Chapter 16: Using Visual Displays to Inform Assessment Design and Development

The development of an assessment program draws on the expertise of testing professionals for procedural guidance and the judgment and knowledge of subject matter experts (SMEs) who are familiar with the content and testing population of interest. In addition to development, consumers of test results (e.g., students, parents, candidates, policymakers), rely on score reports and related documentation to help interpret test scores. In this chapter, we discuss how visual displays can help inform steps of the test development and validation process, from program design to item writing and review to score reporting. Relevant examples of visual displays are provided for various development activities in a range of testing settings (e.g., education, licensure, certification). We conclude with three general recommendations to improve the test development process using visual displays.