SENDING A MAN TO THE MOON AND NEW FRONTIERS: TECHNOLOGY ENHANCED ASSESSMENT CENTERS

Transcription

1 SENDING A MAN TO THE MOON AND NEW FRONTIERS: TECHNOLOGY ENHANCED ASSESSMENT CENTERS Presented at the 38th International Congress on Assessment Center Methods 2014 Lynn Collins and Sandra Hartog Copyright Fenestra, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

2 Technology and Assessment Center Timeline 12 US organizations use ACs AC method expands internationally and to other target populations Early use of technology in ACs 3 iterations of the technology platform Delivered over 70 unique centers; mostly virtual Assessed over 18,000 participants 1970 s 1980 s 1990 s 2000 s 2010 Fenestra Today (2014) >1000 US organizations use ACs Organizations concerned about time and expense of ACs Fenestra s first launch of tech platform for large scale ACs 49% of AC users incorporate tech 65% of AC users use at least one technology 1

3 We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone -U.S. President John F. Kennedy, September 12 th, 1962 Fenestra felt the same about technology enhanced assessment centers!

4 Case Study o The client s goal o Improve the likelihood of employee success o Identify the most effective candidates from traditional and non-traditional backgrounds o Improve retention o Stakeholder involvement o Select over 3,000 financial advisors o Our challenge o Over 300 selection locations o Developing and implementing a top shelf solution at a low cost with a demonstrated high return o What we did o Shifted the focus from traditional selection methods to a dynamic web based virtual assessment center 3

5 General Process Overview Assessment pre-work Assessment inbox Role plays Inbox debrief interview Feedback report Realistic Business Challenges Assessment debrief & follow up Interpretation & observation by real people 4

6 CLIENT ORGANIZATION CONSULTING FIRM PARTICIPANTS ASSESSORS/ROLE PLAYERS DEVELOPER/IT Stakeholder Wins and Challenges PROGRAM MANAGER

7 Wins Scalability Efficiency Cost/Impact Realism Psychometrics Challenges Investment Shift in Thinking, Culture of Assessment Technical and Non-Technical Disruptions Assessor Role and Process Changes Translation to Virtual Environment Security of Content and Data 6

8 Wins Wins Perspectives SCALABILITY EFFICIENCY COST/IMPACT REALISM PSYCHOMETRICS 7

9 Challenges and Solutions INVESTMENT Challenges Perspectives Solutions SHIFT IN THINKING, CULTURE OF ASSESSMENT TECHNICAL AND NON- TECHNICAL DISRUPTIONS ASSESSOR ROLE AND PROCESS CHANGES TRANSLATION TO VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT SECURITY OF CONTENT AND DATA Pay up or use software on the market Plan accordingly Leadership support & clear communication Close process management Use assessors comfortable with virtual work Provide extensive training Test, test, and test Computer compatibility self test Helpdesk Have contingency plans and resources Ensure proper testing environment Use competencies that are measurable in virtual environment Help assessors manage their time Provide assessor resources (e.g., calibration, evaluation, shared experiences) Implement virtual quality control procedures Ensure an appropriate level of fidelity Develop simulation content with multiple ways to virtually demonstrate skills Be clear that only what has been demonstrated can be evaluated Institute an authentication process Involve the stakeholder in the assessment Use a participant agreement Ensure security and data privacy (e.g., parallel forms, data encryption, logical/physical separation of data, protected document formats (pdf), tracking of logins and downloads, password requirements) 8