Previous Versions of AMS |
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Sigma I 1981 - Jack Feldhaus developed the first Sigma software, a basic statistics system, to meet some of the statistical analysis requirements of merit selection at the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD). It is interesting that two of the principals at SMUD were Pam Stewart and Ed Cole who went on to shape CPS Human Resource Services into the industry-leading organization it is today. The original Sigma program performed test score manipulation, such as standardizing score distributions and forming weighted composites of test batteries. It also offered a suite of reports providing descriptive statistics and various EEO adverse impact analysis tools. It was programmed in a version of BASIC that ran interpreted on the Commodore models PET, CBM 4032, and later the CBM 8032. This machine employed the 1 MHz. CMOS 6502 chip and could be had with as much as 32K of random access memory (RAM). The Commodore PET and CBM models had a full-size keyboard, and had a built-in 40 or 80 column by 25 line text green-screen video display. Data was stored in sequential files on floppy diskettes, each having a capacity of 170K. Reports were formatted as 80 fixed-pitch characters per line printed on a dot matrix printer that was connected via an IEEE-488 bus. Sigma II 1982-1983 - Sigma II added more software capabilities, including exam scoring of answer sheets. These could be fed into a connected Scantron brand optical mark-sense scanner. Sigma II was still programmed in MS BASIC for the Commodore, but was shipped in a binary format created by a compiler from DTL, a Canadian company. Compilation was necessary to achieve sufficient execution speed in order to read an unbuffered data stream from the scanner. Sigma III 1985 - Mike Willihnganz, also now at CPS, was also involved in the implementation of Sigma software at the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD). Word of the new program quickly spread to other agencies in the state, and in 1985 with the release of Sigma III, it began to evolve into a robust recruitment and selection management system. Sigma IV 1989 - The Sigma IV Applicant Management System (AMS 4) was released and almost immediately adopted by merit and civil service agencies all over California. AMS 4, back then ahead of its time, is a PC network-based selection processing system. Shortly thereafter, Sigma Data Systems Incorporated was formed to continue the development, sales and support of the Sigma product lines. 1992 - The Sigma IV Test Management System (TMS 4) was released. TMS 4, also networked, was designed to help test developers quickly create and administer employment exams and to use industry standard test performance analysis - along with cutting edge projection tools - to continuously improve the quality of those exams. 1994 - Sigma Lite was introduced to meet the applicant tracking needs and budgets of smaller agencies. Even today, dozens of agencies across the country automate their selection and assessment processes with these flexible and powerful Sigma IV systems. Sigma 5 |
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