Designing assessments that develop professional capability

Business schools are increasingly expected to graduate students who can navigate complex professional environments. Employers continue to value strong disciplinary knowledge, but they also seek graduates who can analyse problems, develop practical solutions, communicate effectively, and justify decisions in situations characterised by uncertainty and competing stakeholder expectations. 

Meeting these expectations requires more than a well-designed curriculum. It requires assessment that demonstrates not only what students know, but also how effectively they can apply that knowledge in professional settings. Traditional approaches remain highly effective for verifying conceptual understanding, yet they often provide limited evidence of graduates’ readiness for professional practice. 

Many business schools have introduced industry projects, live cases, and experiential learning activities to enhance authenticity. These initiatives create valuable learning opportunities, but authenticity does not emerge automatically because a task reflects the real world. The greater challenge lies in designing a coherent sequence of learning experiences that gradually builds capability, increases accountability, and enables students to demonstrate professional performance with confidence. 

The problem with product-focused assessment 

A polished report or presentation does not necessarily demonstrate professional capability. 

Most university tasks evaluate the quality of a final product. Professional practice, however, places equal importance on how individuals diagnose problems, evaluate alternatives, respond to feedback, and justify their decisions. 

This distinction changes the purpose of assessment. Instead of asking, 

‘Did students produce a good solution?’ 

a more meaningful question becomes, 

‘Does this assessment provide credible evidence that students can analyse, develop, justify, and communicate solutions in professional contexts?’ 

Viewing assessment through this lens shifts attention from isolated tasks to the design of an integrated learning journey. 

A progressive authenticity approach 

To address this challenge, I developed what I describe as a Progressive Authenticity approach to assessment design. 

The central idea is straightforward. Authenticity should increase across the semester through a carefully sequenced series of learning experiences. Each assessment builds on the previous one, gradually increasing the complexity of the task, the level of student responsibility, and the degree of engagement with professional practice. 

This progression creates opportunities to evaluate different dimensions of graduate capability. 

Level 1: Knowledge verification 

Students begin by analysing a real business challenge. 

At this stage, the focus is on: 

• critical analysis 

• problem diagnosis 

• stakeholder understanding 

• application of disciplinary frameworks 

The objective is to verify whether students can meaningfully interpret and frame a business problem. 

Level 2: Capability verification 

Students then transform their insights into solutions. 

This stage requires them to: 

• generate ideas 

• evaluate alternatives 

• apply technologies and tools. I applied the CREATAR framework for AR-integrated assessment 

• create prototypes and strategic recommendations 

Assessment shifts from understanding to application. Students demonstrate their ability to convert knowledge into action. 

Level 3: Professional verification 

Finally, students present and defend their recommendations before external stakeholders. 

This stage evaluates: 

• communication skills 

• strategic reasoning 

• professional judgement 

• responsiveness to feedback 

Students are required not only to present ideas but also to justify and defend them under scrutiny. 

Applying the approach in practice 

I implemented this approach in a Strategic Branding subject built around a semester-long industry challenge. 

Students first analysed a live business problem provided by an industry partner. They then developed immersive AR-enabled brand experience concepts before presenting and defending their strategic recommendations to industry representatives, who questioned their assumptions, challenged their decisions, and provided professional feedback. 

Each assessment prepared students for the next stage of the journey. The sequence intentionally increased responsibility, complexity, and authenticity, allowing students to progress from analysing a business challenge to developing innovative solutions and, finally, demonstrating their professional capability before external stakeholders. 

The educational value therefore extended well beyond industry participation. It emerged from the deliberate sequencing of authentic learning experiences that enabled students to apply knowledge, receive feedback, and demonstrate professional performance in increasingly realistic contexts. 

Lessons for business educators 

Three insights emerged from this experience. 

First, authentic assessment is more powerful when authenticity is intentionally scaffolded across multiple assessment stages rather than concentrated within a single activity. 

Second, assessment should evaluate not only final outputs but also the capabilities demonstrated throughout the learning journey. 

Third, industry partnerships contribute most when they validate student performance. External stakeholders provide more than a real-world context; they offer independent perspectives that strengthen feedback, increase accountability, and expose students to the expectations of professional practice. 

As business schools continue to prioritise graduate employability, assessment design will play an increasingly influential role in preparing students for professional life. Progressive Authenticity offers one practical approach by connecting authentic learning experiences into a coherent developmental journey that culminates in professional verification. 

Ultimately, assessment should do more than measure academic achievement. It should provide convincing evidence that graduates are ready to contribute confidently beyond the classroom. 

Acknowledgement 

The author would like to thank POKKA PTE LTD for partnering with the Strategic Branding unit and supporting this authentic learning initiative. Appreciation is extended to POKKA Singapore and Malaysia marketing teams for providing students with a live industry challenge, participating in the final evaluation process, and sharing valuable industry insights. Thanks are also due to Professor Visveswara Mohan Avvari for facilitating the industry connection that enabled this collaboration.