Censeo helps clients author valid assessments that meet measurement objectives and business needs. This includes many different kinds of assessments, which can be grouped into two broad categories – tests (e.g., knowledge and skills) and surveys (e.g., 360, employee opinion).

The Business Need
Companies use assessments for many purposes – selection, promotion, certification, developmental feedback, performance measurement, promoting continuous learning, measuring employee perceptions, among others. None of these objectives will be met, of course, if the assessments themselves are not of good quality.

Constructing good assessments is a science, not an art, and ensuring they meet psychometric criteria and legal requirements is a rather complex and technical undertaking. Most companies have internal expertise in the content areas covered by the assessments, but they may not have the technical expertise to author valid tests and surveys.

In addition to the expertise to author assessments, the business need also includes two other key factors. First is the need to report assessment results in the most impactful way (e.g., not just scores, but information useful for development and positive change). Second is the need to optimally leverage the assessment results to improve organizational effectiveness.

The Solution
Censeo’s staff of Industrial-Organizational Psychologists is well qualified to help clients deal with all these issues. The scope of our services can range from only providing technical counsel and reviewing assessments authored internally, to taking the lead role in creating new assessments.

The methodology varies depending on the client’s needs and the type of assessment, but these are the basic steps:

1. Clarify the objectives for the assessment and the context in which the results will be used.
2. Develop an “assessment blueprint” – a plan for content to be included, dimensions, items types, etc.
3. Draft items, response scales, instructions, scoring, and development suggestions.
4. Review assessment with internal subject matter experts and conduct pilot.
5. Determine administrative procedures and process for effectively reporting and using the assessment results.
6. As appropriate, conduct item analysis and validation.

Key Benefits

• Professional Psychologists with graduate degrees and years of experience in developing and implementing all kinds of assessments.
• Validated assessments which are technically sound and legally defensible.
• Assessments which are customized to meet the specific measurement objectives and business needs.
• Impactful individual reports which contain suggested development or improvement actions, and powerful group reports for understanding aggregate strengths and weaknesses.
• Fast, efficient development cycle, saving significant time and internal resources.
• Sound advice and counsel during all phases of an assessment initiative.