It was a privilege to review second edition of Performance-Based Certification by Judith Hale. Hale is an icon for performance improvement specialists and much of her work on certification process has spread across the globe to more than 90 countries. Her expertise in designing certification processes has benefited the fire service, emergency medical service providers, customer service industries, human resources, training and development professionals, financial institutions and educational institutions from the elementary level to institutions of higher learning.

1. Book Review – Performance-Based Certification – How to Design a Valid, Defensible,
Cost-Effective Program by Judith Hale
Much More Than Just a Good Read!
Performance-Based Certification much more than a one-time good read! Judith Hale brings the
subject of Certification to life by bringing together her many years of experience, rich content, a
plethora of examples, checklists and web resources that this book is a must have desktop reference.
Every mid to top level manager, CEO, training and instructional specialist or even a credentialing
agency can frequently use Performance-Based Certification to validate already in place
certification/ credentialing programs or design new cost-effective and value adding programs, which is
the ultimate goal of any credible certification or credentialing process.
Review by Kevin M. Wilson
Introduction
It was a privilege to review second edition of Performance-Based Certification by Judith Hale. Hale
is an icon for performance improvement specialists and much of her work on certification process has

2. spread across the globe to more than 90 countries. Her expertise in designing certification processes
has benefited the fire service, emergency medical service providers, customer service industries,
human resources, training and development professionals, financial institutions and educational
institutions from the elementary level to institutions of higher learning.
I reviewed this book through the lens of more than 37 years in emergency services specifically the fire
service. Certifications are a significant part of the fire service, as opposed to degrees from institutions
of higher learning. Hale’s book hits a home run by providing us with a long awaited reference book
about the nuts and bolts of Performance-Based Certification. Her unique approach of tying together
certification with performance goes a long way towards helping us refine our mental models of such
important work. The performance-based approach presented in this book has the potential for taking
certification beyond simply being certified or getting a credential to the matching of core
competencies to the work being done. Hale’s consistent and thoughtful way of linking
performance-based concepts of data-gathering, measurement, assessment and evaluation provides
us with valuable tools for success.
This book makes certification make sense and encourages the reader to think about building the
certification around the real competencies that are necessary for success and to achieve the desired
outcomes of any certification or credentialing process. The author does not present a one-size-fits-all
approach to Certification. She helps the reader identify if certification is a good idea or not; does it
add value to the organization and to the work?
You need this book on your desk
Performance-Based Certification much more than a one-time good read! Judith Hale brings the
subject of Certification to life by bringing together her many years of experience, rich content, a
plethora of examples, checklists and web resources that this book is a must have desktop reference.
Every mid to top level manager, CEO, training and instructional specialist or even a credentialing
agency can frequently use Performance-Based Certification to validate already in place
certification/ credentialing programs or design new cost-effective and value adding programs, which is
the ultimate goal of any credible certification or credentialing process. The guidelines for every aspect
of a credentialing process are well documented and easy to reference quickly because of the books
layout and consistent sections such as Missteps and Oversights, Tips, Summary, Where to Learn
More and Notes. Hale’s knowledge and experience in the evaluation is visible throughout the book.
This discussion of Evaluation is one of the many knowledge-nuggets found in Performance-Based
Certification and is vital to updating or designing a solid certification program.
A clear perspective
Judith presents a clear perspective of the certification/credentialing concerns, issue and solutions
throughout. She takes a fresh look at the history of why organizations need certification and why
many use it today. Hale supports her findings with real life examples and cases, many of which she
been intimately involved with either as a designer of new or a problem solver of existing processes.
Her use of examples, life experiences and case studies throughout the book enhances the legitimacy
of certification as a way of applying system thinking to our performance improvement efforts.

3. I would like to spend some time talking about the Chapter 2, The Business Case. Chapter 2 is worth
the cost of this book. Hale presents two key pieces, which if not ignored will move any certification or
credentialing process closer to the designer’s expectations. Hale’s unique discussion of Hypothesis,
Premises and Best Guesses is genuinely a perfect starting place for talking about building the
Business Case for certification. The necessary building materials of metrics or key success
indicators as related to economic and non-economic metrics are very helpful and powerful. She
follows with a very useful Tips section, which if put into practiced will put the certification process on
solid footing by making sure everyone is on the same page and headed in the same direction. The
information provided in the Tips provides important talking points that challenge the reader.
Judith lays out the challenge of building a business case and that it is the core issue for getting the
process off the ground. The business case must be clearly stated and discussed if there is to be byin
from the organization and the individuals who would be seeking certification. Hale points out from her
experience that this step is often overlooked.
Chapters 3-8 focus on the process for developing, designing and implementing a certification or
credentialing program. Judith’s discussion follows a logical flow for the process of identifying the
requirements answering such questions as:
• Will the certification be used for screening?
• Will it be for identifying levels of competency or capabilities?
In answering these questions, Judith discusses that the next logical steps would be to develop the
Standards and the various tools and or methods that will be used to bring people through the
certification process. She also provides strong examples of data collection techniques and the web
tools round out this important discussion about standards and importance of data gathered.
Judith brings a high level of experience to the subject that makes her a certification expert in her own
right she has an uncanny ability to blend her professional experience into the subject matter of
Performance-Based Certification.
Breakthroughs
There were several breakthroughs for me in this book. First were the logical chapter sequences which
actually help build the mental maps of our ability to diagnose performance problems, interventions
and the dynamics of behavior change. For example, the placement of Chapter 6 Governance and
Administration and Chapter 7 Recertification and Maintenance before Implementation discussed
in Chapter 8.
This sequence reinforces the need to have these issues addressed before the certification program is
rolled out.
Governance and Administration is an often ignored subject and can lead almost instantly to

4. program failure if those in these roles don’t know what is going on and are not brought in at the
conceptual phase. Senior executives or Boards can feel the heat if they are left out of the loop at any
stage. They must be informed and patiently brought in or they will not be able to provide the support
for such a huge undertaking. They are sensitive to the sometimes very subtle negative effects as well
as the positive results for customer service, employee stability and the bottom line, all of which can be
greatly impacted by a solid certification process as Judith clearly demonstrates.
Chapter 7, Recertification and Maintenance is also critical because it determines the longevity and
vitality of the certification process, specifically will people know upfront what is expected of them to
recertify and maintain their certification. Judith helps focus the questions about who, when, how and
the why of recertification for those who were either by desire or mandate required to participate in the
certification process.
A novice or well-seasoned performance improvement specialist will find this book not only interesting
but necessary for them on their journey of performance improvement.
Author bio:
Judith A. Hale, Ph.D., CPT
Ibstpi Fellow
Former Director of Certification for ISPI
President of ISPI 2011-2012
Judith A. Hale, Ph.D., CPT, is the author of Performance-Based Certification: How to Design a Valid,
Defensible, Cost-effective Program, 2nd Edition (2011). She brings a unique blend of expertise and
experience in the design of certifications and accreditation standards and processes. Since starting her firm
she has developed processes to assess and qualify facility managers, interior designers, inventory analysts,
distribution center managers, customer service representatives, facility systems technicians, hematology
technicians, word processing personnel, industrial kiln operators, distributed systems engineers, corporate
trainers, human resource personnel, training managers, manufacturing production workers, team leaders,
supervisors, sales personnel, performance technologists, and people in other professional and job categories.
Some of the certifications are being used in over 90 countries.
Her book Performance-Based Certification is used by credentialing agencies and corporations to design
cost-effective defensible programs. Judith has developed and documented guidelines for designing all
aspects of the credentialing process including feasibility studies, governance, assessment, administration,
marketing, and measuring results. Of particular note is her methodology for doing the job task analyses in that
she incorporates the voices of stakeholders not just subject matter experts. She also develops proficiency
based credentials based on improvements in the marketplace and workplace. She has published standards for
selecting and writing items including multiple choice, fill-in, matching, and performance checklists. Because
her processes are documented, she is asked to:
• Audit the design methodology and criteria used for certification.
• Help organizations design and implement standards and assessment methods that are practical and
defensible.
• Develop standards and criteria that protect the safety of employees and customers and organizational
assets.
• Design international certifications.
She has been in business for more than 25 years. Judith was awarded a B.A. from Ohio State University, a
M.A. from Miami University, and a Ph.D. from Purdue University.

5. Kevin Wilson, M.Ed., CPT is a retired Division Chief after 40 years, first as a volunteer and then 35 years for
Poudre Fire Authority in Fort Collins, Colorado. He received his B.S. in Adult Education and M.Ed. in Human
Resource Development/Organization Development from Colorado State University. He has been providing
educational opportunities to the fire service through the Round up Your Knowledge Conference (RUYK) which
he started 18 years ago. In his retirement, Kevin is directing the RUYK Conference for Cheyenne Fire &
Rescue, which is now being held at Laramie County Community College in Cheyenne Wyoming. The RUYK
Conference is cosponsored by ISPI, Laramie County Community College and Cheyenne Visitors and
Conference Bureau. Kevin is also the owner of Whole Elephant Consulting located in Fort Collins, Colorado,
specializing in organizational performance improvement, group relations, evaluation, and needs assessment,
accreditation coaching and through search conferences; facilitates getting the whole elephant in the room to
help organizations move toward their desired future and beyond. Whole Elephant Consulting has worked with
family owned businesses, local governments and in education. He is a lifetime member of the International
Society for Performance Improvement, a senior member of the American Society for Quality, Future Search
Network and Organization Development Network. Kevin serves as a member of the Emergency Management
Team and on the Accreditation Subcommittee.