Supporting professional development in freight and logistics
The British International Freight Association (BIFA) is a trade association representing UK companies in the freight and logistics industry. As part of its commitment to professional development, BIFA offers BTEC-accredited courses, providing individuals with the knowledge and skills required to excel in the industry.
Managing exams efficiently is a critical component of their training programs. BIFA have been successfully delivering their assessments with Synap since 2021 and Nezda, who oversees the exams, is continuing to expand their use to include more assessments.
Overcoming inefficiencies of manual exam delivery
Prior to using Synap, BIFA conducted exams manually on Word and students were monitored on Zoom as a form of proctoring. Students were emailed a password-protected Word document to complete the exam and were required to send it back via email. This process posed several challenges:
- Time consuming: The process required trainers to manually check and send out the Word document exams to candidates, which lead to delays and inefficiencies.
- Accessibility issues: A key issue was that not all students had access to Microsoft Word, which created difficulties in completing the exam.
- Risk of data loss: Additionally, the lack of an autosave feature meant that some students lost their work if they forgot to manually save their progress.
BIFA recognised the need for a more secure, streamlined, and reliable exam process, and decided to look for an online assessment platform that could modernise their assessment process.
"We had to manually check and send out documents, which was time-consuming and left room for errors…there were cases where students completed the whole exam but forgot to save, which was incredibly frustrating for them and for us."
Finding a reliable and scalable exam solution
In 2021, BIFA explored various online exam platforms before ultimately choosing Synap. The decision was driven by multiple factors, including the platform’s ease of use, security features, and efficiency. Synap provided a structured and automated approach to exam delivery, which met their requirements.
"We looked at a few different platforms, but Synap stood out because it was easy to use and provided exactly what we needed for our exams."
A smooth transition to digital assessments
BIFA’s onboarding experience with Synap was smooth and well-supported. The process included comprehensive training, with the Synap team offering step-by-step guidance through onboarding calls and help documents that shared best practices for setting up and managing exams.
Ongoing support has also been readily available, with dedicated staff, particularly Will, on hand to respond to queries via email or by jumping on a call when needed.
"The onboarding was really straightforward. Will and the team were great at walking us through everything, and we quickly got up and running.”
Thanks to the high-level of support they received, BIFA quickly became proficient in using Synap, and they found the transition from manual processes to an online assessment platform to be seamless.
"It was important that the transition didn’t disrupt our training, and thankfully, it was a really smooth process.”
How Synap modernised BIFA’s exam processes
Synap addressed BIFA’s challenges with its modern and flexible online exam platform, bringing substantial improvements to exam delivery and management.
Open-book exams
The platform allowed BIFA to maintain its traditional written exam format in a digital environment, while also supporting their open-book policy by allowing candidates to reference course materials. Candidates were provided with access to a PDF workbook throughout the exam, ensuring they could review relevant content during the exam.
Structured scheduling
Exams were set with a 90-minute time limit, ensuring consistency and fairness in time allocation. The system also supported scheduling for exams to be conducted on the same day, at the same time, to maintain their existing exam delivery processes.
Proctoring via Zoom
BIFA wanted to continue proctoring their exams via Zoom, a method that had already been established within their assessment process. Synap easily integrated with this existing setup which allowed admins to monitor candidates remotely, helping maintain exam integrity without making changes to BIFA’s established process.
Grading interface for trainers
Trainers found Synap's grading system highly intuitive, making the grading process more efficient. The platform’s question-based grading feature was particularly beneficial.
Initially, trainers scored exams per candidate, reviewing one exam from start to finish. However, they discovered that scoring per question, where they assessed all responses to a single question across different candidates, was more effective. This approach allowed trainers to maintain focus on each question, improving both accuracy and speed in the marking process.
“Initially, they were marking per question, which was fine. They would just mark one person's exam paper from start to finish. Well, actually, they've started to realise that for them, it actually works better to mark per question.”
Increased exam efficiency, security, and confidence
The adoption of Synap has helped modernise BIFA’s exam management and delivery, streamlining their operations and improving the overall security for the exam. Feedback from both trainers and students has been overwhelmingly positive; trainers appreciated the structured workflow related to their job, while students found the system intuitive and stress-free.
Increased exam efficiency
Automating the exam process eliminated the need for manual Word documents and email submissions, reducing administrative workload by students and trainers alike. Trainers could now focus on delivering high-quality training rather than troubleshooting exam logistics.
"It’s made a massive difference in terms of admin. Before, I was spending so much time managing files and emails. Now, it’s all automated, and I can focus on other things."
Greater exam reliability
The structured online assessment system improved exam reliability by ensuring all responses were saved automatically, preventing data loss. Unlike the previous Word document approach, there was no risk of students forgetting to save their work or submitting blank papers.
"There’s no more chasing students for submissions or dealing with lost work - it’s all handled within Synap.”
Enhanced exam confidence
By introducing four untimed practice assessments on Synap in 2024, candidates are familiar with the platform before their final exam. They gain confidence in understanding the layout of the assessment and how to move between questions. This familiarity reduced exam-day nerves and allowed them to focus on demonstrating their knowledge, rather than learning to navigate a new system.
"Students are now familiar with the system before they sit their final exam, which has really helped reduce their nerves.”
Improved grading processes for trainers
Trainers praised Synap’s grading interface, particularly the ability to score per question rather than per candidate. This approach allowed for more efficient grading, as they could assess the same question across multiple candidates in one go, ensuring consistency and saving time.
Continuing to expand their assessment delivery
Since partnering with Synap in 2021, BIFA’s assessment process has become significantly more modern, secure, and user-friendly. As part of their ongoing development, they are now exploring additional features within the platform to further enhance exam delivery and integrity, as Nezda mentioned “things are only becoming more technologically advanced and we need to be seen to be moving with the times.”
One area of focus is exam proctoring, they are looking at using Synoptic, Synap’s in-house proctoring tool. This upgrade will offer enhanced exam security, all while preserving the flexibility of their open-book format.
