Assessment Centres

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 Historical snapshot

• Assessment centres were first created in WWII to select officers.

• Examples:
• Admiral Interview Board of the Royal Navy
• War office Selection Board of the British Army

• AT&T created a building for recruitment of staff in the 1950s.

• This was called The Assessment Centre and this was influential on subsequent personnel methods
in other businesses

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What is AC
• An assessment centre is a place / process at which a person, such as a
member of staff or an applicant, is assessed to determine her suitability for a
particular role.
• Multiple assessment techniques are used to evaluate an individual for the
given role.
• It is a diagnostic exercise to find the best fit
• It is advisable to get it done by a third party

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Why assessment centres?
• Selection – Fitment
• Minimizes subjectivity
• Validation of TNI
• Reduced Training cost
• Forming teams with complementary skills
• Re-organization
• Productivity
• IDPs

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Pre-requisites for assessment centre

• List of competencies to be assessed

• Rating scale
• Assigned weightages
• Range of assessment techniques (if possible 2/ competency)
• No. of assessors / observers (minimum 2 / candidate)
• Training of assessors
• Several candidates to be observed together

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Types of assessment centre
techniques
• Psychometric tests
• In-tray exercises
• Written exercises
• Role plays
• Group exercises
• Social events
• Interviews
• Case Studies
• Games

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Psychometric tests
Test Objective Parameters

MBTI Broad personality type Extrovert, sensing, thinking, judging

OPQ Fun picture of Personality Team types, leadership styles, selling styles

PPI Preferred work style Need for change and temperament

16PF Profiles –jobs fitment Stress levels

FIRO –B Gap: want and get Expressed and wanted Behaviour

Insight P Personality factors Will, control, affection ,energy, emotionality

OMCI Motivation and work style Motivation (achievement, affiliation &

power)
WGCTA Patterns of intellectual Inference, assumption, deduction,
thought interpretation, evaluation of arguments
Belbin Team roles Knowing S/W and tolerance

Thomas P How can she be developed Dominance, Influence, Steadiness,

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/Disc compliance
Techniques v/s Competencies
Technique Competencies
In-tray Problem analysis, Planning, prioritization, organizing,
delegation
Written exercises Clarity of thoughts, articulation, tact, assertiveness
Role plays Fact finding, decision making, negotiation, conflict
management, leadership, verbal & non-verbal comm,
interpersonal skills, flexibility and motivational style
Group exercises Leadership, people skills, comm skills, team work, cooperation,
(GD,LGD,TS,ARGD,PTE, problem solving, organizing, motivation, drive, creativity
OBT)

Social events People connect, the real side of you

Interviews Skill – will and fitment
(BI, SI, BEI)

Case Studies Fact- pattern analysis, logical reasoning, articulation

Games Team work, interpersonal skills, leadership, problem solving
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Steps in Running an assessment
centre
1. Creation of Competency Map
2. Identify the Game/Assessment Matrix
3. Developing Assessment BARS (indicators)
4. Identify & Train Assessors and Create Evidence formats
5. Create Schedule

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Steps in Running an assessment centre
1.Creation of Competency Map
a. Define Role
b. Analyze the Functional skills and Knowledge
c. Analyze the Behavioral skills

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Steps in Running an assessment centre
2.Identify the Game / Assessment Matrix
Sr. Exercises/Com In-Tray Presentati OBT Role Play Case
No. petencies on Study
1 Motivation  

2 Analytical skills  

3 Service  
Orientation
4 Relationship  
building
5 Planning and  
Prioritization
6 Oral Comm  

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Steps in Running an assessment centre
3.Developing Assessment BARS (Indicators)
Sr. # Competency BARS
1 Assertiveness 1. Is Argumentative and not willing to listen to others
2. Responds to opposing views in non defensive manner
3. Listens to other views and puts his views in logical and
convincing manner
2 Influencing 1. Convinces others of her position when an issue of minimal
skills importance
2. Generates support amongst team members for ideas of
controversy and importance
3. Gains support most controversial issues from majority
stakeholders
3 Problem 1. Sees situation in isolation and applies immediate quick fix
solving solutions
2. Thinks ‘out of box’ and provides alternative solutions
3. Helps others create solutions and provide win-win
solutions with permanent soutions
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Steps in Running an assessment centre
4.Training Assessors - ORCSE
a. Observing
b. Recoding
c. Classifying
d. Summarizing
e. Evaluating/Rating

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Steps in Running an assessment centre
5.Schedules
1. List the number of candidates
2. List of activities
3. List the no. of rooms
4. List the no. of assessors
5. Analyze the time per activity and evaluation
6. Prepare timelines
7. Publish

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Sample schedule
Time Activity Room A Room B
9:00 - 9:30 Case study Pax 1-10
assessor - X,Y
9:30 - 10:45 Role Play Pax 1-5 Pax 6-10
assessor - X assessor - Y
10:45 - 12:00 Team Logo Pax 1-5 Pax 6-10
X - Pax 1,2,3 Z- Pax 6 - 10
Y - Pax 4,5
12:00 - 12:45 In Tray Pax 1-5 Evaluation of case study
Facilitator Z X - Pax 1-5
Y - Pax 6-10
12:45 - 1:30 Lunch
1:45 - 2:45 Cave Rescue Pax 1-10
Z- Pax 1,2,3 / Y - Pax 4, 5, 6 / X - Pax 7-10
3:00 - 4:00 Interview Pax 1-5 (Y) Pax 6-10 (X)
4:00 - 5:00 assesment of inbasket
X, Y, Z
5:00 - 7:00 Consensus
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Thank you!

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