A Perfect 10

Better Outcomes Now (BON) now enables a perfect 10 — a perfect 10 centimeters (cm) on the Partners for Change Outcome Management System (PCOMS) family of measures.

Users of PCOMS have long been aware of the importance of the line length of the different domains of the Outcome and Session Rating Scales. Front and center on the paper and pencil measures are bold, highlighted instructions aimed to ensure that the line length is calibrated to 10 cm before printing and using with clients. But what about electronic administration and Better Outcomes Now? The ease and convenience of digital administration brought with it a significant challenge regarding line length.  Rendering a precisely 10 cm line on all of the available devices, from desktop computers to smartphones, seemed impossible because of the different screen resolutions and sizes.

Although BON is device responsive and we handled the length of the lines on the measures better than everyone else, we were never really satisfied because they were not exactly 10 cm on every device. But now, thanks to the technical wizardry of our software architect, Bill Wiggin, the lines can be perfectly 10 cm on any device the user employs, including a phone if it is big enough to accommodate 10 cm. Before, the line length enabled a proportionally correct score that approximated as closely as possible the paper and pencil measures. But now, the line length is a perfect 10, guaranteeing psychometric validity on any device and truly representing the intent and spirit of the original PCOMS instruments.