Blueprint dimensions and maps

The master blueprint comprises two distinct entities; blueprint dimensions and blueprint maps. These work together to open up the possibility of extensive tagging structures, and this article is intended to introduce the conceptual differences between the two. Detailed instructions on how to create and use blueprint dimensions and maps are contained in separate dedicated articles. 

Blueprint dimensions

A blueprint dimension is a single data component which can consist of either structured (i.e. discrete selectable values) or unstructured (i.e. open-ended text values) data. These are the metadata values that you will later be able to apply to various system entities (e.g. items, resources and candidates/examiners). For discrete dimensions, values should be organised in such a way that they represent groupings of similar conceptual entities (e.g. skills, disciplines, years) within each dimension.

Commonly, the values set up in blueprint dimensions will be used to tag and categorise assessment items, perhaps to a curriculum structure or assessment plan, but they can also be used to tag or add information to resources, users, candidates, examiners or even exam blueprints as appropriate.

It is not possible to add basic metadata fields against user records (only candidates and examiners). However, metadata values can be used to control permissions within user groups.

Some common examples of blueprint dimensions could include:

Blueprint maps

Blueprint maps control how blueprint dimensions are deployed within the site and can contain one or several dimensions. Where a blueprint dimension is used to add information against assessment items, it must be contained within a map, even if that map only comprises a single dimension. Dimensions that only apply to users, candidates, examiners, resources or blueprints do not need to live inside a map.

Maps also present the opportunity to make dimensions conditionally visible against items depending on the value selected in another dimension. See the article on conditional dimensions.

The real power of the blueprint maps is realised, however, once more than one dimension is added. Multi-dimensional blueprint maps start to introduce the possibility for category selections within different dimensions to be grouped to create specific curriculum coordinates. Consider the analogy of an old A to Z style map where a point on the X-axis meets a point on the Y-axis to identify a specific map location; the same is true of a multi-dimensional blueprint map where, for example, a point in the clinical discipline dimension meets a corresponding point in the competency dimension to identify a specific assessment outcome. For example, the item may be specifically measuring the candidate's skill at performing a Cardiovascular examination.

Note that where a multidimensional map is used, all dimensions within that map will need to have a value selected in order that the item can be made live.

Multi-tagging

Where the use of blueprint maps becomes even more powerful is when multi-tagging is in use at the item level. Taking our previous example, let's say the item is examining both Cardiovascular examination and Emergency Medicine history-taking, the multi-dimensional blueprint map can be used to precisely specify those two coordinates.

Without a map, four possible relationships would exist:

With the dimensions grouped into blueprint maps, the correct associations are maintained:

As noted earlier, using the blueprint map in this way means that all dimensions need to have a value selected before the item can go live. For example, if the history-taking element was not a part of this assessment, then the examination element would need to be linked up to both clinical discipline selections to maintain the coordinate pairings. This is shown in the diagram below: