What is Principled Item Development Methodology

Innovative item formats are attractive to the sponsors of professional certification or qualification examinations because they provide greater fidelity to the real world than traditional item formats. Using the design of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountant's professional qualification examinations as a case study, this chapter presents an in-depth exploration of the issues surrounding the use of innovative items to assess higher-order thinking skills required for professional competency, beginning with a discussion of approaches taken by various academic disciplines to define and characterize higher order thinking. The use of innovative, authentic assessments is examined in the context of validity arguments. A framework for principled thinking about the construct map of the assessment is introduced, and a systematic process for designing innovative items to address the desired constructs is provided.