From the Desk of Customer Success: Don’t let exam day be the first time your learners see the process

One of the easiest ways to make online proctoring feel smoother is also one of the simplest: make sure learners know what to expect before assessment day. A lot of the friction we see isn’t really about the assessment itself. It comes from uncertainty. Learners are trying to figure out what technology they need, whether everything will work properly, what they’re allowed to have with them, and where to go if something doesn’t behave the way they expect. A little preparation ahead of time can make a big difference.

Set expectations before the assessment

Before learners begin, they should know what the proctoring experience will look like and what will be expected of them. Every learner will need a webcam and photo ID. Depending on the assessment setup, they may also need a microphone or to meet specific testing-environment requirements. Sharing the appropriate Integrity Advocate What to Expect resources ahead of time gives learners a chance to understand the process before they’re already sitting down to take an exam.

Useful learner resources include:

• Understanding Your Proctoring Technology
• ProctorID: What to Expect
• ProctorLite: What to Expect‍
• ProctorPlus: What to Expect‍
• ProctorPro: What to Expect

Encourage learners to test their technology first

Finding out five minutes before an exam that something isn’t working is stressful for everyone.

Every Integrity Advocate What to Expect page includes a trial that learners can test ahead of time. The trial includes a system check, so they can confirm that their device, browser, webcam, microphone where required, and internet connection are ready before they sit down for the real assessment.

Encouraging learners to complete the trial ahead of time also gives them a chance to get familiar with the process and resolve any technical issues when there isn’t an exam clock running.

If they do run into an issue, the Integrity Advocate Support Center includes troubleshooting resources for common technical problems: Support Center

Be very clear about what is and isn’t allowed

This is one of the biggest things I recommend to clients. If notes are allowed, say so. If phones aren’t allowed, say so. If learners can use a calculator, secondary device, blank paper, or specific reference material, make that clear before they begin.

Just as importantly, make sure anything that is allowed is also added to the Allow List in your rule settings. Telling learners they can use something isn’t enough if the platform is still configured to flag it.

Integrity Advocate can monitor and document what happens during a session, but the rules in the platform need to match the rules you’ve communicated to learners.

Clear instructions and aligned rule settings reduce confusion for the learner, cut down on avoidable flags, and make the review process much easier to interpret afterward.

Make support easy to find

Learners shouldn’t have to hunt around for help in the middle of an assessment.

Sharing the Integrity Advocate Support Center ahead of time gives them a clear place to go if they run into technical issues during setup, testing, or the assessment itself: https://www.integrityadvocate.com/support-center

It’s also helpful to be clear about which questions should come back to the school, training provider, or certification organization. Things like: 

• login access
• exam content
• reattempt approvals
• certificates
• or organization-specific policies

generally still need to be handled by the organization administering the assessment.

The takeaway

The technology is only one part of a successful proctoring experience. When learners know what to expect, have tested their setup, understand the rules, and know where to get help, assessment day becomes much less intimidating.

From the Customer Success side, that preparation usually means fewer avoidable support issues, fewer unnecessary flags, and a smoother experience for learners and administrators alike.

A little communication before exam day does a lot of heavy lifting.

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