games and activities we talked about earlier) Gives people something to look forward to Resets the brain’s tolerance for focus20
Incentives We are seeing incentives more important than ever before For many orgs with SMEs, the incentive used to be the travel but that’s not anoption at the moment. Does this mean you have to pay your SMEs? Nope! Incentive ideas: SWAG (pens and notebooks go a LONG way)Meal service gift cardsSnack boxesColoring books, puzzles21
Pre/Post‐Meeting Gathering Coffee breaks (send your SMEs some coffee and tea) Happy hour (BYOB, or send a mocktail ingredients, or custom mixers) –plan a social activity Coloring contest, design contest We recommend these activities be optional for all, since this is above andbeyond22
Nursing Your SMEs Through CommonChallenges23
Tools, Tips and Techniques Jam boards – get a head start on those item ideas Round robin item development Everyone has 20 minutes to start at item. At the buzzer, pass your item to the next person. SME crowd‐sourced distractors Each SME writes a stem and key. The group reviews the item and generates distractors together. Scenario templates Think about using the Mad Libs as scenario starters Unicorn items Items that arrive to group congruence and accuracy review requiring no changes. Celebrate! Add them tothe unicorn farm!24
We thank you for allowing us topresent to you today!Please reach out with any es@alpinetesting.com25
Enjoy the conference!26
food?” icebreaker. We recently conducted extensive rapport building activities with one of our clients with a large number of SMEs. 12 Agree or strongly agree 95% Disagree 5% I liked the activities Agree or strongly agree 91% Disagree 9% The ice breaker/team building activities helped build rapport with my fellow
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