Assessment / Development Centre
An Assessment / Development centre is a sophisticated process for rating candidates’ performance against a set of competencies, in a way that is designed to minimise as many forms of potential rater bias as possible and to ensure that each candidate is given equal opportunity to demonstrate ability, across a range of standardised situations.
A good Development Centre should embrace the concept of multiple inputs:
- Assessments are made on several dimensions. The program should be based on a clearly defined set of competencies.
- A variety of assessment techniques are used.
A breadth of techniques is used to ensure comprehensive coverage of attributes and skills and to increase reliability of measurement.
The techniques can include tests, interviews, questionnaires as well as behavioural simulation exercises:
- Several assessors are involved. The involvement of a number of assessors increases objectivity and impartiality. The assessors usually represent HR specialists and line managers, all must be thoroughly trained.
Personal Training and Development
- Several candidates are observed together. This allows interaction between candidates, ensuring that the program is more interactive as well as being more economical.
- The information is integrated. Any judgements or recommendations resulting from the program should be based on behavioural information that is drawn together at an integration session.
In Summary…
Multiple candidates, multiple exercises, multiple assessors, multiple sources of information, specifically defined objective performance criteria and a thorough review and integration of evidence by all assessors represents the essence of an Assessment / Development Centre run by Infinity Learning.