As an inaugural CEDS class member, Rob Robinson says independent, validated ‘baseline of knowledge’ is critical to ‘growth and success of professions’
One of the challenges of any profession is establishing a baseline of knowledge that allows for common reference points of understanding amongst participating professionals. This baseline of knowledge appears to be a critical element to the growth and success of professions as it enables clear and concise communication and coordination allowing for the efficient solving of problems and accomplishing of tasks.
Considering a baseline of knowledge in e-discovery
Many professions work to establish and validate a baseline of knowledge in various ways including apprenticeships, educational courses, standardized testing and certification programs. In the relatively young field of electronic discovery there appears to have been over time many efforts to establish and validate a baseline of knowledge ontargeted areas of expertise or on general areas of expertise from the viewpoint of a specific vendor or organization.
However, there have been very few attempts to create a vendor/organizational neutral, cross functional benchmark of understanding covering the core electronic discovery elements as defined by the Electronic Discovery Reference Model (EDRM). Of those few attempts, one of the most recent is the effort by the Association of Certified E-Discovery Specialists (ACEDS) with their development and launch of a Certified E-Discovery Specialist (CEDS) examination.
CEDS certification: Measuring up to the psychometric competency assessment standards
Recently I had the privilege of being offered an opportunity to take the CEDS examination — an offer that I felt honored to receive and yet apprehensive to accept because although I have been working in the area of electronic discovery since 2005, I truly wondered if my E-Discovery knowledge would measure up to the psychometric competency assessment standards required for one to pass the comprehensive CEDS examination.
However, this apprehension was also accompanied by the excitement and personal challenge of really being able to measure my acquired knowledge against a standardized and defensible baseline of knowledge. With apprehension and excitement at the forefront of my thoughts, I accepted the opportunity and went through the process of registering, preparing, and, finally, taking the CEDS examination.
Preparation and the CEDS Exam Preparation Manual
Having participated in industry-specific comprehensive exams before — as an officer in the US Army being tested at the end of helicopter flight school and as a pharmaceutical sales consultant being examined at the end of comprehensive medical sales training – I fully understood that preparing for industry knowledge testing was not something to be taken lightly.
Thankfully as part of the CEDS exam process, registrants receive a CEDS Exam Preparation Manual developed by many well-known industry experts. It is a solid resource for guiding preparation for the examination. The Manual is extensive in content and provides a framework for guiding exam preparation. Designed to share concepts, principles and practices relating to E-Discovery rather than to provide specific study questions and answers, the Manual provided a roadmap for preparation — a roadmap that can and should be augmented by the excellent materials available from other industry professionals, associations and educational programs — to allow for thorough examination preparation.
After taking several weeks to complete my Manual-driven preparation, I reported to the assigned testing facility to take the six-hour, two hundred plus question, computer-assisted CEDS examination. (The follow-on version of the CEDS examination now consists of 145 questions, or "items," to be administered in a four-hour time frame.)
The CEDS Exam: Comprehensive, complex, understandable, challenging
As expected, the examination was very comprehensive and followed the general preparation framework as shared in the Manual. Questions were complex yet understandable and the overall test, in my estimation, was very similar to the degree of challenge I experienced in the written portions of flight training and medical sales examinations. The sense of satisfied relief upon completion of the test was also very similar to the other in-depth professional tests I had experienced. While I felt I was well prepared for the examination – I certainly was curious as to how my knowledge ultimately measured up against the psychometric competency assessment standards of the examination. Thankfully, the wait for examination results was short. My results were positive and I did achieve a test score that allowed me to be considered as a Certified E-Discovery Specialist and become a participating member of ACEDS.
Importance ofcommunicating with industry professionals from a common frame of reference
While many may debate the importance of certifications or the appropriate way in which to design, administer, and validate an understanding of E-Discovery knowledge, it seems logical that no one would debate the importance of being able to communicate with other industry professionals from a common frame of reference.
Based on the standardized training and testing I received as an Army helicopter pilot, I have a common frame of reference with fellow aviators concerning knowledge on topics such as instrument approaches, settling with power and wingtip vortices.
Similarly, the standardized training and testing I received as a pharmaceutical sales consultant gave me a common point of reference with medical professionals concerning knowledge on topics such as pharmacokinetics, neurotransmitters and serotonin re-uptake inhibitors.
Standardized and defensible Certified E-Discovery Specialist testing
Now, based on the standardized and defensible testing I received as part of the Certified E-Discovery Specialist certification program from ACEDs, I feel I have a demonstrated common frame of reference — although by no means a complete knowledge — with fellow E-Discovery professionals on topics such as preservation holds, ESI collection, and document reviews.
Establishing and building on a baseline of knowledge is the ultimate goal of any standardized training and certification program and at this point it appears ACEDS through its CEDS program is on the right path of truly helping industry professionals establish a common frame of reference in the area of E-Discovery.
(Rob Robinson, Vice President of Marketing at Orange Legal Technologies, is a widely known commentator on e-discovery and from Austin, Texas, he creates and executes communications and marketing strategies. Over nearly 15 years he has held senior positions at other top providers, including On-site3, AppliedDiscovery and RenewData.)
