Twelve tips for the use of mobile technologies for work based assessment

There is increasing interest in the use of mobile technologies (including personal digital assistants (PDAs) and mobile phones) for work based assessment. These devices can offer data collection anytime and anyplace but they can also enhance the assessment process by collecting a variety of multimedia. The experience of using mobile technologies for work based assessment in a range of professions has highlighted several important aspects that need to be considered. It is essential that the choice of technology is determined by the overall assessment strategy. Important technology aspects include the choice of device and the method of data collection and transfer. An initial pilot scheme is recommended before widespread adoption so that institutional cultural and information technology (IT) barriers can be identified and overcome.