Polytomous Limited provides specialist consultancy services in psychometrics, standard setting, and assessment evaluation. Our work supports organisations that require defensible, transparent, and evidence-based assessment decisions, particularly in high-stakes educational, professional, and policy contexts. All services are underpinned by internationally recognised principles of measurement validity and are tailored to the specific design, purpose, and constraints of each assessment programme.
Standard setting is a core area of expertise at Polytomous Limited. We design, deliver, and evaluate standard setting studies to support fair and defensible decisions about performance standards, proficiency levels, and pass/fail thresholds. Our work covers the full standard setting lifecycle, from defining performance level descriptors and selecting appropriate methodologies, through expert panel training and facilitation, to the psychometric evaluation and documentation of outcomes. We work across a range of established methods, including judgement-based and model-based approaches, and support standard setting conducted in face-to-face, virtual, and hybrid formats. Standard setting is treated as an integral component of the assessment's validity argument rather than a standalone procedure. We place strong emphasis on transparency of judgement, consistency of decision-making, and clear documentation that can withstand technical, regulatory, or external scrutiny.
Polytomous provides psychometric analysis services to support the development, evaluation, and ongoing monitoring of assessment instruments. This includes classical and item-response-theory-based analyses, calibration and scaling, investigation of item and test functioning, and evaluation of reliability and measurement error. Our work supports both newly developed and operational assessments and is designed to inform evidence-based decisions about test design, scoring models, form comparability, and score interpretation. We work with a range of assessment formats, including linear, modular, adaptive, and performance-based tests.
We support organisations in the design of assessments that are coherent, construct-driven, and operationally viable. This includes construct definition, test specifications, content blueprints, task and item specifications, and alignment between intended constructs, tasks, scoring, and reporting. Our approach ensures that assessment design decisions are explicitly linked to intended interpretations and uses of scores, reducing construct-irrelevant variance and strengthening the overall validity of the testing programme.
Polytomous conducts validation and alignment studies to support the interpretation and use of assessment results. This includes the development of validity arguments, evaluation of internal structure and scoring, and alignment to external frameworks such as the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) and other international proficiency frameworks. Our work supports organisations seeking to demonstrate the appropriateness of their assessments for specific purposes, audiences, or policy requirements, and to communicate technical evidence clearly to stakeholders.
A central element of our consultancy work is capacity building. We support organisations in developing internal expertise through training, workshops, mentoring, and technical advisory roles. This includes building understanding of standard setting, psychometric analysis, and the interpretation of assessment evidence among technical and non-technical teams. Our aim is to support sustainable assessment systems by strengthening local capacity and embedding sound measurement practices within organisations.
We work collaboratively while maintaining methodological independence, ensuring that advice and recommendations are evidence-led and clearly justified. Our services are tailored to the needs of each organisation, recognising the practical, regulatory, and contextual constraints under which assessment systems operate. To discuss how Polytomous Limited can support your assessment, standard setting, or psychometric needs, please contact us.