Guidelines for Ethical Use of Tests and Questionnaires

1.0 Definitions

"A&DC", "we", "us", "our" means Assessment & Development Consultants Limited, whose registered address is at 1-3 Ship Street, Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex, BN43 5DH and whose Registered Number is 2202841;

"Client" or "Clients" means the company, organisation, business, individual or any other person (legal or natural) purchasing our Materials and/or Services (who may, or may not, also be a Registered User);

"Participant" or "Participants" means the individual who engages in completing the assessment tests, surveys, questionnaires or other products on the Website at apolloassessment.adc.uk.com for the purposes that are published from time to time;

"Registered User" or "Registered Users" means an individual who is registered with A&DC as qualified to purchase and use all or some of the Materials provided via the Services and who has a valid registration number issued by us;

"Project Coordinator" or "Project Coordinators" means a person who is nominated by a Registered User to administer all or some of the Materials provided via the Services under the supervision of a Registered User employed in the same organisation, or another organisation if agreed in writing by us, but who is not authorised to view results;

"Material" or "Materials" means all assessment tests, surveys, questionnaires, other products, information, documents, communications, files, text, graphics and software available via the Service;

"Service" or "Services" means the A&DC assessment service for the electronic delivery, administration and scoring of test instruments and any ancillary services available via the A&DC Apollo Websites at apolloadmin.adc.uk.com and apolloassessment.adc.uk.com;

"Website" or "Websites" means the websites at www.adc.uk.com, apolloadmin.adc.uk.com and apolloassessment.adc.uk.com, which are owned and operated by The A&DC Group Ltd, whose registered address is at 1-3 Ship Street, Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex, BN43 5DH and whose Registered Number is 5566781.

2.0 Introduction

We are firmly committed to achieving high standards in administering our Materials, interpreting Participants’ results on assessment tests or questionnaires, and providing feedback to Participants. We ensure that test users within our own organisation have the necessary qualifications and experience required by us, and relevant professional bodies such as the British Psychological Society (BPS). We also expect our own test users to protect copyright and trade marks, and to comply with the law and our own strict procedures regarding data protection, security and confidentiality.

In the interests of promoting best practice and developing responsible ethical attitudes towards assessment, we expect all users of our Materials and Services and psychometric tools generally to abide by similarly high standards and specifically to adhere to the guidelines set out in this document. For the avoidance of doubt, "users" in this context means Clients, Participants, Registered Users or Project Coordinators as defined above.

3.0 Registered User Competence

Registered Users must have certain qualifications and experience in order to register with us to purchase and use our Materials and Services. The responsibilities of Registered Users and the tasks they are authorised to conduct are described in the Terms of Business on our Website.

With regard to personal competence, we would emphasise Registered Users’ obligations to:

(a) Update their skills, knowledge and qualifications in the use of our Materials, and where relevant other psychometric tools, so that their level of competence continues to meet our registration criteria;

(b) Never offer administration, scoring, interpretation, or feedback services for assessment tools for which they are not qualified or experienced to use;

4.0 Communicating with Participants

The following points relate to general communication with Participants during an assessment process. This communication could originate from Registered Users or Project Coordinators.

(a) Prior to completing a test or questionnaire, Participants should be briefed appropriately as follows:

(i) The nature and purpose of the assessment process should be explained clearly and accurately;

(ii) Participants should know when they can expect to receive their results, and when and how they will receive feedback;

(iii) Participants should know how long their personal data will be retained for, by whom, and for what purpose, and under what circumstances their personal data will or will not be released including where applicable to comply with statutory or regulatory requirements. Our position on the collection, processing and storage of personal data relating to Participants is explained in our Privacy Policy.

(b) Throughout an assessment process, Participants should have the opportunity to request relevant information or raise queries, and to receive a timely professional response from competent service providers;

(c) Participants should be invited to disclose any special needs they have in relation to completing a test or questionnaire so that proper adjustments can be made to the assessment process wherever possible and appropriate. Such special needs might include a disability, including a language disorder, which affects the Participant’s ability to complete the process. When necessary, professional advice should be sought to ensure that the test and test environment are conducive to providing a fair assessment of all Participants;

(d) Participants should never be forced to complete an assessment activity but they should understand the consequences of their actions should they decline, refuse or miss an opportunity to participate. This could include automatic disqualification from a selection process or elimination from a development programme.

5.0 Test Administration

The following guidelines relate to the administrative aspects of test selection, administration, scoring, interpretation, reporting, data management and validation.

(a) The choice of assessment tools should be based on a thorough analysis of the need, using rigorous techniques such as job analysis. Any assessment that is carried out should generate relevant information about Participants that meets the purpose and aim of the process;

(b) When assessment tests are being considered to help make promotion, placement or development decisions with current employees, consideration should be given as to the relative value of using such tests when direct evidence of performance is available from sources such as performance reviews. In some cases, it may be advisable to use assessment tests as well as direct evidence of performance in order to reach balanced, fair and accurate decisions;

(c) No unqualified person should be allowed to administer, score or interpret assessment tests. We would remind Registered Users of their responsibilities for ensuring that anyone who invites Participants to complete assessments and/or performs administrative functions in relation to the co-ordination of assessments is an authorised Project Coordinator under the supervision of a Registered User;

(d) Assessments must be administered, scored and interpreted in accordance with the explicit instructions provided by A&DC in our Materials and via our Services;

(e) Reports generated for interpretation purposes and to provide feedback to Participants should only be accessed by Registered Users, and used only under their professional guidance;

(f) Data generated from the administration of assessment tests and questionnaires must be collected, processed and stored in accordance with statutory or regulatory requirements, and the clauses set out in our Privacy Policy and other relevant A&DC literature. Test data may only be used for purposes previously notified to Participants;

(g) Data generated from the administration of assessment tests and questionnaires should always be corroborated and integrated with data from other relevant sources (eg Assessment Centre simulation exercises, competency based interviews, appraisal ratings) when used to make decisions about a Participant’s suitability for selection, promotion, development or other purpose;

(h) The validity and reliability of the assessment tools should be checked to determine the continued relevance and effectiveness of the instruments in delivering the intended outcomes. When large numbers of Participants are tested, consideration should be given to conducting criterion related validation studies to compare Participants’ test results with data about their work based performance. When necessary, professional advice should be sought to ensure that the validation studies are carried out using the correct methods;

(i) Longer term reviews of the impact of assessments and related decisions on different groups (eg to monitor equality and diversity impact on grounds of age, disability, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation) should be undertaken to guard against unfairness and adverse impact.

6.0 Participant Feedback

The following guidelines relate to the provision of Participant feedback, whether this is delivered through computer generated narrative reports, face-to-face, over the telephone or any other means.

(a) The approach to delivering feedback should be defined in a policy document and feedback providers should be briefed on its contents. This policy should cover confidentiality and the disclosure of Participants’ personal assessment data and information;

(b) Feedback skills training should be provided when appropriate to ensure that feedback providers follow best practice;

(c) Feedback offered to Participants should be delivered in compliance with any applicable statutory or regulatory requirements. BPS guidelines state that meaningful feedback should be given to Participants in a form which is "clear and in a style appropriate to their level of understanding”. This is also consistent with the International Test Commission (ITC) guidelines and UK data protection legislation. Accordingly, consideration needs to be given as to whether feedback is offered to Participants on technical grounds (eg to verify the test results), ethical grounds (eg simply to enable the Participant to develop greater self-awareness) or both. A&DC is happy to give advice on such matters;

(d) The level of feedback that A&DC recommends differs according to two key factors:

(i) The nature of the assessment test or questionnaire. For the purposes of these guidelines, we would emphasise that all A&DC Materials offered through the Services on our Website (eg Graduate Dilemmas™) require as a minimum the provision of a written or verbal summary of results for individual Participants in accordance with BPS guidelines;

(ii) The purpose for which the assessment test or questionnaire is used. In so-called “select-out” situations (often an early stage of the selection process where Participants identified as less suitable for a role are deselected from the process), feedback should be offered, but may not always be taken up by the Participant. Feedback on A&DC Materials in select-out situations, such as online high volume sifts, would be given sufficiently by a written summary of results for individual Participants. In “select-in” situations (usually a final stage of a selection process, when one or more Participants have been identified as someone to whom a role may be offered), feedback on A&DC Materials offered through the Services on our Website might be combined with feedback on other assessment instruments.

Select-in situations will require person-to-person feedback. The feedback interview would be a part of a wider assessment process alongside, for example, a competency based interview, ability measures, personality measures, simulation exercises and so on. As such, the feedback provides additional information to help with the selection decision. It also helps the Participant to get a feel for where their talents and motives may fit, or not, with the role for which they have applied. Examples of such scenarios include Assessment Centres for selection and Development Centres for promotion or the identification of high flyers.

(e) When communicating test results, care should be taken to ensure that their implications are clear to the Participant, and to explain the limitations of the instruments referred to in any report;

(f) Participants should be given the opportunity of seeking further clarification with regard to the feedback should they wish to;

(g) The requirements for giving feedback on individual results to respondents may be waived where data are being gathered for research purposes only. Respondents should be told beforehand whether or not they will receive feedback although researchers are encouraged to provide feedback if an individual requests it. If the research context is to establish test reliability or validity, the experimental nature of its use should be communicated clearly to respondents;

(h) Questionnaire or test data acquired from current employees should not be used to determine an individual's career development or promotion, unless it is corroborated by independent reliable data such as appraisal records or line manager review;

(i) Data acquired for one purpose (eg Graduate Assessment Centre for selection), should not be used for another purpose without the Participant’s knowledge and explicit consent.

7.0 Security

There are two aspects to the following guidelines, one relating to the security of Registered User information and the other to the security and confidentiality of assessment data.

(a) In completing the registration process, Registered Users agree to provide accurate, complete and up-to-date information as required on the registration form, and to maintain this information from time to time as required to keep it accurate, up-to-date and complete;

(b) Registered Users are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of their registration data and agree to notify A&DC immediately of any unauthorised activity using their registration data or if they suspect that the confidentiality of their registration data has been breached;

(c) Registered Users must keep their login and password details strictly confidential and secure at all times; do not disclose them to anyone or allow anyone else to use them. A&DC cannot be held responsible for any use made of this Website and/or the Materials and Services as a result of Registered Users not keeping their login and/or password details secure and confidential;

(d) All data stored (on file or electronically) must be held according to the requirements of any applicable legislation with respect to the collection, processing and storage of personal data;

(e) All assessment materials (including user guides and assessment reports) must be stored securely and only be accessible to qualified authorised users;

(f) Registered Users should notify us of any change of employer or address as soon as reasonably possible. When the Registered User moves from their current employer or department they should, where possible, ensure that any restricted confidential materials (including A&DC Materials) are transferred to another authorised Registered User. If there is no authorised Registered User to whom A&DC Materials can be entrusted, please contact us as soon as is reasonably possible;

(g) Participants’ test results and assessment reports should only be disclosed to third parties where essential and agreed. The rules on disclosure should be set out in a policy document. For further information on data protection in relation to the use of A&DC Materials and Services, please refer to our Privacy Policy.

8.0 Copyright

A publisher's copyrights are its most valuable property. Copyright protects authors' commercial interests, creative effort and the integrity of its materials. Any infringement of copyright severely affects the ability of publishers to produce materials in an economically viable way. Furthermore, in the case of assessment tests and questionnaires, illegal copying of materials leads to poor control of their use, gives Participants a negative impression, and can even disadvantage them. The resulting loss of income reduces the funding available for research and development of new instruments, and can prohibit the release of upgrades and enhanced versions.

(a) This Website and all content contained herein, including the Materials and Services and/or intellectual property created by A&DC in the course of the performance of our Services or the Contract or otherwise, are proprietary to, and are the sole property of, A&DC;

(b) It is an infringement of these ethical guidelines and of international copyright law to copy, frame, republish, disseminate, download for commercial advantage, upload, transmit, modify, rent, lease, loan, sell, assign, distribute, license, sub-license, reverse engineer, or create derivative works based on this Website, its content, Materials or Services unless we agree in writing otherwise. The Registered User confirms that all steps reasonably necessary shall be taken to ensure that no A&DC Materials under their control will be used in a way that would infringe our copyright or trade marks and will report to us any such infringements that they become aware of;

(c) The Registered User will take corrective action where bad practice or breach of copyright or infringement of trade mark is evident in their organisation.

9.0 Changes

A&DC retains the right to change these Guidelines for Ethical Use of Tests and Questionnaires by placing an updated version on this page. Reviewing this page regularly ensures that you are always aware of our policies. Your continued use of the Website, or any Materials or Services accessible through it, after such an updated version has been posted on this page constitutes your acceptance of the changes.

Version 2.0
August 2009