The certification industry is changing fast. New delivery models, evolving security expectations, shifting workforce skills, and rapid advances in AI are reshaping how programs are built and managed. Yet despite all this change, one thing has remained surprisingly hard to find: honest, current conversations from the professionals driving certification forward right now.
So, we created one.
Kryterion is proud to announce the launch of Examined., a new podcast designed and hosted by our own David McHardy, Customer Success Manager for EMEA. After months of searching for a platform where leaders could openly discuss what’s working, what’s changing, and what’s coming next in certification, David realized that nothing existed that reflected the industry as it truly is today.
So he built it.
“For months, I’ve wanted to create a way to share honest conversations and insights about certification — not the ‘back in my day’ stories, but what’s happening right now.
But nothing like that existed.
So I built it.” — David McHardy, Host of Examined.
A Podcast Built for Modern Certification
Unlike traditional conversations that focus on outdated case studies or decades-old stories, Examined. brings listeners into the present moment of certification. This series explores the innovations, challenges, and decisions that leaders face in real time, across organizations launching, scaling, and transforming global programs.
Each episode features certification professionals who are breaking new ground today, not thirty years ago. Listeners gain practical strategies shaped by current realities, from delivery and security to program design, candidate experience, and organizational growth.
Series Description
Examined. takes you inside the world of certification as it exists today. Hosted by Kryterion, each episode features conversations with the professionals driving real change, launching, scaling, and managing global programs. Whether you’re a certification leader, L&D decision-maker, or simply curious about the forces shaping the industry, the series delivers insights you won’t find anywhere else.
Episode 1: Secrets of High-Impact Certification
For our first episode, David sits down with three leaders shaping certification in the modern era:
- Peter Manijak, the industry expert behind Magento’s groundbreaking certification program
- Angela Street, Chief Customer Officer at Kryterion
Together, they explore what it really takes to build programs that scale reliably, deliver consistently, and drive measurable outcomes. This candid conversation covers:
- Modern delivery models and what’s changing
- How high-performing programs design for consistency and quality
- The role of customer experience in long-term program success
- Strategies to grow and evolve a certification program
- Emerging trends that will define the next wave of credentialing
Whether you oversee program strategy, manage delivery operations, or are directly involved in development, this episode provides clear, actionable takeaways grounded in current industry practice.
Why This Matters for Certification Leaders
Certification programs today are under more pressure and more scrutiny than ever. Leaders need reliable insights, real examples, and practical strategies from people navigating these same challenges right now.
Examined. was created to meet that need.
It’s a space where modern certification leaders share what they’re learning, what they’re testing, and where the industry is realistically heading. It fills a gap for the decision-makers shaping credentialing’s future, offering clarity, perspective, and inspiration in a rapidly evolving landscape.