ASSESSMENT CENTRES

NITIN SAWARDEKAR
VSS CONSULTANTS, PUNE
 INTRODUCTION TO
ASSESSMENT CENTRES

AN OVERVIEW

VSS CONSULTANTS
PUNE
“The King shall thoroughly investigate all the qualities of anyone
whom he is considering for appointment as a minister. Of these
qualities, nationality, family background and amenability to
discipline shall be verified from reliable people (who know the
candidate well). The candidate’s knowledge of the various arts shall
be tested by experts in their respective fields. Intelligence,
perseverance and dexterity shall be evaluated by examining his
past performance, while eloquence, boldness and presence of mind
shall be ascertained by interviewing him personally. Watching how
he deals with others will show his energy, endurance, ability to
suffer adversities, integrity, loyalty and friendliness. From his
intimate friends, the King shall find out about his strength, health
and character (whether lazy, or energetic, fickle or steady). The
candidate’s amiability (absence of a tendency to hate) shall be
ascertained by personal observation.”

Arthashastra (Kautilya)
VSS CONSULTANTS
PUNE
 WHAT IS AN ASSESSMENT CENTRE?

• Group of Participants Undertake Range of Exercises

and Simulations
• Observed by Trained Observers
• Observations Finalised on the Basis of Multiple
Observers and Multiple Sources
• Participants Measured on A Set of Predetermined
Competencies Related to the Job

VSS CONSULTANTS
PUNE
 ASSESSMENT CENTRE
CHARACTERISTICS

• Multiple factors
• Multiple techniques
• Multiple observers
• Consensus by integration of measurement

VSS CONSULTANTS
PUNE
 WHAT ARE NOT ASSESSMENT
CENTRES!
• Multiple Interview Processes
• Psychometric Test Batteries
• Individual Assessment (All Types)
• Work Sample Tests
• Multiple Assessment Techniques Without Integration
Of Data
• A Building labelled “Assessment Centre”

VSS CONSULTANTS
PUNE
 HISTORY
• First use - German Army between World Wars
• Adopted by British - WOSBs and Civil Services
• Followed by U S - OSS Selection
• First commercial use - AT&T 1956
• First use in India - Services Selection Boards
• First commercial use in India - BILT 1987

VSS CONSULTANTS
PUNE
 APPLICATIONS OF ASSESSMENT
CENTRE DATA

• Selection
• Potential Appraisal
• Career Planning
• Succession Planning
• Additional Input For Promotion
• Developmental Plan
• Assessment Of Training Needs

VSS CONSULTANTS
PUNE
 STEPS IN ESTABLISHMENT OF AN
ASSESSMENT CENTRE

• Identify Competencies And Define Behavioural

Indicators
• Design Exercises
• Train Assessors
• Assessment Centre
• Validate Data

VSS CONSULTANTS
PUNE
 COMPETENCY
THE SUCCESS FACTOR

Excellence is doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.

John Gardner

Winners don’t do different things. They do things

differently.

Shiv Khera

VSS CONSULTANTS
PUNE
 WHAT IS COMPETENCY?

‘Competencies are the characteristics of a manager that lead

to the demonstration of skills and abilities, which result in
effective performance within an occupational area.
Competency also embodies the capacity to transfer skills and
abilities from one area to another.’ (Hogg B, 1989)

‘Competency is an underlying characteristic of a person

which results in effective and/or superior performance in a
job.’ (Klemp, 1980)

VSS CONSULTANTS
PUNE
 WHAT IS COMPETENCY?

CONTRIBUTION
TO ORGANISATION

DESIRED
RESULT

BEHAVIOUR

COMPETENCY

VSS CONSULTANTS
PUNE
 CHARACTERISTICS OF COMPETENCY
• Personal Attribute
• Leads to Demonstration of a Tangible Result (not
Latent)
• Must Lead to A Desired Result
• The Result must Contribute Significantly to the
Organisation
• Must Lead to Effective Performance or Success
on the Job
• Must have the Ability to Transfer characteristics
from one area to another

VSS CONSULTANTS
PUNE
 COMPETENCIES ARE ...

• Behavioural Dimensions that

– Affect Job Performance
– Distinguish High Performance
• Behaviours Needed to be Displayed for Performing
the Job Effectively and Not the Job itself

VSS CONSULTANTS
PUNE
 BEHAVIOURAL INDICATORS

• Behavioural Indicators are examples of behaviour

exhibited when someone demonstrates competency,
i.e., in the achievement of a desired result.
• Behavioural Indicators which are indicative of poor or

ineffective competency are called contra-indicators.

VSS CONSULTANTS
PUNE
 CHARACTERISTICS OF
BEHAVIOURAL INDICATORS

• Must refer to only one Competency

• Must describe only one behaviour
• Must have a verb in the description
• Must refer to what is actually done and NOT to a
latent capability

VSS CONSULTANTS
PUNE
 COMPETENCY CLUSTERS
COMMONLY FOUND IN ORGANISATIONS
INTELLECTUAL • TEAMWORK
• COMPREHENSION DYNAMIC
• ANALYTICAL ABILITY • INITIATIVE
• INNOVATION • DRIVE
• DECISION MAKING • RESILIENCE
• PLANNING & ORGANISING • STRESS RESISTANCE
• STRATEGIC PERSPECTIVE • RESULT ORIENTATION
INTERPERSONAL
• COMMUNICATION BUSINESS RELATED
• ADAPTABILITY • BUSINESS
• INTERPERSONAL SKILLS UNDERSTANDING
• ABILITY TO INFLUENCE • CUSTOMER FOCUS (COULD
OTHERS ALSO BELONG TO THE
INTERPERSONAL GROUP)

VSS CONSULTANTS
PUNE
 SPECIMEN BEHAVIOURS
• Incisiveness (To Have Clear Understanding)
– Gets a clear overview of an issue
– Grasps information accurately
– Relates pieces of information
– Identifies causal relationships
– Gets to the heart of a problem
– Identifies the most productive lines of information
– Appreciates all the variables affecting an issue
– Identifies limitations to information
– Tolerates and Handles conflicting/ambiguous
information and ideas
VSS CONSULTANTS
PUNE
 COMPETENCIES SHOULD BE ...

• Observable
• Definable and Meaningfully Interpreted
• Make Sense to the Organisation

VSS CONSULTANTS
PUNE
 DESIGNING ASSESSMENT CENTRE
CONTENT

• Job Related Exercises

• Participants’ Background
• Competency-exercise Matrix
• Types Of Exercises

VSS CONSULTANTS
PUNE
COMPETENCY EXERCISE
MATRIX

Influencing Ability
Analytical Ability

Decision Making

Communication

Interpersonal
Adaptability
Planning

Initiative
Grasp
1. Case Discussion Exercise   
2. Ranking Exercise    
3. Role Play Exercise   
4. In Basket Exercise    
5. Committee Exercise  
6. Case Analysis Exercise    
7. Business Game   
8. Decision Making Events  
9. Sociometry  
10. Personal Interview       

VSS CONSULTANTS
PUNE
 DETAILS OF EXERCISES
• Ice Breaker Exercises
• One-to-one Discussion Exercises
• Group Discussion Exercises
• Negotiation, Selling and Influencing exercises
• Analysis - Presentation Exercises
• Planning Exercises
• Business Games
• In-basket Exercises

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 ADDITIONAL METHODS OF
ASSESSMENT

• Psychometric Instruments
• Interviews
• Miscellaneous
– Questionnaires
– Sociometry (Peer Ratings)

VSS CONSULTANTS
PUNE
 ASSESSOR TRAINING ISSUES

• Internal Or External?
• Who To Choose (Internal)?
• How Many To Train?
• Characteristics Of Assessors

VSS CONSULTANTS
PUNE
 ASSESSOR TRAINING OBJECTIVES

• To help assessors understand the Assessment Centre

Methodology
• To provide assessors an experience of Assessment Centre
participation
• To train assessors in the process of identifying job
competencies and evolve relevant competencies for the
target group at hand

VSS CONSULTANTS
PUNE
 ASSESSOR TRAINING OBJECTIVES

• To build expertise in Assessors in the development of

exercises which cover the selected competencies and are
industry specific
• To develop skills of observation and rating of individuals,
writing observation and feedback reports and giving oral
feedback
• To train Assessors in the planning, designing and
administering of the Pilot Development Centre under the
guidance of experts

VSS CONSULTANTS
PUNE
 TRAINING IMPACT ON ASSESSORS

Assessors In A DC Benefit More Than The Participant

Through
• Assessors’ Training
• Participation In DC

VSS CONSULTANTS
PUNE
 TRAINING IMPACT ON ASSESSORS
BENEFITS

• Broadening of observation skills

• New insights into behaviour
• Broadening of the alternative responses to problems
• Development of a more precise vocabulary with which
to describe behaviour
• Improvement of interviewing skills
• Increased appreciation of group dynamics
• Strengthening of management skills through repeated
working with in-basket, cases, problems and
simulations

VSS CONSULTANTS
PUNE
TRAINING IMPACT ON ASSESSORS

THE GREATEST IMPACT IS

ON THE PERFORMANCE
APPRAISAL PROCESS

VSS CONSULTANTS
PUNE
ASSESSMENT CENTRES

A TRAINING AND
ASSESSMENT STRATEGY
FOR THE EMERGING
TIMES

VSS CONSULTANTS
PUNE
 ASSESSMENT CENTRE
UTILITY
• Highlights gaps between individual
abilities and future role requirements
• Opportunity to obtain a sharper and
more accurate picture of
– individual skills and abilities
– skill audit of participant group
– potential of valuable human resources

VSS CONSULTANTS
PUNE
 ASSESSMENT CENTRE
UTILITY
• Instrument for empowering individuals
to initiate development actions to
reduce skill gap between present
activity and desired future performance
capability

VSS CONSULTANTS
PUNE
 ASSESSMENT CENTRE
ADDED FOCUS
• Discovering how ‘I’ Behave Across Situations
• Developing Awareness of Influences on My
Behaviour and its Implications
• Recognising Gaps between Thinking and
Action
• Opportunity to Experiment with Untried
Behaviours / Approaches
• Exposure to Variety of Responses to the Same
Stimulus - Contents / Style
VSS CONSULTANTS
PUNE
IMPLEMENTING ASSESSMENT
CENTRES
KEY SUCCESS CRITERIA
• Clear objective
• Organisational Support
• Good Communication System
• Appropriate Design

VSS CONSULTANTS
PUNE
 ASSESSMENT CENTRE
OUTCOME
• Insight into and Awareness of Self and
Others
• Targeted Training
• Coaching and Mentoring
• Project-based Learning
• Job Rotation / Enlargement
• Self Development Plan
VSS CONSULTANTS
PUNE
 ASSESSMENT CENTRE
PROCESS
• Broad Awareness amongst Senior
Management regarding the Purpose, Scope
and Implications of Establishing a
Development Centre
• Defining and Detailing of Competencies
• Design of Exercises and Simulations Around
the Identified Competencies and their
Testing
VSS CONSULTANTS
PUNE
 ASSESSMENT CENTRE
PROCESS
• Planning and Administering the
Development Centre
• Formulating Future Plan of Action
• On-going Review of the Effectiveness of the
Development Centre

VSS CONSULTANTS
PUNE
VALIDATING ASSESSMENT
CENTRES
• Qualitative Validation
– Participant Reactions
– Assessors’ Reactions
– Managers’ Reactions
• Quantitative Validation
– Validation Of Competencies
– Validation Of Findings

VSS CONSULTANTS
PUNE
 VALIDITY COEFFICIENTS
• ASST CENTRE (FOR PROMOTION) 0.63
• WORK SAMPLE TEST 0.55
• ABILITY TESTS 0.53
• PERSONALITY TESTS (COMB) 0.41
• BIO-DATA 0.38
• STRUCTURED INTERVIEW 0.31
• TYPICAL INTERVIEW 0.15
• REFERENCES 0.13

> 0.5 Excellent 0.4 - 0.49 Good

0.3 - 0.39 Acceptable < 0.3 Poor

Smith, Greggs and Andrews, “Selection and Assessment, A New Appraisal” (1989)

VSS CONSULTANTS
PUNE
VALIDATING ASSESSMENT
CENTRES
SOME ISSUES

• Lack Of A Control Group

• Life Is Not Static

VSS CONSULTANTS
PUNE
?
VSS CONSULTANTS
PUNE
THE BEGINNING
OF A NEW ERA

VSS CONSULTANTS
PUNE