“I’d always had difficulty in providing good one-to-one feedback.” How the AssessTech Assessor Award changed that.

A recent learner on the AssessTech Assessor Award has been working as an assessor for 13 years. By any measure, that is a highly experienced professional. So when they shared that candidate-led feedback has always been one of the more challenging parts of their role, it really stood out to us.

“I had always had difficulty in providing good one-to-one feedback,” they said, “particularly when it comes to candidate-led feedback” – a challenge many assessors will recognise. It takes practice, confidence and the right tools to develop well-structured, honest and useful feedback conversations that helps candidates improve.

The AssessTech Assessor Award introduced the concept of developmental feedback, which is about the candidate owning their own competence. At the core of this is a candidate-led feedback discussion.

One of the techniques taught in the course is the 80:20 feedback model, which reframes the dynamic between assessor and candidate, shifting the balance so that candidates do the talking, reflecting, and evaluating. The learner described it as having “really helped to transform and improve the quality of feedback sessions” they now have.

Another technique core to developmental competence management is the feedback funnel. Used well, it supports the 80/20 feedback model. It’s a tool to help the assessor facilitate a more meaningful discussion. It is designed not only to draw out greater detail and depth, but also to help the candidate self-identify areas of strength and development, which is key to effective developmental feedback.

The learner went on to say that the quality of the programme wasn’t just about the content. Their course tutor ran sessions that made the material easy to follow and understand. The online assessment submission process was clear, and the feedback they received on each submission was honest and specific, which helped him progressively improve throughout the course.

The final assessment was another valuable part of the experience. The AssessTech assessor created a calm and supportive environment for the live feedback session, helping the learner feel confident and prepared. They described the assessor as friendly and encouraging and valued the way the feedback provided clear, practical suggestions they could take into future feedback sessions.

Effective competence management depends on strong assessor practice. Assessors shape the quality of the conversation, the strength of the evidence gathered, and the clarity candidates receive about their performance and development needs.

This is where assessor training becomes more than a qualification. Effective assessors do more than complete assessments. They own their development, support better candidate conversations, gather stronger evidence and help create a more developmental approach to competence management.

This combination of confidence, judgement and reflective practice helps assessors keep improving and helps organisations raise the standard of assessment over time.

Find out more about our AssessTech Assessor Award.