Brief Assessment Center History

Used by Germans in 1
st
World War to select officers

Used by U.S. to select spies (OSS)

In Private Industry, 1st used by AT&T to predict performance of
managers (Management Progress Study)
AT&T Manager Progress Study
1
st
application of AC method in US industry (Douglas Bray)

Longitudinal study of 400+ recently hired managers

Inbasket, LGD, manufacturing game, interview, personal
history, p&p tests (g & personality)

Predicted progress over a 15 year period

Implemented throughout the whole Bell system
From then to now
1960s: AT&T shared
IBM, Sears, Standard Oil, GE, J.C. Penny

1966: Bray & Grant: Psych Monographs Paper

1969: Conferences being held on AC Method

1970: Byham article in Harvard Business Review

1973: 1
st
International Conference on Assessment Center Methods (ICACM )
Meeting; DDI Established

1975: AC Guidelines Published

Today: Hundreds of studies, Thousands of ACs conducted, Millions Assessed!
Selection and Promotion

Diagnosis
Identification of training & developmental needs

Development
Skill enhancement through simulations
Not the same as diagnosis (Carrick & Williams, 1999)
Uses of the Assessment Center Method
Assessment Center Defined
An assessment center consists of a standardized
evaluation of behavior based on multiple inputs.
Multiple trained observers and techniques are
used. Judgments about behaviors are made, in
major part, from specifically developed assessment
simulations. These judgments are pooled in a
meeting among the assessors or by a statistical
integration process.
- International Taskforce, 2009

The AC Big 10
1. Job analysis (behaviors)
2. Behavioral classification (dimensions)
3. Links: behaviors dimensions exercises
4. Multiple assessments
5. Simulations
6. Multiple assessors
7. Assessor training
8. Recording behavior
9. Reports
10. Data integration
Observation Rating Judgment
Assessor Training
Orientation to the method

Frame of reference training on the dimensions (Schleicher, 2002)

Training on common rating errors (Thornton & Rupp, 2005)

Role player training (International Taskforce, 2009)

Familiarity with stimuli materials and rating process (Leivens,
2001)

Practice! (International Taskforce, 2009)
S M T W TR F
Assessors
and
Candidates
Arrive;
Review AC
Schedule
AC Day;
Exercises
Conducted


Evening
Assessors
Review
Notes and
Score
Assigned
Candidates
Group
Discussion
of Assigned
Candidates

Evening
Assessors
Review
Notes and
Score
Assigned
Candidates

Group
Discussion
of Assigned
Candidates

Evening
Assessors
Review
Notes and
Score
Assigned
Candidates

Group
Discussion
of Assigned
Candidates

Evening
Write
Summary
Report on
Assigned
Candidates

Submit
Final
Summary
Reports
Sample of a Full-Blown Assessment Center
Sample Individual Exercises
Interview Simulation
Scheduling Exercise
In-Basket
Assessment Center Exercises
Sample Group Exercises
Leaderless Group Discussion
Business Game
Interview
Simulation
Scheduling
Exercise
Business
Game
Leaderless
Group
Discussion
1. Decisiveness X (X) (X)
2. Leadership (X) (X) (X)
3. Management
Control X X X
4. Oral
Communication (X) X (X)
5. Planning and
Organization X (X) X
6. Problem
Analysis/Judgment
(X) (X) (X) X
7. Resilience
(X) (X) X X
8. Sensitivity
(X) X X X
9. Written
Communication
(Reaction Forms)
X X X X
Dimensions By Exercise Grid
To be measured in four Participant Reaction Forms
X Quality typically measurable in this particular exercise
( ) Parentheses indicate an exercise that is a particularly strong measure of that quality
Assessor Report Form
Interview Simulation

1 Very little or none of the quality was shown.
2 A less than satisfactory degree was shown.
3 A satisfactory amount was shown.
4 A greater than satisfactory amount was shown.
5 A great deal of the quality was shown.
(1) Decisiveness: ______
(Readiness to make decisions, render judgments,
take action or commit oneself.)


(2) Judgment: ______
(Ability to develop alternative solutions to
problems, to evaluate courses of action and
reach logical decisions.)
Participant:______________
(Name)
Assessor: ______________
(Name)
Date: ____________
Decisiveness:
Readiness to make decisions, render
judgments, take action or commit oneself.
Assessor Your
Business Game _____ _____
Interview Simulation _____ _____
Leaderless Group Discussion _____ _____
_____ _____

Overall _________

Initiative:
Actively influencing events rather than
passively accepting; self-starting. Takes
action beyond what is necessarily called
for. Originates actions rather than just
responding.
Assessor Your
Business Game _____ _____
Leaderless Group Discussion _____ _____

Overall _________

Assessors:
_____________________________ Participant:_______________________
_____________________________ Date: ______________
_____________________________
Assessor Discussion Form
Dimension Assessor #1 Assessor #2 Assessor #3 Final Rating
Decisiveness
Initiative
Judgment
Leadership
Management
Control
Oral
Communication
Planning &
Organization
Problem
Analysis
Resilience
Sensitivity
Written
Communication
Overall Score
Assessment
Center ---
Sample
Final Rating
Form
Data Integration Options
Group Discussion
Administrator role is critical
Leads to higher-quality assessor evidencepeer pressure
Beware of process losses!
Statistical/Mechanical
May be more or less acceptable to organizational decision makers,
depending on particular circumstances
Can be more effective than clinical model
Requires research base to develop formula
Combination of both
Example: consensus on dimension profile, statistical rule to
determine overall assessment rating
Assessment Center Pros and Cons
Male-Female Differences
Source: Dean, Bobko, & Roth (2008). JAP, 93, 685-91.
Pros Cons
Multiple exercises and raters

Behavioral Focus

Legal compliance

Less adverse impact than cognitive ability

Liked by candidates
Time and money involved (Cascio &
Ramos, 1984, N > 600 managers =
$688.00/person. Inflation adjusted = over
$1,500.00/person)
Potential biases during group discussion

Better predictor of progression
within organizations than
specific performance scores
(Policy Capturing Device?)

~ Assessment Center ~
International Application Issues
Relevance and generalization of situational exercises


Scoring of candidate behaviors


Linkage between behaviors and a given construct (dimensions)

Example: Disagreeing with supervisor and defending ones position in a
meeting with others present (assertiveness vs. impolite)


Criterion-related validity across cultures