Information Systems Examinations Board (ISEB)

INFORMATION SYSTEMS EXAMINATIONS BOARD

Business Systems Development

Regulations and Guidelines for BSD Examination Providers

June 2007

Regulations & Guidelines for BSD Examination Providers

1. Overview

The Business Systems Development (BSD) qualification scheme provides a range of qualifications in three subject areas: business analysis, systems development and data management. Each subject area contains certificate level qualifications that may be combined into a diploma. Each diploma has a unique structure. These structures are described below.

Business Analysis Diploma: Three compulsory certificate modules – Business Analysis Essentials, Requirements Engineering and Organisational Context. One specialist certificate module from the following options – Systems Development Essentials, Systems Modelling Techniques, Modelling Business Processes and Benefits Management and Business Acceptance.

Systems Development Diploma: Three compulsory certificate modules – Systems Development Essentials, Systems Modelling Techniques, Systems Design And Implementation Techniques. One specialist certificate module from the following options – Business Analysis Essentials, Integrating Off-the-shelf Solutions, Software Testing Foundation, IT Architecture.

Data Management Diploma: Two compulsory certificate modules – Data Management Essentials and Systems Modelling Techniques. One specialist certificate module from the following options – Business Analysis Essentials, Systems Development Essentials, Systems Design And Implementation Techniques, IT Architecture.

Candidates will be awarded the relevant Diploma once they have passed written examinations in the compulsory and specialist modules, and have passed an oral examination specialising in the particular Diploma subject area.

The BSD Diploma scheme accredits organisations; these organisations are accredited as Examination Providers and are allowed to run examination sessions. It is the intention of ISEB, as far as possible, to support and encourage Examination Providers to successfully run examinations leading to Business Systems Development (BSD) Qualifications. Each accreditation application from an organisation must identify the Examination Director for the organisation and must nominatean Internal Examiner for at least one certificate module. The Examinations Director is responsible for all examination procedures within the accredited Examination Provider, including all communication with the ISEB. The internal examiner is responsible for setting and marking examinations in the certificate module.

2. Modular Certificate Examinations

There are no specific pre-requisites for entry to each modular certificate, however candidates should be suitably prepared and possess the appropriate skills and knowledge to fulfil the objectives stated in the full syllabus. This preparation may involve self-study, attendance at a training course or both. It is the responsibility of each candidate to decide whether they have prepared sufficiently for the qualification.

Where an Examination Provider has been accredited for a certificate module the provider is able to offer examinationsfor that module based upon the published syllabuses. It is the Examination Director’s responsibility to ensure that the Provider’s accredited Internal Examiner takes responsibility for the format and technical content of the examination question paper and marking guidelines. The Examination Director will also be responsible for and oversee the examination process and administration.

The Examination Provider must provide a suitable invigilator to run the examination session. The Provider must also ensure that all new candidates complete an ISEB Candidate Registration Form (BSD4). These forms must be sent to the ISEB with the following information: the names and addresses of all candidates (pass and fail), details of which modular certificate examination(s) have been taken by each candidate, and the date of the examination session.Examination Providers should also refer to the Examination Guidelines on the website for further information.

3. Applying for accreditation as a BSD Examination Provider

Examination Providers who wish to offer ISEB BSD examinations for the first time should provide the following information.

3.1A list of the modular certificates the organisation wishes to offer using Form BSD1A.

3.2 An application for the role of Examinations Director using Form BSD2. This will be an employee who will be suitably skilled to oversee the smooth running of the qualification. Full details of the requirements can be obtained from the document entitled ‘Staffing Definitions’.

3.3 Details about the organisation. How long has the company been formed? Do you have experience in running training courses, offering examinations,etc?

3.4The Examination Provider should request accreditation of at least one Internal Examiner, using Form BSD2.

GUIDANCE NOTES FOR COMPLETING BSD2 FORMS

The BSD2 must include ISEB and relevant qualifications only. Please indicate all relevant experience in the CV to be attached to the BSD2.

Please note that the application must explicitly link experience/qualifications to the certificate module for which Internal Examiner status is being sought. This information will need to be repeated if appropriate for each individual certificate.

Once accreditation has been granted, the accreditation remains valid subject to ISEB audit procedures. These include continuous audit of examination marking and periodic audit visits. If either audit raises issues concerning an Internal Examiner, then these must be resolved before continued ISEB accreditation will be granted. A serious issue may result in the suspension of accreditation.

3.5Examination Providers must supply ISEB with a copy of their own examination procedures. This documentation is required to ensure that papers are kept securely, that candidates are made aware of examination rules and that fair access is provided for disabled candidates. In addition, documentary evidence of the process for marking, moderating, setting pass rates and dealing with appeals by candidates should be provided to ISEB. ISEB can provide Guidance Notes dealing with examination procedures and protocols. Please refer to the document ‘BSD Exam Guidance Notes’.

3.6Examination Providers must send copies of each proposed question paper, including pass mark and marking scheme to ISEB for all modules that are being applied for at the time of application for accreditation. Each provider must submit a minimum of two examination papers for each certificate module for which accreditation is sought. Where the number of candidates for an examination exceeds a prescribed limit over a rolling 12 month period, a further approved examination paper is required. Please note that all open book examinations must be 100% scenario based. Exam Providers should not start offering courses until the examination papers have been approved by ISEB.

The prescribed limits and required number of examination is shown in the table below.

Number of Candidates in a 12 Month rolling Period / Number of Papers Required (per Module)
<60 / 2
>60 / 3
>120 / 4
>180 / 5

For each exam sitting the Examination Provider must attach a copy of the ISEB Exam Cover Sheet (BSD5) to each candidate’s examination paper. Please ensure that the exam marker uses a red pen to mark each paper and that the candidate’s total final marks are noted on BSD5. The pass mark for all BSD certificate modules written examinations is 50% with the exception of multiple-choice examinations where the pass mark is 60%. For mixed format papers, a candidate must pass both parts of the paper to be eligible to receive the modular certificate.

3.7After each examination has taken place, Examination Providers must supply ISEB with:

The examination paper unique identification number.
All scripts for moderation by ISEB examiner (scripts of successful candidates will destroyed after six months). Failed candidates' scripts will be returned to the Examination Provider who should keep these on file for reference in the event of any appeals being lodged.
Names and addresses of all candidates, specifying the exact name that the candidate wishes to appear on the ISEB Certificate, using Form BSD3.2. Results for all failed candidates to also be included on the same form.
A Purchase Order covering the fee for the number of certificates requested for successful candidates.
A registration form (BSD4) for all new candidates.

In the event that a candidate has achieved a borderline pass or fail (+/- 5%), the script must be moderated to validate the mark. Whilst not required to mark or moderate all of the papers, the Internal Examiner is responsible for the quality of both the marking and the moderation and hence, for identifying suitable markers within the organisation.

3.8After approximately 40 candidates have taken BSD modular certificates, or at the end of 12 months from the date of initial accreditation (whichever occurs first), ISEB will carry out an audit visit to the Examination Provider. ISEB will contact the Examination Provider to arrange a mutually convenient date and time. An audit fee will be payable to ISEB after the visit. On payment of the fee, the Examination Provider will be accredited to offer BSD modular certificate examination for a 2 year period. An audit will take place every 2 years. There is a fee for the audits, visit the ISEB website for further details .

3.9If, at a later stage, an Examination Provider wishes to offer additional modules (to those included in their original application), the Examination Provider must apply for additional Internal Examiner accreditation. Examination Providers must also notify ISEB when new Internal Examiners are included and again accreditation of these examiners must be sought.

4. Feedback and Appeals

It is the Examination Provider’s responsibility to ensure that constructive feedback is available to a failed candidate if requested by that candidate.

In the event that a candidate believes he/she has grounds for appeal, the candidate should in the first instance put the case in writing to the Examination Provider. If the candidate believes he/she has still not received a fair result, then a case (including correspondence with the Examination Provider) should be put in writing directly to ISEB, within 6 months of the examination date. Please ensure that all candidates are advised that they have the right to appeal to ISEB in the event that they are unhappy with the Provider’s response. Ensure that they are advised of the relevant appeal fees (refundable if appeal is upheld).

5. Oral Examinations

When the candidate has successfully completed the necessary number of modular certificates, he/she may apply to sit an oral examination in order to attain the Diploma in Business System Development. Oral examinationswill take place at an ISEB nominated location (normally London) or alternatively arrangements can be made for oral examinations to take place at a venue identified by the Examination Provider. ISEB will arrange for the Oral Examiners to go to the Provider’s site (or nominated venue).

5.1 On-site oral examinations

Examination Providers must complete form BSD8 if they wish to book an on-site oral examination session. This form must be sent to the BSD Examinations Officer at least four weeks prior to the date required for the oral examination session. If less than four weeks notice is given, ISEB may still accept the booking, but charge an additional late booking fee. ISEB will not accept any bookings from third parties.

The Examination Provider must ensure that all candidates complete form BSD6. The completed BSD6 forms plus a timetable for the oral examination day must be sent to the Examinations Officer at least two weeks prior to the date of the oral examination session. Each oral examination will be approximately 50 minutes duration and a time slot of one hour should be allocated to each candidate on the timetable. This is to allow time for the examiners to plan and mark each oral examination. The maximum number of candidates per oral examination session is seven.

Examination Provider’s who offer on-site examinations will be required to pay a fee for each oral candidate. However, there is a minimum fee that is based on five candidates per examination day. In addition, the two Oral Examiners’ expenses for the day including their travel expenses, accommodation expenses and subsistence but will not pay the standard Oral Examiners Fees. ISEB will advise all Examination Providers of the total fees and expenses within ten working days of the Oral Examination. Estimates of fees may be available from ISEB prior to the examination.

If an Examination Provider has arranged an on-site oral examination session it is the responsibility of the provider to ensure that the room allocated for the oral examinations is suitable and that a nominated person is available to run the oral examination day. The nominated person must not be one of the candidates. This person must be available to meet the examiners at least half an hour before the first oral examination. The room must be sufficiently large to accommodate the two oral examiners and the candidate comfortably, and should have appropriate seating and a desk or table. The room must also be in an area where noise will not distract the candidate or examiners during the examinations session. The nominated person is responsible for communicating with the oral examiners and the candidates, and for ensuring that any issues regarding the examination day are resolved satisfactorily. Examination Providers must provide lunch and refreshments for the examiners.

Once the oral examinations have been completed, the examiners will return their documentation to the ISEB as quickly as possible. This is in order to ensure that the results are processes and sent to the candidates within two weeks. Examiners will not provide organisations with any feedback on candidates, including the result of the oral examinations.

6. Cancellations

ISEB will impose a late cancellation fee of 2 ½ candidates per day if the examination is cancelled with less than 20 working days notice and a charge of 5 candidates if less than 10 working days

7. Overseas Candidates

In order not to disadvantage overseas candidates wishing to achieve a BSD Diploma, ISEB will look sympathetically at quality assured alternatives to the oral examination necessary for candidates wishing to achieve a BSD Diploma.

8. Proposals for newISEB Modular Certificates

ISEB has a procedure that allows Examination Providers and other interested bodies to submit a proposal for new modular certificate qualifications. All proposals will be submitted to the ISEB Product Development Team for consideration and the initiator will be duly notified of the decision. For further information, please contact the Product Development Team.

9. Advertising

Prior to accreditation of Internal Examiners, organisations are not authorised to advertise their intention to offer examinations leading to ISEB qualifications which are not equivalent to those for which they are currently accredited by ISEB. Breach of this rule may lead to rejection of the application. Applicants wishing to publish brochures, etc, while an application is under consideration are advised to use the following statement, which may be only used by Examination Providers who have received acknowledgement from ISEB that their application for accreditation has been received and is undergoing review.

‘X plc are in the process of applying to ISEB for accreditation to offer BSD examinations. Until accreditation is confirmed, training may be offered to cover the relevant BSD modular certificates featured in this advertisement. This training is intended to prepare candidates for the specified BSD examinations.’

Note: organisations not offering ISEB accredited examinations are not permitted to make references to ISEB examinations in any marketing/advertising material.

9. Fees

A list of current fees is published on the ISEB website. Examination Providers are notified six months prior to any increase in fees.

10. Audits

The BSD Accreditation Panel reserves the right to monitor the performance of the Examination Providers either by audit visits and/or assessment of the examination results.

10.1Purpose of the Audit Visit

The audit visit is carried out by two members of the BSD Accreditation and Audit Panel. During the visit the administrative procedures for the BSD examination scheme are reviewed to ensure that they comply with the BSD regulations.

10.2 Purpose of the Examination Audit

Each batch of marked examination scripts are reviewed by a member of the BSD Written Examinations Panel in order to ensure that the marking is appropriate and in line with the marking scheme for the examination paper. Where a reviewer identifies a problem with the marking, the Examination Provider will be notified of any action to be taken.

11. Contact Details

ISEB, Ground Floor, Block D, North Star House, North Star Avenue, Swindon, Wiltshire, SN2 1FA

Tel: 01793 417 480. Fax: 01793 417 559

Email:

All examination queries (including submission of new examination papers) should be addressed to the BSD Examinations Officer, Claire Bassett at . Tel : 01793 417 480.

Accreditation queries should be addressed to the Accreditation Team at .

ISEB/Regs/BSD/September 2007 V3.0