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Laboratory

ISO/IEC 17043 and Proficiency Testing

Proficiency testing is the strongest external evidence a laboratory has that its results are right, and the weakest link is usually how the scheme itself was designed. This course covers both sides. Delegates work through the requirements of ISO/IEC 17043 for a provider, including scheme design, item homogeneity and stability, assigned value determination and the setting of a standard deviation for proficiency assessment. Participants learn to interpret their own z scores properly, to distinguish a genuine performance problem from a scheme artefact, and to respond to an unsatisfactory result in a way an assessor accepts. The course closes on using proficiency data as evidence of ongoing validity.

3 day courseRegister NowRequest Proposal

Course objectives

  • Apply ISO/IEC 17043 requirements to the design of a scheme
  • Assess item homogeneity and stability
  • Determine an assigned value and its uncertainty
  • Set a standard deviation for proficiency assessment appropriately
  • Interpret z scores and distinguish a real problem from a scheme artefact
  • Respond to an unsatisfactory result so an assessor accepts the response
  • Use proficiency data as evidence of ongoing validity of results

Who should attend

  • Proficiency testing scheme providers and coordinators
  • Laboratory quality and technical managers
  • Analysts responsible for participation and follow up
  • Accreditation body assessors
  • Statisticians supporting scheme design

Course outline

  1. 01What proficiency testing evidences, and its limits
  2. 02Scheme design under ISO/IEC 17043
  3. 03Item preparation, homogeneity and stability
  4. 04Assigned value determination
  5. 05Setting the standard deviation for assessment
  6. 06Performance statistics and z score interpretation
  7. 07Responding to an unsatisfactory result
  8. 08Using the data as evidence of ongoing validity

Scheduled sessions

Scheduled sessions for ISO/IEC 17043 and Proficiency Testing
DatesVenueFormatPriceRegister
25 to 27 September 2026Victoria, SeychellesClassroomR11,995 per delegateRegister Now
30 October to 1 November 2026Mbabane, EswatiniClassroomR11,995 per delegateRegister Now
13 to 15 December 2026Victoria, SeychellesClassroomR11,995 per delegateRegister Now

ISO/IEC 17043 and Proficiency Testing

From R11,995

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