Development center
A development center (from English develop = 'develop') is a variant of the assessment center in which the individual development potential of a participant is recorded with regard to further tasks. For this purpose, the applicants are placed in various situations and evaluated in dealing with them. Also known as development AC or learning potential AC. The development center can be carried out by a company in-house or it can be supported or completely accepted by an external service provider.
function
The development center initially has 2 functions:
- Determination of the potential of a participant with regard to certain company and area-specific criteria (mostly leadership skills) and
- Definition of specific development measures that the participant needs to optimally meet future requirements
procedure
A development center procedure consists of various elements that must be carried out by the participant (s), with their behavior being observed and evaluated by several observers, if necessary.
Examples of such elements are:
- Exercises in which the behavior of the participants is observed (e.g. case studies and role plays )
- Parallel exercises in which the participant can implement their first learning experiences
- Psychological test procedures (e.g. personality, performance and / or motivation tests)
- Self-assessments before, during and after the process for measuring the course
The individual parts of a development center should be geared specifically towards the specific challenges that the participant will encounter in the company in the future. This serves to derive development measures that the participant needs to later successfully cope with the requirements in his area. These development measures should be oriented towards the goals of the participant as well as the goals of the company in terms of optimizing benefits.
Standing alone, the Development Center can give impulses for the development of the participant. Embedded in a development program, it serves the targeted development of high potentials. If carried out repeatedly, it can also be used as a measuring instrument to achieve goals.
Differentiation from other procedures
| Assessment center | Development center | Orientation center | |
|---|---|---|---|
| focus | Abilities of a participant with regard to various job-relevant criteria | Development potential of a participant with regard to company-specific criteria | Suitable for various careers in the company |
| target | Selection of the participant with the best fit for a vacant position | Deriving development measures which should support the success of the participant in his or her area of ability | Orientation aid in supporting goal-oriented career planning |
Use
It is an advantage for the participant that they receive targeted support in their career planning. Behavioral and individual feedback signalize his appreciation. This feedback sensitizes him to better perceive his own strengths and fields of development and he is shown concrete steps for further development. In addition, due to the high transparency of the requirements of higher positions, the participant is motivated to achieve his goals independently.
The company management receives information about the existing potential in the company and can thus develop its personnel in a targeted and efficient manner. In conjunction with the promotion of company-relevant skills, this enables extensive succession planning. Identified high potentials are tied to the company in the long term by the development center, thus reducing fluctuation.
Individual evidence
- ^ Martin Kleinmann: Assessment Center. Series Praxis der Personalpsychologie. Hogrefe, Göttingen 2003, ISBN 3-8017-1493-4 .
- ↑ Assessment Center eV working group , quality criteria of the Assessment Center working group