How to become a BCS fellow assessor

Koushik Kumar Ganeeb FBCS has spent the last 15 years working in IT and technical roles. In his current role at Salesforce he leads on the architecture of massive scale data processing pipelines for Salesforce Einstein (AI), Agentforce and Data Cloud. These pipelines process trillions of transactions daily by directly supporting the business intelligence and AI capabilities of several Fortune 100 Companies.

Koushik is a Fellow of BCS and a Gartner Peer Community Ambassador, committed to advancing technology for the betterment of society.

What motivated you to become a BCS fellow assessor?

I always looked up to great leaders throughout my career. As someone who has greatly benefitted from mentorship and peer recognition, I felt the BCS assessor role was a very good opportunity for me to give back to the community.

It gives me an opportunity to work with many talented people from different backgrounds and industries. Every time I review an application, it's like a window into someone's unique leadership story, their motivations and how they've made a difference in their field. It's been really eye-opening for me personally, and has shown me how valuable it is when people from different disciplines work together and keep learning throughout their careers.

The whole experience has been far better than I expected. Beyond just the formal review process, it's really rewarding to be part of a community that takes technical and ethical standards so seriously. I really enjoy helping to identify and support distinguished professionals who are making a real impact in their careers.

What qualities make someone well suited to be an assessor?

A successful BCS fellow assessor needs to have a mix of technical expertise, professional maturity, and a real commitment to raising the bar in the IT profession.

We have to evaluate candidates based on evidence and criteria, not personal bias, so being able to make balanced, fair judgements is a key part of the role. We need to understand achievements in various industries and see how they measure up to the BCS fellowship standards. This requires critical thinking and the ability to see the larger picture. Providing clear, helpful feedback, both in person and in writing, is a big part of the role and it keeps the process transparent and respectful. 

A good assessor looks for potential in people and takes pride in encouraging excellence, recognising not only what someone has accomplished, but also their leadership skills, influence and impact on society.

And what kind of professional satisfaction does the role provide?

It’s hugely rewarding to help recognise people who are shaping the future of technology, whether through innovation, leadership or service. 

For you

Be part of something bigger, join BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT.

Being part of their journey towards fellowship is a real privilege and it gives assessors a unique opportunity to stay connected with emerging trends, expand their professional network and keep learning from peers across the tech world.

In many ways, being an assessor helps us grow as leaders while actively contributing to the advancement of our profession.

Explain what a typical assessment involves.

A typical BCS fellowship assessment involves a structured, evidence-based review of a candidate's career achievements, leadership contributions and impact on the IT profession.

The process usually includes reviewing the application portfolio, which covers the candidate's career history, personal statement, professional accomplishments and references. It also involves going through a candidate's profile and comparing it with the assessment documentation, analysing the collected evidence to evaluate whether the candidate is suitable for the fellowship and ensuring that they have fulfilled the required criteria as outlined in the BCS documentation.

If we require any additional information, candidates are also invited to an interview where they expand on their written submission, allowing assessors to delve deeper into their experiences, decision making examples, challenges faced and where they have made broader impact. Following the interview, assessors weigh the evidence against BCS fellowship criteria, and make a formal recommendation to the BCS panel.

How do you use experience and judgment during the process?

My strong industry experience in software architecture and engineering leadership helps me to bring a practical understanding of the kind of strategic and technical contributions that define excellence. I also consider details such as industry specific challenges, range of influence, and ethical practices that may not always be obvious on paper.

Another important aspect for me in this journey is to apply my professional judgement consistently and fairly without any bias. Each assessment is not just about validating credentials, but also about appreciating how candidates have made strong contributions to the profession and to the community through technology.

How has being a BCS fellowship assessor influenced your personal development?

Serving as a BCS fellow assessor has been very insightful, enriching and rewarding for my own professional development. It has widened my perspective on what leadership and impact looks like within IT.

Whether I’m assessing an application from someone leading a large scale digital transformation in government, or perhaps someone who is advancing healthcare infrastructure using AI, each applicant is unique, and it’s fascinating to learn how different technologies and processes can bring about meaningful change. This has also opened up my extended level of understanding of leadership beyond technical expertise providing me with a path towards influence, mentorship, ethics and community contributions.

The role has also expanded my ability to evaluate many complex achievements objectively and constructively. These are skills that translate directly into my regular responsibilities as an engineering leader, whether I'm mentoring others, assessing team growth, or driving strategic decisions. Most importantly, it has given me a strong sense of purpose. Being part of a professional community that champions integrity, lifelong learning and public good has inspired me to hold myself to a higher standard and actively contribute to shaping the future of our industry.

What would you say to a potential assessor who’s unsure whether they’re ‘qualified enough’ or has never considered volunteering in this way?

The benefits of becoming a BCS fellow assessor are actually two-way. While it is an excellent opportunity to give back to the community, there’s also a lot of professional development through a BCS assessor role — it’s a great way to learn from other people’s achievements, expanding your network by connecting with experts and industry leaders, and in doing so, growing yourself. Everyone brings their own unique experience, knowledge and distinct perspective to the assessment process, and each one of these is an important value. If someone has built a good career in their own industry, the assessor role can act as fuel for advancing professional development further.

A BCS fellowship assessor’s role is not just about judging, but about professional engagement, integrity and promoting a growth mindset. It’s an extremely rewarding experience and I would highly recommend it.

Learn more about how to become a BCS fellowship assessor on the BCS website.