Looking to actually figure out how to make those knowledge quizzes work for your team—not just check a box? This guide’s for managers, L&D folks, or anyone stuck with the task of rolling out quizzes in Smartwinnr. If you want to go from “what button do I click?” to “we actually learned something,” you’re in the right spot.
Let’s walk through the real steps, what’s worth your time, and a few things you can skip.
1. Get Your Smartwinnr Account Set Up
Before you even think about quizzes, you’ll need access to Smartwinnr. (If you’re reading this and already logged in, skip ahead.)
What you need: - An active Smartwinnr account (usually provided through your company) - Admin rights or quiz creation permissions
Pro Tip:
If you’re not the admin, find out who is. You’ll save yourself a lot of frustration if you get the right access upfront.
2. Map Out What You Want to Test
Don’t open the quiz builder yet. First, figure out why you’re doing this.
- Is it for compliance? Product knowledge? Onboarding?
- What do people need to know, not just what’s “nice to have”?
- Are you checking retention after training, or baseline knowledge before?
What works:
Focusing on practical, job-related questions. Skip trivia that doesn’t actually matter on the job.
What doesn’t:
Cramming in every possible question. More isn’t better—relevance wins.
3. Create a Quiz in Smartwinnr
Alright, time to get into the tool.
Step 3.1: Start a New Quiz
- Log in to Smartwinnr, head to the admin or quiz module.
- Click “Create Quiz” or similar (the button names change, but it’s usually obvious).
- Name your quiz clearly—think “Q2 Product Knowledge Check,” not “Quiz 1.”
Step 3.2: Set Up the Basics
- Description: Tell people what this quiz is for. Don’t make them guess.
- Deadline: Set a realistic end date. If you make it too short, people will miss it; too long, and it gets ignored.
- Audience: Pick specific teams or roles. Don’t blast it to everyone unless you have to.
Pro Tip:
Don’t overthink the settings. You can usually edit details later if you mess something up.
4. Add Questions (The Right Way)
This is where most people get bogged down. Here’s how to do it without wasting your time.
Step 4.1: Pick Question Types
Smartwinnr supports multiple choice, true/false, fill-in-the-blank, and sometimes more. Use a mix, but keep it simple.
- Multiple choice: Good for facts and concepts.
- True/false: Fast, but avoid trick questions.
- Short answer/fill-in: Use sparingly—harder to auto-grade and can frustrate people.
What works:
Clear, unambiguous questions. Write like you’d explain to a colleague.
What doesn’t:
Overly clever or tricky questions. You’re testing knowledge, not trying to stump people.
Step 4.2: Write (or Import) Your Questions
- Type in questions manually, or import from Excel/CSV if Smartwinnr supports it. (Check the help docs—bulk import saves a ton of time for big quizzes.)
- Add correct answers and optional explanations.
- Set point values if you want weighted scoring. If you don’t care, leave them even.
Pro Tip:
If you’ve already got training docs, pull questions straight from there. No need to reinvent the wheel.
5. Configure Quiz Settings
Don’t just hit “publish.” A few options actually matter; the rest are just noise.
Key Settings to Pay Attention To
- Question order: Randomize if you’re worried about cheating, but don’t if the quiz is meant to build on concepts.
- Question pool: If you have a big bank, set quizzes to pull random sets for each user.
- Attempts allowed: One try keeps it serious. More attempts can be good for learning, but don’t go overboard.
- Feedback: Decide if you want instant feedback or results only at the end. For training, feedback after each question helps learning.
What works:
Keeping settings simple. You can always get fancy later.
What doesn’t:
Turning on every feature “just because.” Most people don’t need timers, badges, or gamification for basic training.
6. Preview and Test Your Quiz
Never trust a quiz you haven’t taken yourself.
- Use Smartwinnr’s “Preview” or “Test” mode.
- Check for typos, weird formatting, or questions that don’t make sense.
- If possible, have a teammate or two run through it.
Pro Tip:
Test on both desktop and mobile. Some employees will use their phones, and formatting can break.
7. Launch the Quiz
When you’re happy with it, it’s go time.
Step 7.1: Assign to Employees
- Choose the right users or groups.
- Double-check your list—don’t accidentally assign to the whole company.
Step 7.2: Send Notifications
- Smartwinnr can email or app-notify users.
- Keep your message simple: what it is, why it matters, how long it’ll take, and the deadline.
Sample message:
“Hey team, please take the Q2 Product Knowledge Check by Friday. It’ll take less than 10 minutes. Your feedback helps us improve training.”
What works:
Short, direct instructions. Don’t bury the lead.
8. Track Results and Follow Up
Don’t just launch and forget—this is where you see if it worked.
Step 8.1: Check Analytics
- Smartwinnr gives you basic stats: who completed it, scores, common problem areas.
- Look for trends. If everyone misses the same question, maybe it’s a bad question, or your training needs work.
Step 8.2: Share Results (Carefully)
- For compliance, you’ll need proof of completion.
- For learning, share group stats or send individual results.
- Avoid public shaming—nobody learns better by being called out.
Pro Tip:
Use results to tweak your next quiz. This isn’t a “set and forget” system.
9. What to Ignore (Most of the Time)
- Over-the-top gamification: Fancy leaderboards and badges sound fun, but often distract more than help—unless your team’s really into it.
- Over-customizing: You don’t need custom backgrounds or logos for every quiz. Save your energy.
- Quiz frequency: Don’t run quizzes so often that people tune out. Quality over quantity.
10. Iterate and Keep It Simple
No quiz is perfect the first time. Watch what works, drop what doesn’t, and keep things straightforward. If you’re spending more time building quizzes than your team is learning from them, you’re doing it wrong.
You don’t need to be a quiz master. You just need to help people remember what matters. Start small, get feedback, and improve as you go—simple as that.