The SIMVANA Performance Index (SPI)

The SIMVANA Performance Index (SPI) is a system that ranks users based on their performance compared to their peers. It’s important to note that the SPI is not a grade, a competency assessment, or a traditional score—it’s simply a number that indicates where each learner stands within the cohort. In this ranking, a lower number is better: 1 represents the top performer, while higher numbers indicate relatively lower performance.

To determine a learner’s SPI, we analyze a range of performance metrics. For each metric, we calculate a Z-score, which shows how far a user’s performance deviates from the average of the group. These Z-scores are then applied to a weighted formula, resulting in a final value for each user. Once all the values are calculated, they are sorted to create the SPI rankings. This way, users can see where they rank relative to others in their cohort.

If you’d like to learn more about how we calculate the SPI, continue reading for a deeper dive into the methodology.

SPI is calculated using four key metrics: three derived from individual units within the Lesson Plan section and one representing the user’s overall completion of the section. To calculate the SPI for a specific user within a Lesson Plan section, the process starts with evaluating the user's metrics. First, the following four metrics are calculated:

1. Completion percentage in the section
2. Total number of completions within the section
3. Total time spent on the section
4. Average time per unit completion

Once these initial metrics are established, the next step is to determine the mean and standard deviation for each of the metrics across all users in the cohort. These statistics serve as benchmarks for the next phase of SPI calculation.

With the means and standard deviations in place, the SPI calculation moves to the next phase: calculating the Z-Score for each user across all four metrics. The Z-Score is determined by subtracting the metric average from the user’s value and dividing by the metric’s standard deviation. Notably, the Z-Score for the "Average time per completion" metric is multiplied by -1, as lower average times are considered better.

The final SPI is computed using a weighted formula that weighs overall completion percentage in the section and average time per unit completion twice as much as total number of completions within the section and total time spent on the section.

This formula produces a value that represents the user’s SPI. All users are then ranked from low to high based on their SPI scores, providing a relative performance ranking.

The SIMVANA Performance Index (SPI) enhances cohort management by providing clear, data-driven insights to assist you. By identifying both high achievers and students who need additional support, SPI enables you to allocate resources more effectively. It reduces the need for manual analysis and allows for targeted strategies that maximize learning outcomes, ensuring every learner receives the support they need to succeed.