All the questions for the core module of the Designer Council
Certification Exam are submitted by designers and design
managers. They use industry consensus standards as the resource
and because many are involved in IPC activities, and IPC
publishes most standards related to the products of our industry,
they have used those standards. Examples and their international
equivalents are:

IPC-T-50       Terms and Definitions    IEC 194
IPC-D-275     Design of Rigid Boards    IEC 326-3 (being
              updated)
IPC-D-276     Performance Specification    IEC 326-4, -5, & -6
              Rigid Boards    
IPC-SM-782    Land Pattern Requirements    IEC 1188-5 (new
              work item)
IPC-D-325     Documentation Requirements   IEC 1188-4
               (planned)
IPC-D-35x     Board Description in Digital IEC 1882-1 thru 10
              Form  

IEEE Std 315  Graphic Symbols for Electronic Dia.IEC
Recommendations identified

Drake-Prometrics has worked with the Designers Council members to
make the exam respected, defendable, and a reliable measure of
mastery. Their consultants trained council members in objective
development and item (question) writing. The Designers Council
followed the  Blueprint  for test development recommended by
Drake. Drake's client list includes Compaq, AT&T, DEC, HP, IBM,
Novel, Lotus, Microsoft, and many others. They have been a great
help in achieving the goals of the program.

Since the exam is multiple choice the possibility exists that an
applicant can guess at the right answer. Guessing does not
signify Knowledge, Understanding, Problem Solving Capability, or
Skill Level. Drake experts have guided the program to make sure
that the multiple choice responses are congruent and plausible.
As a couple of examples:

     What is the favorite fruit of the natives on the island of
     Bali?
          A. Mangoes
          B. Pineapples
          C. Coconuts
          D. Potatoes                          
Select the most correct answer

     When should the water be changed in an outdoor horse trough?
          A. Only when it rains.
          B. At least once a week
          C. At least once a month
          D. When Mickey Mouse comes to town   
Select the most correct answer

In the first example D is not congruent (potatoes are a
vegetable); in the second example D is not plausible (Mickey
never comes to town). We have just increased the guessing
possibility from 25% to 33% because you can ignore the  D 
response in both questions.

The Designers Council members have worked hard to meet the
criteria to make the exam as good as possible. As we all learn
about testing, and test development we will improve. We invite
your participation in the process.

PS. The reason we ask you to  Select the most correct answer  is
to avoid conflict. There are those on Bali who think that mangoes
are the favorite, however the Bali Department of Commerce states
that it is the Pineapple.  Have a Merry Christmas.

     ********************************************************
 
Please send comments, constructive critique, or suggestions to
Lisa Williams at [log in to unmask] 

Dieter Bergman