Assessment & Development Centers

Dr. Irfan A. Rizvi

IMI New Delhi

Competency definition
 Competency refers to underlying behavioral characteristics & other attributes (KSA) that enable an individual
to perform at superior level in a wide variety of situations, & endure over a period of time;

 Underlying characteristics (ways of thinking & behaving) of an individual that are causally related to criterion
referenced effective or superior performance in a job situation;
 Competencies are comprised of several characteristics that drive behavior;
 Evidence of competency is reflected in work behavior;
 Competencies refer to what people are & can do, rather than what they do;
 Competencies are behaviors of superior performers as templates or benchmarks for other performers;

AC/DC
 AC/DC is a process that uses a set of techniques to evaluate competencies of its participants;
 Uses a number of work-related exercises or simulations;
 These instruments, exercises or simulations are well integrated & assess various dimensions of competencies;
 Performance of an individual on a number of simulations put together gives a better picture of her competency
(whole is greater than sum of parts);

Criteria to qualify for and AC/DC :

 Multiple factors (competencies) assessed;
 Multiple techniques or tools used;
 Multiple assessors involved;
 Process integration & data pooling.

Difference between AC & DC

 AC & DC are more similar than different in its process;
 They differ with each other only on the purpose;
 The purpose of AC is to assess to select or reject a candidate for a job etc.;
 The purpose of the DC is to assess to figure out the developmental or growth needs for :
 Career planning,
 self-development,
 succession planning,
 management development,
 OD;
 All DCs have essentially a feedback session built around it for this purpose.

What is an AC
 Process meant to measure the competencies, skills, characteristics of a person to evaluate their capability to
carry out a specific function within the organization and against a predetermined standard;
 “Standardized selection/assessment/evaluation method that uses a variety of different techniques to select
potential managers.” (Ganesh Shermon, Competency based HRM, 2004, TMH, Delhi);
 Method of playful selection in succession planning activities;
 Consists of a standardized evaluation of behavior based on multiple inputs;
 The British Army used this methodology in the early days of Second World War;
 Developed & used by AT&T in 1970 to assess competencies of their future middle and upper level managers;
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Characteristics of AC
 Job Candidates usually participate for a few days rather than few hours;
 May be used for promotion, transfer, or training evaluation of employees;
 Participants take part in exercises or are assessed with interviews and Bio data information sheets;
 Several trained assessors evaluate the performances in the exercises.
 Assessors are managers, psychologists, or peers;
 Participants are usually managers assessed for a higher-level hob and are selected to participate by their
supervisors;
 Evaluation of participants occurs at the end of AC, information gathered is translated into several dimensions;
 In rating dimensions, assessors look for critical behaviours that represent the effective and ineffective
responses to exercise situations.
 A dimension is a category into which behaviours can be logically and reliably classified. Dimensions can be
derived from interviews, focus group discussions and questionnaires.

Stages of AC/DC construction

1. Identification of the purpose of the centre;
2. Job analysis of the position under consideration;
3. Generation of a set of competency clusters, related competencies, behavior indicators & their levels;
4. Generation of tools/measures/activity to measure the competencies;
5. Generation of competency by tool matrix;
6. Identification & training of assessors;
7. Selection of participants;
8. Provision of pre-centre information;
9. Running the centre logistics & ops.;
10. Recording & rating of behaviors against competencies by individual assessors;
11. Normalizing criteria & normalizing session for pooling in multiple assessor ratings & rankings on multiple tools;
12. Final report preparation (IDP in case of DC) for management review;
13. Feedback session with participants;

Success of AC/DC depends upon

1. How the criteria are defined;
2. How are competencies are defined and behavior indicators described;
3. How are the tools/instruments or exercises are designed;
4. How are candidates nominated & screened;
5. How are assessors selected;
6. Who composes the participant group & the assessor’s group;
7. How the centre is organized & managed;
8. How the norming session conducted & differences resolved amongst assessors on their ranking & ratings;
9. How are the final reports or IDPs prepared;
10. How are the feedbacks provided;
11. How do the candidates react to the feedback & follow-up actions.

Essential for an AC/DC

 Job Analysis: the type and extent of JA depends on the purpose of assessment, the complexity of Job, the
adequacy and appropriateness of prior information about the job;
 Behavioural classification: classified into relevant and meaningful categories such as dimensions, attributes and
categories;
 Multiple Assessment Techniques: must be designed to provide information for evaluating the dimensions
derived in the previous step;
 Simulations: At least one – and usually several – job related simulations must be included in each assessment
centre;

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  Multiple assessors to observe and evaluate each assesse;
 Recording behaviour: handwritten notes, behavioural observation scales, behavioral checklists;
 Reports;
 Data Integration.

Methods of assessment of skills & competencies :

• Application forms;
• Life-history approaches (eg. accomplishment records, assessment of prior learning, biodata);
• Interviews (eg. Criteria referenced, BEI);
• Assessment Centres tools/instruments & Work samples.

Methods of selecting assessment tool:

Θ Reliability;
Θ Validity.
Θ Tool Reliability
Θ Reflects consistency of the results produced by the tool;
Θ Reflects that the scores are devoid or free of random errors;
Θ Shows that the tool will give same results when used on the same subject at different times;

Θ Tool Validity
Reflects that the tool is actually measuring what it purports or intends to measure;
Types of validity :
Θ Content validity: The extent to which the tool adequately samples all aspects relevant to job success,
eg. Is work sample actually representative of the job?
Θ Criterion-related or predictive validity : The extent to which a tool (or scores obtained on the tool) can
predict the future performance of the assessed on the basis of current scores;
Θ Construct validity: The extent to which the test scores relate to other measures purportedly of the
same trait, quality, or construct.

Other measures of tool appropriateness

Θ Potential for bias: does the tool bias against specific groups like women, race, ethnicity, rural people or
technologically challenged?
Θ Utility value of the measure/tool (cost effectiveness);
Θ Acceptability of the measure by the participants (impact of the tool).

Tool or activities …
Θ Reflect & not simulate the job in terms of content & context;
Θ Therefore there should be …
Θ High degree of congruity between the test environment & the actual work environment;
Θ High degree of response freedom;
Θ Minimizing of inferences drawn from a set of observations;

What do tools measure: Attributes of management trainees

Θ Personal impact & communication skills (appearance, confidence, enthusiasm, alertness, fluency, self-
presentation);
Θ People skills (leadership, team skills, influencing skills, relationship skills);
Θ Intellectual (learning ability, application of intelligence, logic, flexibility, practicality);
Θ Task & organizing skills (organizing, following through, prioritizing, achieving);
Θ Adaptability (toughness, resilience, flexibility);
Θ Motivation & commitment (ambition, competitiveness, value, compatibility, professional commitment).

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Measures or tools of assessment :
1. In-tray exercise;
2. Leaderless group discussion;
3. Case studies;
4. Pen & paper tests;
5. Questionnaires;
6. Role plays;
7. Management games;
8. BEIs.

Thus AC/DC tools are a mix of varied activities :

1. Analytical
2. interpersonal,
3. solo,
4. group,
5. pencil & paper,
6. oral,
7. collaborative,
8. Competitive.

Tool/Instrument – Competency Matrix

Tool Explanation Competency

Requires candidates to read a large set of information Analytical skills, assimilation of information,
Case study interview and then answer questions relating to the subject prioritization of information, time-management,
matter working under pressure

Analytical skills, business acumen,

Competency-based Includes personal history questions and problem-
communication, interpersonal skills, personal
interview solving tasks and scenarios
attributes, teamwork

Includes research & retrieval of information on a given

Fact-finding exercise subject or interaction with the interviewer to obtain Communication, professional interaction
further information from them

Personal assertiveness, teamwork, Interpersonal

Group exercise Includes problem solving within a committee or team
effectiveness, drive for result

Includes prioritizing documents, drafting replies to Time-management, analytical skills, business

In-tray test
letters, and delegating important tasks acumen

Analytical skills, creativity, lateral thinking,

Problem-solving task Includes building a structure with limited material
resourcefulness

Involves a 10 to 15 minute presentation on a pre- Assimilation of information, presentation

Presentation
determined topic delivery, working under pressure

Agreeableness, behavioral interaction,

Psychometric/Person Includes a personality questionnaire and/or numerical,
conscientiousness, extroversion /introversion,
ality/ Aptitude Tests verbal, and diagrammatic reasoning tests
personal assertiveness, teamwork

Role-play exercise Involves acting-out a business-related situation Approach to business situations.

Involves producing a concise written summary from a Analytical skills, summarization, written
Written exercise
collection of documents. communication
AC Advantage

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  ACs map the next level challenges and simulate them in exercises, thus raising the validity of the assessment
tool. The old way of evaluating the person based on past performance does not work many times, as the
challenges of the next level are different from the challenges in the existing position;
 ACs not only help the organization in placing the right candidate for the right job/assignment but also helps in
developing the participants. When participants see others handling the same exercise differently, it gives them
an insight into their own performance thereby raises the credibility of the selection procedure;
 It appeals to the lay-person’s logic and therefore is regarded as a fair means of assessment by the participants.
 ACs can be customized for different kinds of jobs, competencies and organizational requirements;
 By involving the line managers in the procedure, ACs naturally gain support from them in the management
decisions;
 ACs, even when conducted with selection purpose, do provide training to participants in the process. Also the
assessors undergo training in the process which proves helpful for the organization;
 Their validity coefficient is higher than most other techniques used for predicting performance. This is so
because it simulates real job challenges and evaluates the candidate on the same.

AC Disadvantages
 ACs have some disadvantages though on the long run they prove very useful to organization by saving it the
cost of wrong decisions;
 Some anticipated disadvantages of AC could be as under:
 ACs are very costly and time consuming.
 ACs requires highly skilled observers as the observers may bring in their own perceptions and biases
while evaluating.
 Those who receive poor assessment might become demotivated and might lose confidence in their
abilities.

Competency Framework Benefits

The main benefits of a competency-based system are argued to include the following:
 Employees have a well-defined set of behaviors required in their work and are clear about how they are
expected to perform their jobs;
 The appraisal and recruitment systems are fairer and more open.
 Recruiters are able to assess transferable skills and identify required behaviors regardless of career
background.
 There is a link between effective individual inputs to work and organizational performance.
 Processes are measurable and standardized across organizational and geographical boundaries.

Competency Framework Criticism

The main criticisms of competency frameworks usually suggest that they:
 Focus on the past and therefore cannot keep up to date with rapidly-changing environments;
 fail to deliver on anticipated improvements in performance;
 are unwieldy and not user-friendly;
 create clones, as everyone is expected to behave in the same way.

Competency Framework Design Principle

1. Business Outcome Focused: Defines what the very best talent do to help their company achieve its mission and
aspirations;
2. “Great” is the Standard: Behaviors are written to define what it takes to be great & set clear performance
expectations for leaders in terms of actions to take on the job;
3. Real: Developed from the “mouth and finger tips” of our client rather than a competency library. Content is
delivered in the language of the client;
4. Culture Specific: Expresses the secret sauce for getting things done within the client’s own unique culture and
environment;
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 5. Simple and Practical: Balances length and comprehensiveness to cover the essentials of the role and what’s
most important to the strategy.

Characteristics of an Assessor for AC/DC

1. Desire to be an assessor;
2. Knowledge of target organization & job;
3. An average or better manager;
4. High level of maturity;
5. Interest in people;
6. A perceptive observer who listens well;
7. Ability to learn;
8. Systematic & well organized;
9. Articulate, both individually & in group situation;
10. Able to take a position & defend it verbally;
11. Independent : ability to take a position in opposition to others;
12. Objective & free from biases;
13. High personal work standards & ethics;
14. Adaptable : willingness to change position when confronted with appropriate & weighty evidence contrary to
own point of view;
15. Energetic : to work long hours at good speed;
16. Track record of counseling & developing people.

AC/DC Schedule

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AC/DC Design process: Pre AC/DC
1. Defining the objective of AC

2.Get approval for AC from the concerned officials.

3. Conduct job analysis.

4. Define the competencies required for the target position

5. Identify the potential position holder and send them invitations.

6. Identify the observers.

7. Train the observers

8. Design the AC exercises.

9. Decide the rating methodology

10. Make infrastructural arrangements

11. Schedule the AC and inform the concerned individuals

Stages in typical AC/DC: During AC/DC

1. Defining the objective of AC

2.Get approval for AC from the concerned officials.

3. Conduct job analysis.

4. Define the competencies required for the target position

5. Identify the potential position holder and send them invitations.

6. Identify the observers.

7. Train the observers

8. Design the AC exercises.

9. Decide the rating methodology

10. Make infrastructural arrangements

11. Schedule the AC and inform the concerned individuals

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Post AC/DC

1. Compile reports of all participants and submit the list of selected participants for job offer or from
development interventions to the concerned authorities.

2. Make improvements in the design according to the recommendations.

3.
2. Evaluate the validityinofthe
Make improvements results after
design a definite
according period
to the recommendations.

Planned development of leaders’ competency

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