INCOSE Certification Program Knowledge Exam Update 2015

Abstract

The International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE) has offered a Professional Certification Program since 2004 as a means to recognizing the knowledge and experience of Systems Engineering professionals. To become an Associate Systems Engineering Professional (ASEP) or Certified Systems Engineering Professional (CSEP), a candidate must pass a timed, multiple-choice knowledge exam based on the INCOSE Systems Engineering Handbook. This paper will describe the motivation and process of creating the INCOSE certification knowledge exam, as followed in 2014 to support the 2015 update of the exam. This paper will also capture the impacts of the ongoing updates to the Certification Program. The new exam, released on 1 May 2015, aligns with the 2015 release of the INCOSE Systems Engineering Handbook version 4.

A Vision for Universal and Standardized Access to Systems Competency Education

“…The systems engineering community, after all, has been aware of the broad utility of systems thinking and systems engineering competencies essentially since the inception of systems engineering as a formal discipline (Schlager 1956), and has in recent years made several strides forward in setting standards for competency attainment. In addition to maintaining a competency framework (Gelosh et al 2018), INCOSE maintains a certification program (Wright 2015;Walter and Walden 2010) that recognizes candidates' attainment of the knowledge and experience associated with systems thinking and systems engineering competencies. Similarly, the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) recently approved program criteria for accrediting college and graduate programs in systems engineering (INCOSE 2021).…”

Challenges and Opportunities for the New Generation of Systems Engineering Leaders

“…A professional with five or more years of experience in SE can apply for Certified Systems Engineering Professional (CSEP) designation by passing the exam and demonstrating experience performing SE tasks on the job. Professionals who have extensive experience in SE can be certified as Expert Systems Engineering Professionals (ESEPs) (Wright, 2015). As of July 2016, there 2,569 Systems Engineering Professionals (SEPs): 1,698 CSEPs, 600 ASEPs, and 271 ESEPs, as shown in Figure 3 (INCOSE, 2016).…”

“…However, more research is needed to measure the return on investment on certifications. Taking a measure to update its certification exam in 2015, INCOSE revised its exams for ASEP and CSEP based on a job task analysis of SE (Wright, 2015).…”

University Coursework as an Alternative to a Professional Certification Exam

“…Certification programs are designed to be standardized, fair, and efficient. "The most efficient way to [measure baseline knowledge] is through a computer-delivered and computer-scored exam" [12]. These characteristics are sometimes in conflict, as a diverse audience may need different treatment to be equitable.…”

“…Some elements of that diversity include the geographic regions from which candidates come and the languages they speak. Diversity also includes the type of systems on which individuals work and their job titles" [12]. With approximately ¼ of INCOSE candidates coming from countries where English is not the primary language [7], INCOSE has developed alternate assessment methods that do not rely on the English language.…”