Mobile versus computer-based talent assessments


screenshot of survey via mobile device

Talent assessment reaction item via mobile device (image via R.N. Landers)

Purpose:

Some organizations have begun to implement more unproctored mobile talent assessment methods in addition to traditional computer-based assessment, requiring new human-computer interaction constructs, methods, and approaches. Usability testing and assessments of user satisfaction and mental workload and the technology’s effectiveness and efficiency are critical before implementing new methods of assessments.

Process:

I assisted the project leads and graduate students by contributing to literature review, experimental design, troubleshooting programming surveys and analyzing initial workload and usability results using corrected paired sample t-tests. The current study consists of 300 individuals who completed five commercially available and previously validated assessments from a large human resources consulting firm across two time points three weeks apart. The tests included a cognitive ability test, managerial situational judgment test, biodata measure, career interest inventory (consisting of six subscales), and a force-choice personality items (consisting of two subscales). Reactions measures were completed after each assessment. We also collected subjective workload using the NASA-TLX and usability questionnaires such as the QUIS.

Findings:

Initial results of this study provide some positive implications for organizations to adopt the use of well-designed mobile-based talent assessments. Data collection and analysis are still in process.

Publications/presentations:

  • Landers, R. N., Reddock, C. M., Cavanaugh, K. J. & Proaps, A. B. (2014, May). Talent assessment using mobile devices. In T. Kantrowitz & C. M. Reddock (Chairs), Shaping the future of mobile assessment: Research and practice update.  Symposium presented at the 29th Annual Conference of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Honolulu, HI.
  • Proaps, A.B., Landers, R.N., Reddock, C., Cavanaugh, K., & Kantrowitz, T. (2014, April). Mobile versus computer-based talent assessments: Implications of workload and usability. Poster presented at ACM CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, Toronto, ON.

If you are interested in learning more about my other applied research projects, visit my Publications.