May 26, 2020
Glendale, CA – PSI Services (PSI), a leading provider of online proctoring and performance-based assessments, together with MZD, a provider of performance assessment software solutions, are very pleased to announce that they have reached an agreement to form a technology partnership.
The move will enable PSI to integrate MZD’s human marking product, OSCAR, into its global test delivery platforms for the benefit of new and existing customers. This will further extend PSI’s range of performance-based question types used in high-stakes testing to include rich response formats such as essay, audio, and video content that require human assessors to review and mark following the test. It will also accommodate more specialized formats such as complex accounting or actuarial responses, allowing PSI to tailor testing precisely to customer needs.
Speaking about the partnership, Janet Garcia, Vice President of Global Credentialing, commented, “We’re particularly excited to be working with MZD. We have a number of live implementations ongoing, including written and oral submissions for English language testing, that will benefit immediately from this technology. We have always been leading exponents of performance-based testing and this partnership will open up new opportunities for PSI, such as migrating paper-based exams involving candidate essays to online or blended delivery.”
“MZD was founded by performance marking experts,” said Zac Henrich, Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer. “And since OSCAR was designed as a SaaS platform to integrate with assessment delivery platforms, the link-up with a global credentialing organization like PSI is a perfect synergy. It will bring the benefits of the product to a much wider audience in multiple languages across the certification and education sectors. More than ever it is critical to enable current and future customers the ability to deliver complete assessment solutions in virtual environment. OSCAR adds the ability to conduct high quality marking from anywhere to an already robust PSI offering.”
Looking to the future, MZD will this month release an AI-enhanced automated scoring solution to work alongside human markers and augment their activities. This will improve marker performance and identify any sub-standard markers.
PSI empowers educational institutions and certifying bodies with the ability to offer secure and effective assessment delivery. From identity management and multi-modal proctoring to reporting and analytics, PSI’s solutions provide the highest levels of security to ensure the integrity of high stakes assessments.
About PSI
PSI Services LLC (PSI) is a global workforce solutions provider that designs robust solutions for our clients by blending best-in-class assessment content, leading-edge technology, and deep consulting expertise across the entire career life cycle. PSI has over 70 years of experience providing worldwide testing solutions to a wide variety of customers across public and private sector industries, ranging from small businesses to global enterprises, leading academic institutions, and government organizations. For more information, visit psionline.com.
About MZD
MZ Development Inc, (MZD) was founded in 2015 in Iowa by a group of individuals who collectively have over 75 years of experience in the online assessment and performance scoring industry. MZD is focused on a single mission: delivering solutions that make Performance Assessments a reality for organizations of all sizes. The first product, OSCAR, was launched in 2015 and is currently in use with leading districts and test assessment organizations. More information can be found at mzdevinc.com.
Organizations interested in MZD and its innovative performance assessment platforms can email contact@mzdevinc.com or call 319-855-7694.
Press Contact:
Zac Henrich, CEO
MZD
zac.henrich@mzdevinc.com
