2024 Innovation Award

Submission Qualifications

• Implementation of an innovative test, process, or service within the past two years
• The product, service, or initiative must produce value for one or more stakeholders within the IT certification and testing industry, such as, but not limited to:
• Increased security of a test
• Resulted in a new method for evaluating competencies
• Improved convenience or market access to your certified program
• Enhanced the respect and demand for certified professionals
• Open to companies and individuals in the IT certification industry (ITCC membership is not required)

Submission Dates

Nominations will be accepted Wednesday, November 1, 2023 through Friday, December 22, 2023. The award will be presented during the Spring Member Meeting.

Fee to Submit

There is no fee associated with submissions.

Judging Process

1. Written Submission: All submissions will be distributed to the judging panel for the first phase of judging. Judges will score the applications based on the how well the written submission addresses each of the Judging Criteria Questions. The scores from each judge will be totaled to get the submission scores. The top finalists will be selected for the presentation and interview phase of judging.
2. Finalist Presentations & Interview: Each finalist will be asked to present a 15-minute presentation explaining the innovation. Emphasis should be placed on clearly defining the innovation, the reason the innovation was developed, the benefits to the different stakeholders, the measurable results, and the lessons learned. Following the presentation, the judges will be given 15 minutes to ask questions of the innovation representative. (These presentations/conference calls will be recorded for any judge unable to attend the scheduled call.)
3. Judges Meeting: The judges will schedule a conference call to discuss their evaluation of each of the finalists and will then come to a consensus on the winning submission.

Panel of Judges

Selected from the ITCC members, past winners, past finalists, and the ITCC Board of Directors. An individual may not serve as a judge if the organization to which they represent submits for this award.

Judges Criteria

• How strategic was the genesis of the innovation? Address a known weakness or threat, expand
  on a strength or opportunity, expand market share, develop a new product, service a new client base, etc.
• What was the level of innovation? Was it to improve an existing process/product/service or create a new process/product/service, was it an application of existing technology in the market or new technology, was it a high risk exploration or a low risk exploration.
• What values or benefit did it create for one or more stakeholders? How did your innovation bring value to those who hold some influence over the certifications you build? How does it benefit them while still being a benefit to the individual certified professional?
• How well do the measurable results demonstrate an impact of the innovation? Provide hard data. Show how numbers of certified professionals improved due to your innovation, or how much time or effort was saved. Be as specific with numbers as possible.
• How valuable were the lessons learned for the industry? Versus for the organization or the individuals involved.

Award Winner Details

• Award presentation at the ITCC Spring Member Meeting
• A featured story in the ITCC member communications and recognition ad in industry press outlets
• Quotes from ITCC leadership for winner and finalists for press releases and internal newsletters
• Presentation opportunity at an ITCC member meeting webinar for winner and runner-up

How and What to Submit

Please submit a brief abstract of 1,000 words or less responding to each point below via a Word or PDF document. Complete and email your submission to info@itcertcouncil.org. A 30-minute follow-up presentation and interview will take place if the submission is selected as a finalist.

• Company
• Contact name
• Contact title
• Contact phone
• Contact email
• Contact’s role or relationship to the innovation
• Innovation name
• Innovation abstract
  Participants must write a brief abstract of 1,000 words or less responding to each point below:
  • Description of the innovation
  • Description of the genesis of the innovation
  • Describe the value or benefits from the innovation to the various stakeholders
  • Provide measurable results
  • What lessons were learned as a result of the innovation