Module 1 · What counts as evidence
The ladder explained
Seven rungs, and why a certificate is not near the top.
DOI treats a skill claim as having a strength, not a yes/no. The rung tells an employer how much weight to put on it.
The rungs, weakest to strongest
- Self-reported — you say you can do it.
- Experience-backed — a role or project in your history is consistent with it.
- Portfolio-demonstrated — there is an artefact someone can look at.
- Training completed — you finished relevant learning.
- DOI assessed — a DOI assessment supports the claim.
- Credential verified — an issuer confirmed a credential directly.
- Employer validated — an employer confirmed the outcome in real work.
Finishing a course sits at 'Training completed'. It is real, and it is not the same as being able to do the work. DOI says so plainly to employers rather than letting them assume.
What moves you up fastest
For most people it is portfolio evidence, because it can be produced from work you have already done. One reviewed artefact usually carries more weight with an employer than three certificates.
Key takeaways
- Claims have strength, not a yes/no
- Course completion sits mid-ladder, not at the top
- One reviewed artefact often beats several certificates
Preview · Sample data — Demo course content authored by DOI for this prototype. Signed in, progress is saved to your DOI account; otherwise it stays on this device. Finishing lessons records learning; it does not prove competence — that comes from reviewed practical evidence and DOI assessment. DOI claims no accreditation for this course.