I don’t have an exact table of comparison with Gravic as I haven’t seen it for long. I have instructed my colleague to present a comparison chart with gravic OMR by watching the demos and collecting feedback from some users we know and I shall soon bring it forward for you.
Majorly what I have noticed that the very first step of sheet design process is definitely a plus point in Addmen OMR. Gravic template creation seems more for the experienced high IQ user like an analyst or an organisation like a market research firm where the staff is stiff educated and works with specific project with a well defined purpose. Their motivation and capacity to understand is very different from those less qualified, less paid, less motivated, DTP operators who are working in ‘thousands of schools, colleges and competitive examination selection training coaching classes in India’. These less interested workers are vested with the task of day-to-day checking OMR sheets for various types of tests being held in the institute. They need an easy sheet creation process, that either provides them with a large library of readymade designs which fulfil their requirements with minor ornamental amendments or at least a process that uses a terminology that is close to their domain. For them understanding a sheet in terms of Q1. Q2…Q100 is easier than using generic terminology which suits both an analyst or a Test Checker.
We know OMR is used for large variety of purposes but majorly classified they are 1) MCQ Test Checking and 2) Data Collection and Analysis
Both these types of users have different types of requirements and when they are trying to be addressed from the same software following the same steps (as in gravic), it creates a lengthy working for either of them with many unnecessary provisions, settings and step which might not be relevant to one of them.
An MCQ OMR Answer sheet is very different from Application (Data collection) Form, Survey Form. Their outcomes and final expected results are very different in most cases. A user does not want a graph or analysis every time but he wants the merit list of his test very quick. And he neither wants to read user guides nor does he want to learn so much for doing this mere job which he might change in next few months. So according to the concept of “Trivial many and Special few” we believe rather than being very feature rich and thus complicated it would be more sufficing if the OMR software easily lets you create a sheet design and provides the daily desired results in minimal steps with minimal involvement.
This difference due to this approach can be seen throughout the process in the Addmen & Gravic softwares. Addmen process is very short and simple. It is not very wide and general. It targets to create a good experience for the usual 95% users. May be we lack on the front of remaining 5% users, which we can obviously improve.
We can definitely design using word. But word is suitable only to clients where the requirement is simple and where they have enough ground to play. Addmen software is definitely more flexible and efficient when it comes to typical requirements of free-form placement of few blocks or adjustment of grid matrix for calibrating pre-printed sheets based on other software/scanner technologies. Many times the user's needs to add a lot of other stuff and ornamentation on the OMR sheet all of which is not conveniently possible in OMR designer or Word, so most of the printers use Corel Draw. Our software allows our sheets to be edited in CorelDraw and other open source DTP software's.
Issue solving part should be equally well equipped, because most candidates create trouble during filling of roll no.. Our software helps in real time resolution of mistakes like Blank ID, Duplicate ID, Multiple Filled Columns, Invalid ID, Unexpected ID, Missing Test/Set Code and many such in alert mode.
4. We might not be excelling on the front of Psychometric analysis. Though our software does provide a few statistical parameters like Difficulty Level of Question, Item Discrimination Index, Kuder Richardson Reliability Index, Point Biserial Coefficient, Item Response Curve, Fergusion's Delta, Frequency Curve, etc. But since most users do their analysis in their own way we have not very much enriched our software on these lines. Since we are calculating almost all the required parameters so if required we can enhance our product according to your market requirements.
5. Regarding the use of any printer and any scanner sounds same, but let me just get a feedback and confirm whether it is actually and operationally the same.
We do not work on timeline we work on a different logic which makes the reading process free from affects of distortion, skewing, warping. Timeline based technology has a dependency on the straightness of scan which is rare with low end scanners and less trained users. Skewed and distorted sheets are auto-judged or alerted. But accuracy is not compromised at any stage due to any reason.
Does it support colour dropping ? Auto adjustment of scanning threshold for Barcode reading detection of overfilled or under-filled marks (probable responses)?
To draw a comparative analysis amongst various OMR Solutions available in the market, we need to understand the basics of each type.
In nutshell, there are 3 major parts of the OMR Process and Addmen OMR Pro excels in all:
OMR sheet design and print;
OMR sheet scanning;
Reading & Processing through OMR Software;
OMR Sheets are a major part of the OMR process and imposes a high running cost, BUT by virtue Addmen’s OMR Solution, the user has complete control over OMR Sheet design and OMR sheet printing through a very simple process.
Even other software give you freedom to design, but what may look same by name is lot different in functionality & utility as their process is typical and has lots of constraints so it requires a user with high geometric skill to design sheets and is definitely time taking. And users finally submit by using whatever is available rather than venturing into new OMR sheet design.
Sheets have to designed separately first using geometric knowledge and manually aligned bubble matrix. Take too much time to design.
Later a print is scanned and each bubble is calibrated manually by overlapping reading areas which is tedious and involves high skill.
Only 2-colour OMR sheets based on colour dropping system can be made and used.
High OMR sheet cost at around Rs.1.25 per sheet. Only very good printers can print properly so mostly you have to purchase sheets.
Thick paper and accurate cutting of size is critical for accuracy.
You have to order in advance & maintain stock because procurement takes time.
In case of multi-location use, sheets to be supplied from central stores.
Sheets can be designed using simple drag & drop of bubbles. Software does auto alignment & snapping. Comparatively negligible design time.
Definition and calibration is done automatically.
Single colour sheets can be made which are mostly used. 2- colour sheets can also be made.
Negligible cost of OMR Sheet around Rs. 0.50 per sheet. Laser Prints, photocopies and local offset press-all is welcome. Obviously no stock issues.
Normal A4 copier sheet or any offset paper can be used.
Laser prints can be used in emergency.
Sheets can be printed by individual centres or users with variations.
OMR Scanning is crucial as it requires additional purchase and investment. Earlier big and costly OMR machines were used for the purpose but after Addmen’s initiative and success of Image based OMR technology, image scanners are used – a drastic drop in cost.
Most solution use only 2-Colour, colour dropping based sheets, which obviously requires only a professional colour-dropping capable image scanner. So the choice is less and cost is high.
Some solutions still require big OMR scanners or OMR Checking machine, the technology is almost obsolete and in use by only those who have already got into it. There are seldom any new buyers.
Lowest available ADF model with colour dropping feature – INR 25000/- (approx)
As told, we can design and use both B/w and colour sheets, so,
Lowest available ADF scanner model – INR 7500/- (approx)
Addmen were the first to deliver a successful OMR Software with a totally new and proprietary technological approach which is absolutely different from all the other software and makes OMR solution much simpler and user friendly.
Through its market impact Addmen’s OMR Software had forced companies to modulate their existing solutions to somehow meet the blow with little incumbent improvisations.
The vision behind the development itself speaks all about the future of the product.
History & Background 7-8 years back OMR users were limited and OMR scanner Machines were the only available solution and so were well known. Only big Examination bodies and Govt. organizations were able to afford. Even the test patterns were simple so it was manageable. There were no successful OMR software's.
Price Factor Earlier OMR Machine scanners used to cost starting Rs. 3.5-50 Lacs.
Today, most economic China made Hardware Scanners are available for at least Rs. 180000/- per scanner. Reasonably acceptable versions reach 250000/- and beyond.
Cost of the OMR Machine and OMR Sheet and technical complexities were a big deterrent so the expanse of OMR usage led to development of OMR Software which eliminated the need of costly machine but other systems still use the same old sheet pattern which is costly
Accuracy
Thick paper and accurate cutting of size is critical for accuracy. Folds have a negative effect of acceptance of sheet and accuracy of result.
Speed
Mainly depends on the speed of scanner. We do not know others speed.
With the advent of software's, a cheap alternative OMR has found market even with smaller organizations. Growth of OMR users market and success of Software are complementary to each other. Lately most organizations have switched over to OMR based tests and thus a lot of creativity in patterns makes it tricky and frequently needs change.
Since last 7 years, the software's have fully dominated and almost eliminated the use of H/w Scanners.
After the advent of software available at just 10% price, the market of scanners came down drastically.
Sheet price is negligible and scanner price is flexible.
Addmen was the first to launch a successful and altogether different approach to OMR that offers economy, flexibility, independence and accuracy.
We do not consider the term “% accuracy”. Our software is absolute (100%) accurate even for tilted and skewed sheets.
Our software checks 1 to 4 sheets/sec depending upon PC speed.
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