Navgati - Consulting

What they are
An assessment centre is a comprehensive, standardised procedure where

	A particular role is simulated using various exercises and techniques (e.g. business games, role plays, focused group discussions, presentation, in-basket test, situational test, behavior event interviewing);
	Participants who need to take on the role are put through the simulation
	Multiple observers evaluate the competencies they demonstrate.

The observations made by the assessors are used for a variety of HR decisions such as selection, promotion, identification of developmental needs, etc. Differences between assessment and development centres are given later on this page.

Why use them
The assessment centre offers several benefits over tradition assessment techniques:

	The process can be used to create situations close to the challenges that the role incumbent is most likely to face. This gives the assessors data to check for the most relevant competencies for the role
	It provides scope to create situations that the individual has not likely faced thereby giving relevant data to evaluate potential to perform a higher level role
	Use of multiple techniques gives opportunity to check for consistency in performance
	Collating the observations and evaluation of multiple assessors reduces the subjectivity

How Navgati can help
Navgati offers specialized services in assisting organizations using the assessment center technique. These include the following:

	Understanding the role and Creating a clear competency framework with detailed observable behaviors to be used as the basis for evaluation
	Designing customized exercises and tests to be used in the assessment center based on the needs of the organization
	Conducting the assessment center using a pool of trained assessors.
	Equipping the organisation to run the assessment centre internally by training internal resources to participate as assessors in the assessment center

The difference between Assessment and Development Centres

While the assessment principles remain largely the same, the key differences between assessment centre and development centre have been highlighted below:

	Assessment Centre	Development Centre
Purpose	Used essentially to make selection or promotion decisions where the focus is on getting the right candidate for a particular role.	Used to identify developmental needs of employees in their current as well as future roles
Outcomes	Observations about the individual's performance in the centre are used to make a decision on selection or rejection.	Observations on the individual's performance in the centre are discussed in detail with the individual to highlight the strengths and areas for improvement given a particular role.
Outcomes	While the final decision is communicated to the candidate, data on the individual's performance is not discussed.	The outcome of a development centre is a personal development plan to help the individual work on the competencies to be honed for the role.