“When we first began to discuss the design and development of the Adaptive Assessment-based Alcon Recertification Tool last year, COVID-19 was not on the horizon and our focus was primarily on making sure that we made the most cost-effective use of Trainers’ time by optimizing their travels and at the same time, ensuring that our global CAS population gets recertified using tailored & personalized assessments that were meaningful, and importantly, would save them from the stress and heartaches of past-due certifications. In hindsight, and in light of the current pandemic, I think our decision to move forward with the Tool was nothing short of brilliant!”
Kevin Maddox, Sr. Director Alcon Global CAS Technology and Systems
Sify Digital Learning partnered with Alcon to deliver precision assessment at scale
Alcon needed to recertify 260+ Clinical Application Specialists (CAS) every two years on complex ophthalmic surgical equipment. The global eye care leader faced a challenging reality: their existing in-person assessment approach was effective but inefficient. Travel costs ran high, productivity suffered, and the manual evaluation process depended heavily on the availability of specialized trainers.
Working with Sify Digital Learning, Alcon transformed assessment from a logistical burden into a strategic advantage — one that delivers more accurate insights while saving time and money.
About Alcon
Alcon is a global eye care device company offering a range of ophthalmic surgical and vision care products used to treat eye diseases and conditions. Clinical Application Specialists play a critical role in Alcon’s mission: they train surgeons, technicians, nursing staff, and clinical personnel on proper device utilization to ensure safe use and optimal patient outcomes. These specialists provide scientific and technical guidance on Alcon medical devices, including the LenSx® Laser.
Assessment Challenges
An effective but inefficient approach
Before implementing the adaptive assessment tool, Alcon’s CAS certification process worked—but at considerable cost. Trainers evaluated knowledge and skills through in-person assessments at regional training centers, requiring either CAS or trainers to travel. Key challenges included:
- High annual spend on travel and related expenses for certifying 260+ specialists
- Reduced productivity as CAS spent time away from supporting customers
- Heavy trainer dependency, with 14 trainers managing the global certification process
- Manual assessment and reporting using evaluation templates and emails
- Fixed-question assessment model that didn’t adapt to individual capability levels
- Limited ability to identify specific knowledge gaps for targeted training
The COVID-19 pandemic amplified these challenges, making in-person evaluation increasingly difficult and highlighting the urgent need for a remote assessment solution.
Learning and Business Objectives
Alcon and Sify Digital Learning outlined five clear objectives:
- Automate the assessment process to certify CAS more efficiently while measuring knowledge and skill levels with greater precision than fixed-question assessments
- Replicate hands-on experiences through an online tool that mirrors physical surgical equipment interactions performed at training facilities
- Provide actionable insights through reporting and analytics that identify individual knowledge and skill gaps
- Enable personalized training using assessment data to calibrate CAS knowledge to required levels for effectively educating healthcare professionals
- Reduce logistical complexity by eliminating travel requirements while maintaining assessment rigor and consistency
A Precision Assessment Solution
Adaptive testing that measures true capability
Traditional online assessments use random questions from a pool and deliver a simple pass/fail result. This approach fails to accurately measure true capability — easy questions poorly evaluate high performers, while difficult questions unfairly assess those with knowledge gaps.
Sify Digital Learning built an adaptive assessment tool using Item Response Theory (IRT) principles. The system adjusts difficulty based on each candidate’s responses, following up incorrect answers with easier questions and correct answers with more challenging ones. This approach provides detailed insights into performance at a granular level, identifying specialists who need targeted training in specific areas.
Virtual equipment for realistic assessment
To replicate the hands-on experience of in-person evaluation, Sify created interactive 3D virtual equipment using WebGL technology. CAS can now perform complex activities in a browser-based environment that mirrors real-world equipment:
- Identifying and correcting operational room anomalies
- Executing key surgical workflow steps with sample patient data
- Responding appropriately to typical surgeon queries about equipment capabilities
- Navigating various scenarios with response options
The WebGL solution enables high-performance 3D graphics without plugins, running seamlessly on any compatible browser while maintaining the depth of hands-on experience.
Integrated with existing systems
Sify built the assessment tool as a SCORM 1.2-compliant package for deployment in Alcon’s Learning Academy LMS. CAS access the tool through desktop or laptop browsers, with completion data automatically tracked. The tool supports multiple question types including video-based questions, application simulations, multiple choice, UI-based interactions, and drag-and-drop sequencing.
Implementation and Rollout
Sify Digital Learning worked closely with Alcon trainers throughout the design process. The team validated questions with subject matter experts to ensure relevance and alignment with on-the-job requirements. All questions map to specific competencies CAS need to demonstrate when consulting with surgeons and technicians.
The tool assigns scores based on difficulty levels — advanced questions carry higher weight than easier ones, creating fairer evaluation. CAS can flag questions to revisit later and view their section-by-section progress. Upon completion, specialists receive personalized reports showing performance on each learning objective, highlighting strengths and improvement areas.
Measurable Results
Transforming assessment efficiency and effectiveness
The adaptive assessment tool delivered significant business impact:
Financial ROI: Alcon achieved potential savings exceeding $300K annually for one product line alone by eliminating travel expenses — representing over 100% return on investment within 18 months.
Operational efficiency: The automated system reduced trainer dependency for certifying 260+ specialists every two years. CAS now complete assessments in less time than in-person evaluation, and multiple candidates can test simultaneously from anywhere.
Assessment quality: The standardized evaluation approach ensures consistency across all CAS regardless of location or trainer. Data-driven visibility into individual knowledge gaps enables targeted coaching and training interventions.
Business continuity: The tool proved invaluable during the COVID-19 pandemic, enabling safe remote testing when in-person evaluation became impossible—protecting both business operations and employee wellbeing.
What Sets This Solution Apart
Precision through adaptive design
The tool’s two-parameter IRT model — measuring item discrimination and difficulty — provides more accurate results than conventional fixed-question exams. This delivers considerably greater insights for aligning training focus to individual strengths and improvement areas.
Fair and meaningful assessment
Unlike traditional tests where every correct answer earns equal points, the adaptive model weights questions by difficulty. Easy questions carry lower scores while advanced questions fetch higher scores, creating fairer evaluation that better reflects true capability.
Mapped to real-world performance
The design team connected all questions directly to on-the-job outcomes. The assessment mirrors the consultative conversations CAS hold with surgeons and technicians, evaluating their ability to effectively and accurately address queries about equipment capabilities and usage.
“In today’s world of rapid digital transformation and need for evidence-based healthcare solutions, I believe that customer and employee engagement and experiences will be the two crucial factors for organizational success. I am very excited to have the Alcon Recertification Tool developed for the CAS Trainers and CAS Associates so that they can continuously measure and improve skills and competencies and thus, add exponential value to our surgeons, physicians, healthcare professionals, and patients every day.”
Mark Lucas, Head Alcon Global Customer Applications
The Partnership Journey: What’s Next
Advancing to xAPI compliance
Alcon is working with its LMS partner to enable xAPI compliance. Once implemented, Phase 2 will upgrade the adaptive assessment tool for xAPI standards, storing and retrieving data through Learning Record Store (LRS) for enhanced reporting capabilities with automatic completion status updates.
Scaling across product lines
The success with LenSx® Laser assessment has opened opportunities to apply the adaptive approach across Alcon’s broader product portfolio, multiplying the cost savings and efficiency gains.
“I’m very pleased the Alcon Recertification Tool has been made available to global CAS trainers and CAS associates. This path-breaking approach will ensure that our trainers and associates are able to track and measure skills, knowledge, and hands-on expertise using assessments that are tailored and personalized to each individual, thereby making the results meaningful and actionable. All this in a safe, digitally enhanced setting without the stress of ‘on-the-spur-of-moment’ travel. The dollar value of health safety and employee satisfaction? Priceless!”
Aaron Graham, Global Director Alcon Clinical Training – LenSx
About Sify Digital Learning
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