Costly and Manual: Subject matter experts (SMEs) or instructional designers would manually create questions and problems based on their expertise, industry standards, and the specific skills required for the job. This process required a deep understanding of the domain and the ability to write clear, fair, and valid questions.

Review and Iteration: After the initial creation, there would be multiple rounds of review and iteration to ensure the assessments were accurate, relevant, and free of bias. This often involved peer reviews and pilot testing.

Framework Design: The structure of the assessment, including the types of questions (multiple-choice, coding tasks, essay questions, etc.), the difficulty level, and the scoring rubrics, had to be carefully designed to ensure they aligned with the objectives of the assessment.

Logistics Planning: Deciding on the mode of delivery (paper-based, digital, or a combination), the time allowed, and other logistical details were key components of the process.

Validation: Before being rolled out, assessments often underwent a validation process to ensure they effectively measured the competencies they were supposed to.

Maintenance: Over time, assessments required updates and maintenance to ensure they remained current with evolving industry standards and job requirements.