The planning process is a clear way of identifying and addressing specific requirements of assessment

The planning process is a clear way of identifying and addressing specific requirements of assessment. It should always be learner based as this will identify the level of proficiency of the learner, individual skills, the learning style required, and whether they are actually ready to undertake the assessment in an appropriate way.
All learners should be treated as individuals and may work at different paces to each other. By planning a clear criterion for assessment, and the assessment methods to be undertaken, the correct and appropriate evidence can be obtained in a timely manner to support submission. This also mitigates the risk of making sure the correct assessment is planned for to support the correct evidence that needs to be gathered.
Clearly planning the end-to-end process of the assessment is critical, as this will involve giving feedback to the learner, and timely submission of assessment decisions. By careful planning, any risks are mitigated. The planning of any assessment activities should follow the principles of being specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time bound (SMART).
Specific in the sense of activities should only relate to the ‘what’ is being assessed and clearly stated. Measurable in that the assessment is measured against specific criteria and objectives. Achievable in that the correct assessment has been set for the current skills of all parties. Relevant for consistency of results of assessment criteria and activities, and Time bound where target dates are set and agreed.
All these should be done under discussion with the learner and planned for, documented, and agreed with them. This ensures that the when, and how any assessment is planned, thereby minimising any risks from increased workloads to the learner. Any assessment planned must support, and ensure any health and safety risks have been identified and planned for. By clear discussions with the learner, unsafe environments and additional health and safety concerns can be planned for and mitigated for.
During any assessment, a duty of care must be in place to ensure that the correct governance and regulatory rules are followed. This is especially important when taking into account any safeguarding requirements that must be adhered to under law. These must be planned for including any confidentiality rules or sensitivities issues that may exist depending on where assessments have been planned.