Five Steps to Better Tests explains best practices for five key processes:

1. planning the test: what to consider before writing any questions
2. creating the test items:  how to ensure questions are fair, avoiding bias and stereotypes
3. creating the test form: including developing instructions and setting passing scores
4. delivering the test: providing for secure delivery and controlling item exposure
5. evaluating the test: how to use item-level and test-level data to improve the quality of an assessment

Questionmark Product Owner Doug Peterson, who wrote the white paper, has extensive experience in workforce development. His previous roles included researching and writing IT training materials, authoring self-paced eLearning courses, developing online assessments, and teaching in the classroom as well as online.

"Following good practices in creating assessment makes for trustable results," says Peterson. "This white paper should help readers start out right by carefully planning their tests to establish validity and reliability – and following through with careful attention to the quality of test items and overall content, secure delivery, and thorough analysis of the results. The paper reflects our desire not only to provide tools and technologies for delivering and analyzing assessments, but also to create learning resources that help people make effective use of them."