---
title: 5 Essentials of a Top Digital Credentialing Program
description: Learn the five essentials for a successful digital credentialing program to boost engagement, drive ROI, and align with organizational goals.
image: https://learn.credly.com/hubfs/5%20Essentials%20of%20a%20Top%20Digital%20Credentialing%20Program-01.jpg
---
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[ Credly Blog ](https://credly-2629051.hs-sites.com/blog) 5 Essentials of a Top Digital Credentialing Program
# 5 Essentials of a Top Digital Credentialing Program
Uncover the five key elements for building a successful digital credentialing program, from governance and scalability to analytics and partnerships. Learn from top Credly issuers and discover how digital credentials can drive employee engagement, measurable ROI, and competitive advantage.
 Credly Team
 8 min read
A successful digital credentialing program not only helps to validate learners' skills but also drives lasting business outcomes and aligns with organizational goals. By leveraging digital credentials, companies can boost employee engagement, enhance productivity, and realize a strong ROI.
For example, 8,000-employee [Grant Thornton LLP](https://learn.credly.com/case-study/grant-thornton) — one of the largest audit, tax and advisory firms in the U.S. — used digital credentials to increase completion rates for its skills courses. Metrics revealed that badge earners managed 18% more total engagement value and exceeded billable hour targets by 0.9%.
To help you build a successful program, we tapped the expertise of the [Credly](https://info.credly.com/product/acclaim) network and the [Credly Top Elite Issuers of 2024](https://info.credly.com/top-credly-elite-issuers?hs_preview=KhGKxhBj-181151404045). These organizations have collectively recognized the achievements of 3 million learners this year. From their experience, we’ve compiled a list of [digital credentialing](https://learn.credly.com/blog/digital-badges-explained-what-why-how-and-when) program top tips.
## Five Essentials for a Top Credentialing Program
### ESSENTIAL 1: A Strong Governance Model
[A governance model](https://learn.credly.com/blog/governance-a-foundation-for-success-in-digital-credentialing) includes the policies and procedures related to your credential strategy. It’s a living set of documents that outlines program goals, evaluation guidelines and who’s involved. It aligns the program to organizational goals and establishes accountability, and it’s essential to hold the program to a high-quality standard.
#### Governance Model Tips
1. Establish clear, measurable objectives that support program and organization goals.
2. Create oversight committees to manage the program with a well-defined set of standards and rules.
3. Develop a credential framework that’s flexible, scalable and easy for learners to understand.
4. Include continuous review mechanisms, such as regular audits and feedback loops, to update governance documents and adapt to evolving standards and learner needs.
### Insights from Elite Issuer
Credly Elite Issuer, IBM, which issued more than 1.7 million badges in 2024, recommends that organizations establish a dedicated, centralized team to manage the credentialing program. The team should include operational, strategic and leadership support.
[ Learn More ](https://info.credly.com/ibm-top-credly-elite-issuer-2024)
### Essential 2: A Scalable Credential Framework
An expandable framework creates a flexible and sustainable program that grows with the organization while maintaining meaningful, recognizable credentials. Design for scalability, which allows you to add new badges seamlessly.
#### Scalable Framework Tips
1. Create a learning journey for earners with a multi-tiered badge structure that reflects a clear progression of skill levels, such as beginner, intermediate and advanced. This motivates learners to progress.
2. Design a clear visual hierarchy to represent tiers, making it easy for learners and employees to understand different levels of achievement.
3. Group badges into collections based on categories or skills, which makes it simpler for learners to find relevant badges and for you to manage different initiatives.
### Real-World Application
PMI uses distinct badge designs to signify different types of awards. By varying shapes, colors, and even wording, they clearly differentiate learning badges from certification badges. This approach helps users, employers, and other stakeholders quickly recognize the nature of each achievement, enhancing their understanding of PMI’s products and services.
[ Learn More ](https://info.credly.com/pmi-top-credly-elite-issuer-2024)
### Essential 3: An Intuitive User Experience
Effective user experience (UX) improves learner engagement, retention and satisfaction. A seamless, enjoyable experience motivates learners to earn more credentials and advocate for the program.
#### Features of a User-Friendly Interface
1. A centralized interface that allows users to find and manage badges quickly. Features like [Open Badge 3.0](https://info.credly.com/product/open-badge-3.0) on Credly allow badge earners to upload and verify any badge that adheres to [OpenBadge 2.0 or 3.0 standards](https://learn.credly.com/blog/credly-supports-open-badge-3.0), regardless of what platform issued it. This allows learners to control all their credentials in one place.
2. Streamlined options for sharing digital credentials on platforms like LinkedIn or adding them to personal portfolios. [Credly’s skills wallet](https://info.credly.com/product-skills-wallet) allows earners to showcase all their validated skills in one profile.
3. Easy access to [FAQs](https://info.credly.com/credly-frequently-asked-question), [step-by-step guides](https://credlyissuer.zendesk.com/hc/en-us), and robust [customer support](https://info.credly.com/product/customer-support) to ensure a smooth user experience.
  
  
I see other programs where you must go to one place to take a class, then go to another place to try and find a badge that you have to download, and then go someplace else to upload it. Credly and Cisco have made that process much easier.
##### Ryan Rose
Director, Learning and Development
### Essential 4: Effective Strategic Partnerships
Collaborating with educational institutions, industry associations, and technology partners expands the reach and credibility of a credentialing program. Strong partnerships increase program effectiveness and provide additional resources and insights.
#### Strategic Partnership Tips
1. Look for opportunities to collaborate on key initiatives with industry leaders. Partners could co-host workshops, webinars, or training sessions and promote the credentialing program.
2. Collaborate with [universities, colleges](https://learn.credly.com/blog/maximizing-the-impact-of-educational-partnerships-with-digital-credentials), and training centers to tap their expertise. These enhance the rigor of credential content, improve credibility and expand program reach.
3. Maximize technology partnerships to bolster the program’s underlying operational support systems. For example, a leading credentialing platform like Credly simplifies badge issuance and tracking.[* [Discover why you should choose Credly]*](https://info.credly.com/why-choose-credly)
### Essential 5: A Robust Analytics Framework
Data-driven decision-making improves program and learner outcomes. A structured approach to collecting and analyzing data enables organizations to track and strengthen the program.
#### Tips for Implementing an Analytics Framework
1. Collect data from multiple sources to assemble usable, actionable insights. Avoid relying solely on subjective data, like [inferred skills,](https://learn.credly.com/guides/verified-skills-vs.-inference-the-key-to-business-growth-with-digital-badges) which could lead to unreliable data.
2. Choose a platform that provides reliable, detailed access to analytics data. [Credly analytics](https://info.credly.com/product/analytics), for example, provide detailed data on key metrics like acceptance rates, badge share and click-through.
3. To demonstrate ROI, gather insights across the organization and learners. M[etrics ](https://learn.credly.com/guides/measure-and-increase-roi-employee-development)such as time to competency and performance improvement can help measure impact and value.
4. Identify gaps between desired and actual outcomes and communicate with stakeholders to improve the program. This ensures accountability, builds trust and provides additional insight for improvement.
### Create Impactful Credentialing Programs
A top-tier digital credentialing program can be easily established with the right guidance and platform. Credly, as the leading credentialing platform, is trusted by organizations of all sizes to deliver scalable, secure, and effective credentialing solutions.
With its robust features and industry recognition, Credly is positioned to support organizations in building programs that not only drive learner engagement but also produce measurable business outcomes.
To learn more about how Credly can help your organization implement a top-tier credentialing program, explore our [Elite Issuers profiles](https://info.credly.com/top-credly-elite-issuers), or schedule a call with us to discuss how we can partner to achieve your credentialing goals.
#### Share
## Read More
#### Digital Credentialing – A Big Win for Oracle Certifications
This is a guest blog post brought to you by the team at Oracle.
Learn more
#### Top Tips for Supporting Professional Development Through Digital Badges
In today’s fast-paced world, continuous learning is essential. Professionals are increasingly...
Learn more
#### Effective Digital Credential Strategies: Lessons from Top Companies
Digital credentials are transforming the way people acquire and showcase skills, offering...
Learn more
#### The Importance of Offering Secure Digital Credentials to Your Learners
In today's constantly evolving job market, secure digital credentials have become necessary...
Learn more
#### How Can Fraudulent Credentials Negatively Impact Issuing Organizations?
In today's fast-paced, globalized economy, credentials play a critical role in an individual’s...
Learn more
#### Celebrating Excellence in Credentialing: Announcing the Top Credly Issuers of 2024
Learn more
  
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