Certification Scheme Governance
The minimum governance controls required before a certification scheme can be treated as production-ready.
Scheme ownership
Each certification must have a controlled scheme record with an identified purpose, target population, scope and responsible owner.
Competence basis
The scheme must define the competence to be assessed and maintain objective evidence supporting the domains and outcomes, such as job/practice analysis, subject-matter expert review and stakeholder validation appropriate to the field.
Eligibility
Prerequisites and evidence requirements must be relevant to the competence being certified and must not create unjustified barriers.
Assessment strategy
The scheme must document how knowledge, skills and professional judgment are assessed, including blueprint rules, practical rubrics, security, accommodations, scoring, pass standards, critical-failure rules and attempt limits.
Decision rules
The certification decision must be based on the active scheme requirements and recorded evidence. Decision authority, conflict controls and separation from assessment are defined in the governance process.
Maintenance and recertification
The scheme must define validity, surveillance or continuing-competence expectations where relevant, renewal/recertification requirements and conditions for suspension, withdrawal, revocation and reinstatement.
Change control
Every production scheme has a version, effective date, review date, approval record and change history. Material changes are impact-assessed before release.