Selecting Assessments Made Simple
by Sandra Schumann & Allison Ehrler-Meyer Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Allison Ehrler-Meyer, President and Principal Strategist of Beacon Advantage Solutions, is a seasoned professional with more than 20 years of experience in organization development, mergers and acquisitions, organization restructuring, change management, leadership development and training. Sandra Schumann, a Career Management/Transition Consultant, uses her Fortune 100 corporate Human Resources - Leadership Development experiences in guiding individuals and organizations through change.
Full Bio
Assessments have been used for a long time and their use is increasing. As companies look for ways to improve their organization’s results and their people’s performance they are taking a closer look at assessments. Companies that are currently using assessments are taking a second look at what they are using and evaluating the need for additional assessments or different assessments because the assessments they are using are not producing the results they expected.
The Many Uses of Assessments
Companies use assessments for various reasons. Knowing the purpose of the assessments is essential before selecting assessments. It is also important to know how it will be used and who will receive the information. The following situations are a few examples of how companies are using assessments to support and develop their organizations and their human capital:
Individuals
There are many kinds of assessments, and those most commonly used by companies often fall into the following categories: personal preferences, ability assessments, skills, questionnaires and inventories and psychological instruments.
Personal Preferences
Assessments based on a theory and normative scoring offer results based on profiling the “soft factors.” They are not psychological evaluations! They are often administered by paper pencil or on-line. Some of the more common ones are The Birkman Method®, the Hogan, Myers-Briggs Type Indicator(MBTI®), DISC®, Strong Interest Inventory®. For several of these assessments, feedback is recommended and given by individuals certified in that particular assessment. Certification and method of feedback depend on the assessment tool. Each assessment measures various styles, preferences or behaviors, therefore, each assessment can be used in organizations for a variety of purposes. Examples of what can be measured and how companies use these assessments are:
What it Measures
Ability tests measure natural abilities. They do not assess skills – skills are learned through practice and experience. Ability assessments are usually timed work samples that force the natural abilities to surface. They may be administered in person, by CD or on-line. Feedback is recommended and offered through certified individuals usually holding a masters degree or higher degree. An example is The Highlands Ability Battery™. Companies can measure several abilities and use this information in a variety of ways, here are a few:
What it Measures
Skills assessments show that a person can perform a task at the time of the assessment. A person can build on his or her abilities through skills. Skills can be learned with knowledge, practice and persistence. Skills can be assessed formally by using a standardized assessment. Organizations identify skills that are critical for success in a particular job or within the organization. Companies regularly assess particular skills or competencies through performance evaluations.
Increasingly, organizations are building the critical skills of their people at each stage of development from individual contributor through executive management; (assessing, training the skill, practicing the trained skill and setting expectations for the continued use of the skill). A type of skills test is commonly used to determine the performance of certain tasks using a computer or software. There are common skills that all organizations consider critical for success in today’s workforce. An example of a skills assessment is Decision Style Profile and Change Style®. Other in-demand skills assessed may also include:
The next type of assessments is questionnaires and inventories that collect responses and sort them into a pre-determined framework. Multi-rater (360°) feedback and employee surveys are examples of this type of assessment. Multi-rater surveys solicit feedback from supervisors, coworkers, peers and/or customers. It provides feedback about one’s behavior as seen by others. Employee surveys provide feedback on employee satisfaction and opinions. Both types provide insight about an organization’s desired skills and behavior. These instruments can be developed in-house and are also available through sources offering professionally developed instruments. They are often customized to meet a company’s need. The results are used with individuals or communicated to specific work groups as appropriate for the instrument and to ensure the proper level of confidentiality. Commonly used types of questionnaires or surveys are:
Psychological instruments are used to measure mental capacity or “raw smarts”. A licensed psychologist administers such tools and delivers the reports. Some examples are the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS-R) and the famed Rorschach inkblot evaluation. These are not often used by companies and when used are usually used at a senior level within an organization.
A big advantage of using assessments is that they not only provide data, they also show how strongly those behaviors, abilities, and traits push for expression. The use of professionally developed assessments, on average, enables organizations to make more effective decisions, than does the use of simple observations or anecdotal decision-making. They also provide objective information to individuals to increase self-awareness on which to build self-management behaviors.
Critical Factors
No matter what assessments are selected, even the best assessments, selected for organizational strategies and with thoughtful consideration, cannot be effective without several critical factors:
Companies can reap the benefits of assessments with guidance from certified consultants who can determine if an assessment tool and process will fit a company’s strategic goals. Consultants will assist to determine needs, make recommendations of assessments to be used, administer assessments and provide feedback or train others to administer and provide feedback on assessments. Consultants can be invaluable in framing the results, creating plans for implementation, continued support of the initiatives and for establishing measurements.
An important factor to consider in the choice of a consultant is his/her ability to assess a variety of assessments and give you an unbiased opinion on the best assessments for your situation and company. Often a consultant is the reseller of a particular assessment or suite of assessments in which he/she has been certified. When interviewing consultants it is important to determine if the consultant represents one assessment tool or suite of assessments by one firm. It is also important that the consultant is willing to recommend assessments beyond their certifications. Such consultant will provide a depth of experiences, insights and objectivity.
Consultants can also be used to assist with the administration, logistics and feedback for the assessments. A consultant is a third party that can provide a perception of confidentiality, as well as objectivity which does not always exist when internal consultants conduct assessments.
Assessments are used for change – for the organization and individuals. Assessments provide cost-effective, objective and convenient tools to improve an organization and develop its people. Selecting the most appropriate tool and consultant for the situation is the first step in implementing and effectively using assessments. Assessments can embrace or impede an organization’s or individual’s development and performance. The most effective roll-out of an assessment will consider the right tools, for defined purposes, a plan for implementation and on-going support. As with all change efforts, implementation can be difficult. To be successful, it requires the commitment, participation and perseverance by all involved in the effort.
Which Assessments Are Best for Your Organization, Your People?
First Consider
The Many Uses of Assessments
Companies use assessments for various reasons. Knowing the purpose of the assessments is essential before selecting assessments. It is also important to know how it will be used and who will receive the information. The following situations are a few examples of how companies are using assessments to support and develop their organizations and their human capital:
Individuals
- Coaching/Mentoring
- Conflict Resolution
- Communication Styles
- Employee Development and Retention
- Career Planning and Management
- Hiring Decisions
- Organizational Alignment
- Organizational Culture
- Team Building
- Succession Planning
- Communication Styles
- Employee Development and Retention
- Career Planning and Management
- Employee Satisfaction
There are many kinds of assessments, and those most commonly used by companies often fall into the following categories: personal preferences, ability assessments, skills, questionnaires and inventories and psychological instruments.
Personal Preferences
Assessments based on a theory and normative scoring offer results based on profiling the “soft factors.” They are not psychological evaluations! They are often administered by paper pencil or on-line. Some of the more common ones are The Birkman Method®, the Hogan, Myers-Briggs Type Indicator(MBTI®), DISC®, Strong Interest Inventory®. For several of these assessments, feedback is recommended and given by individuals certified in that particular assessment. Certification and method of feedback depend on the assessment tool. Each assessment measures various styles, preferences or behaviors, therefore, each assessment can be used in organizations for a variety of purposes. Examples of what can be measured and how companies use these assessments are:
What it Measures
- Communication Styles
- Behavioral Styles
- Motivational factors
- Thinking Styles
- Learning Styles
- Personal and Work Values
- Personality
- Career Interests/Aspirations
- Leadership Style/Preferences
- Team Dynamics
- Emotional Intelligence
- Hiring Decisions
- Coaching/Mentoring
- Conflict Resolution
- Organizational Alignment
- Team Building
- Succession Planning
- Employee Development and Retention
- Career Planning and Management
Ability tests measure natural abilities. They do not assess skills – skills are learned through practice and experience. Ability assessments are usually timed work samples that force the natural abilities to surface. They may be administered in person, by CD or on-line. Feedback is recommended and offered through certified individuals usually holding a masters degree or higher degree. An example is The Highlands Ability Battery™. Companies can measure several abilities and use this information in a variety of ways, here are a few:
What it Measures
- Learning Styles
- Natural Abilities
- Communication Style
- Decision/Problem Solving Style
- Work Style/ Environment
- Leadership/Management
- Organizational Alignment
- Career Planning and Management
- Dealing with Change
- Team Building
- Coaching/Mentoring
- Succession Planning
Skills assessments show that a person can perform a task at the time of the assessment. A person can build on his or her abilities through skills. Skills can be learned with knowledge, practice and persistence. Skills can be assessed formally by using a standardized assessment. Organizations identify skills that are critical for success in a particular job or within the organization. Companies regularly assess particular skills or competencies through performance evaluations.
Increasingly, organizations are building the critical skills of their people at each stage of development from individual contributor through executive management; (assessing, training the skill, practicing the trained skill and setting expectations for the continued use of the skill). A type of skills test is commonly used to determine the performance of certain tasks using a computer or software. There are common skills that all organizations consider critical for success in today’s workforce. An example of a skills assessment is Decision Style Profile and Change Style®. Other in-demand skills assessed may also include:
- Decision-making/Problem solving
- Dealing with Change
- Communication Skills
- Vocabulary
- Critical Thinking
- Strategic Thinking & Action
- Resilience
- Project Management
The next type of assessments is questionnaires and inventories that collect responses and sort them into a pre-determined framework. Multi-rater (360°) feedback and employee surveys are examples of this type of assessment. Multi-rater surveys solicit feedback from supervisors, coworkers, peers and/or customers. It provides feedback about one’s behavior as seen by others. Employee surveys provide feedback on employee satisfaction and opinions. Both types provide insight about an organization’s desired skills and behavior. These instruments can be developed in-house and are also available through sources offering professionally developed instruments. They are often customized to meet a company’s need. The results are used with individuals or communicated to specific work groups as appropriate for the instrument and to ensure the proper level of confidentiality. Commonly used types of questionnaires or surveys are:
- Multi-rater (360°) Feedback
- Internal Customer Surveys
- Organizational Culture
- Employee Satisfaction
- Employer of Choice
- External Customer Surveys
Psychological instruments are used to measure mental capacity or “raw smarts”. A licensed psychologist administers such tools and delivers the reports. Some examples are the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS-R) and the famed Rorschach inkblot evaluation. These are not often used by companies and when used are usually used at a senior level within an organization.
- Hiring Decisions
- Coaching/Mentoring
- Succession Planning
A big advantage of using assessments is that they not only provide data, they also show how strongly those behaviors, abilities, and traits push for expression. The use of professionally developed assessments, on average, enables organizations to make more effective decisions, than does the use of simple observations or anecdotal decision-making. They also provide objective information to individuals to increase self-awareness on which to build self-management behaviors.
Critical Factors
No matter what assessments are selected, even the best assessments, selected for organizational strategies and with thoughtful consideration, cannot be effective without several critical factors:
- Commitment from strong well respected organizational leaders
- Well planned and communicated implementation process
- Focus on the strategic goals for change
- Continued support over time – long term focus
- Realistic expectations for results
- Trust
- All assessment results are confidential and should not be disclosed to another individual or outside the organization without the informed consent of the test taker
- Some assessments are designed to predict, even those assessments will not be 100° accurate in its predictive quality
- Assessments should NEVER be used as the sole basis for a hiring or selection decision
- Assessments are not an instant fix for any development opportunity or organizational change
- Assessment results are one point of data to consider
- Assessments should NEVER be used as the sole basis for a hiring or selection decision
Companies can reap the benefits of assessments with guidance from certified consultants who can determine if an assessment tool and process will fit a company’s strategic goals. Consultants will assist to determine needs, make recommendations of assessments to be used, administer assessments and provide feedback or train others to administer and provide feedback on assessments. Consultants can be invaluable in framing the results, creating plans for implementation, continued support of the initiatives and for establishing measurements.
An important factor to consider in the choice of a consultant is his/her ability to assess a variety of assessments and give you an unbiased opinion on the best assessments for your situation and company. Often a consultant is the reseller of a particular assessment or suite of assessments in which he/she has been certified. When interviewing consultants it is important to determine if the consultant represents one assessment tool or suite of assessments by one firm. It is also important that the consultant is willing to recommend assessments beyond their certifications. Such consultant will provide a depth of experiences, insights and objectivity.
Consultants can also be used to assist with the administration, logistics and feedback for the assessments. A consultant is a third party that can provide a perception of confidentiality, as well as objectivity which does not always exist when internal consultants conduct assessments.
Assessments are used for change – for the organization and individuals. Assessments provide cost-effective, objective and convenient tools to improve an organization and develop its people. Selecting the most appropriate tool and consultant for the situation is the first step in implementing and effectively using assessments. Assessments can embrace or impede an organization’s or individual’s development and performance. The most effective roll-out of an assessment will consider the right tools, for defined purposes, a plan for implementation and on-going support. As with all change efforts, implementation can be difficult. To be successful, it requires the commitment, participation and perseverance by all involved in the effort.
Which Assessments Are Best for Your Organization, Your People?
First Consider
- What is the individual, group or organization trying to assess?
- What is the desired outcome and how will success be measured?
- How do the assessments align or integrate with the larger business goals and other developments strategies?
- How will assessments address an identified issue or contribute to the overall development of the individual, group or organization?
- What additional or complementary solutions need to be included to achieve the desired outcome?
- How much is the development or issue worth to the individual, group, organization?
- What the plans for follow up and accountability?
- What is the budget?
- What the assessment tool is designed to do relative to the desired outcome of the individual, group or organization.
- Evidence that the assessment tool can accomplish the desired outcome.
- An integrated and holistic solution to build individual, group or organizational capability.
- The organization’s commitment to an investment in time, resources and dollars associated with the assessment tool.
- Assurance of adequate training and support in the facilitation and application of the assessment tool.
- A reliable process for evaluating the performance of the assessment tool.
- The client’s commitment to an investment in time, resources and dollars associated with the assessment tool.
- The assessment’s reliability and validity are appropriate for its use.
Reliability – consistently measures a characteristic
.80 + = good to excellent
Validity – how well it measures a characteristic
.21 + = useful or beneficial