Pictured: Fiona Hudson-Kelly Founder and Director of Smart Assessor

A Coventry based e-portfolio company is celebrating after achieving rapid growth and receiving positive industry feedback within its first six months of trading.

Smart Assessor has developed an internet based e-portfolio learning solution which allows colleges and training providers to significantly reduce the cost of work based learning whilst also improving the quality of the learning experience. 

Traditionally, colleges use paper-based learning portfolios for learners to collate and store evidence.  Paper based portfolios require frequent onsite visits by assessors to gather evidence which would then be taken away for assessment.   However, the e-portfolio system developed by Smart Assessor is rapidly changing how apprenticeships and vocational qualifications are being delivered.

Founder and Director of Smart Assessor, Fiona Hudson-Kelly commented: "Our software is a web based assessment system and therefore facilitates for more frequent interaction between the assessor, learner and employer via our secure website.  The e-portfolio allows for real time interaction where the sharing of knowledge, building of portfolios and submitting of evidence is available twenty four hours a day, seven days a week, from anywhere in the world where there is an internet connection."

One of the challenges of developing software lies in how easy it is to use for a large cross section of people, and commenting on this Mrs Hudson-Kelly said: "We actively seek feedback from learners, assessors, employers, verifiers and awarding bodies.  So far everyone has been very positive with the vast majority commenting on how easy and intuitive the e-portfolio is to use."

Smart Assessor has a number of unique features currently not available from other e-portfolio providers, and it is in these areas for which the company has received further industry praise. In particular their Smart Training and Assessment Rooms have attracted most acclaim. "Smart Rooms allow learners and assessors to interact virtually and in real time.  They are unique to Smart Assessor and dramatically reduce the frequency and cost of travel.  They also provide the learner with a more in-depth and personalised learning experience with the assessor being able to invest additional time with the learner. The time savings that Smart Rooms generate can result in learners completing the course in record time," concluded Mrs Hudson-Kelly.

Mrs Hudson-Kelly believes their current success is down to a combination of factors including their pricing structure, which the company claims is 25% more cost effective than other e-portfolios and because it provides free training, set-up, integration, branding and support.