Interview Preparation

Practice answers to common assessment developer interview questions.

Categories
Assessment Design Blueprinting Item Writing Quality Assurance Regulation Constructs SMEs Version Control Career Transition Assessment Methods Mark Schemes Accessibility Project Management Behavioural How do you decide the total marks for an assessment paper? Explain the difference between norm-referenced and criterion-referenced assessment. What would you do if you discovered after a paper is published that one criterion was not assessed? What evidence would you provide to demonstrate that an assessment is valid? How would you investigate if marking consistency drops between two exam series? How do you ensure an assessment is fair for a learner with dyslexia? How do you avoid writing leading questions? How do you handle a situation where a learner gives a correct answer that is not in the mark scheme? How do you ensure consistency when different assessors observe the same practical task? A centre reports that their learners consistently score lower than the national average. How do you respond? What data would you collect after an assessment series to inform improvements? What transferable skills from your current role would you bring to assessment development? Describe a time you managed a complex project with multiple stakeholders. How did you keep it on track? Tell me about a time you identified an error that others had missed. What did you do? Describe a situation where you had to learn something complex quickly. An SME provides feedback that contradicts the specification requirements. How do you respond? What would you do if you suspected an assessment was disadvantaging a particular group of learners? When would you choose a portfolio over a timed examination? How do you know when standardisation has been successful? What is the difference between a technical review and an SME review? How do you ensure Paper A and Paper B in the same series are comparable?

Answer Practice Top 10 Questions Mock Interview
SMEs Top 10

How do you manage Subject Matter Experts effectively?

What the interviewer is testing: Tests project and stakeholder management skills.

Key terms: SME, briefing, feedback, project management

Strong Answer

Managing SMEs requires clarity and structure. First, I prepare a detailed SME brief that specifies: the qualification context, exactly what work is needed (with examples), the acceptance criteria, confidentiality requirements, and deadlines. I provide templates and worked examples so SMEs know what good looks like. I brief them in person or via video call to answer questions. I set up staged reviews rather than waiting for final submission. When I receive SME feedback, I triage it: content accuracy issues are accepted; suggestions about assessment design are considered but may not be adopted if they conflict with assessment principles. I always feed back to SMEs what was accepted and why, to maintain the relationship and improve future contributions.

Weak Answer (Avoid)

I send them the materials and wait for their feedback.

Likely follow-up: An SME suggests changing an assessment criterion because it is difficult to assess. What do you do?