ABSTRACT
A certification and accreditation program is comprised of people, processes, and technologies of a wide variety. Each of these various elements is important, but there is a small subset of program components that can truly be classified as essential to the success of the program. These are the deal breakers. If they are not in place or do not function effectively or completely, implementation of the program will be hampered, and the success of the entire program may be jeopardized. In the following paragraphs I identify and explain several program elements that are critical to the success of any certification and accreditation program. Because of their importance to the success of the program, the following components should be designed into the program from its inception.
