The Harrison Assessment (HA) tool was founded in 1990 by Dan Harrison “to help companies optimise their human capital by leveraging their deep understanding of human resources and psychology”.

The tool – what is it?

The Harrison Assessment (HA) tool was founded in 1990 by Dan Harrison “to help companies optimise their human capital by leveraging their deep understanding of human resources and psychology”.

Here are some of its key features:

Preferences Accounts for personal preferences both in a working environment and in tasks – a factor often ignored by assessment tools. The idea is that enjoyment theory plays a major part in productivity, so to ignore it is to leave out a significant factor.

Accuracy Claims to be highly accurate because it has a high number of trait combinations compared with similar instruments.

Wider considerations Considers personality traits (attitudes, motivations, interpersonal skills, decision-making tendencies and personality balance); task preferences; work environment preferences; and interests.

No stereotyping Claims to make it impossible to “hide behind” an assessment or to label it, so users are not tempted to use their profile to justify behaviour. The tool aims to open up possibilities for development rather than putting people into boxes.

No fooling The consistency rating and the way the questions are asked ensures honesty. Any inconsistency is highlighted.

The paradox concept The flexibility in behaviour that keeps organisations and individuals successful is a combination of traits, not an either/or scenario. For example, the ability to operate at a strategic level is a combination of risk-taking and analysing pitfalls. An imbalance on either side will indicate either impulsiveness or over-cautiousness, respectively. HA indicates the user’s normal behaviour as well as their behaviour under stress.

Valuable reports Once completed, the user has access to a wide range of reports related to recruitment and personal development.

How does it work?

Users complete an online questionnaire that asks them to place eight statements for each question in order of preference. It takes 15-20 minutes. Questions are repeated in slightly different formats to check for consistency. Inconsistencies are highlighted and the user can repeat the exercise before reports are generated.

Relevant reports are then generated. One is the paradox graph. Twelve paradoxes are generated from the defined traits. In each case the “soft” trait is shown on the horizontal axis and the “strong” trait on the vertical. A balance of these is indicated by a blue spot in the top right-hand quadrant surrounded by a blue/green sphere. Imbalances appear in any of the other quadrants. Behaviour under stress is shown by a larger splash in red or grey, generally in the opposite quadrant from “normal” behaviour.

This report is excellent for personal development coaching. It allows the user to identify areas of imbalance. A skilled coach will ask for specific examples of where such behaviour has appeared as the basis for a coaching session. This report can also be accompanied by a behavioural narrative describing the likely behaviours associated with the 12 paradoxes.

  • l For more information, contact Pat Hutchinson, director and executive coach at HA UK distributor Quadrant 1 International, on 0870 762 1300 or email pat@quadrant1.com

The administrator – Using the tool

I am very aware of the need to keep my IT-based company vibrant and creative. Using HA has enabled me to ensure that I get the right people in the right jobs and to follow through with their personal development, based on the assessment.

Taking the HA test is surprisingly quick and easy. Its “management interface” needed a bit of effort to learn, as there is so much that can be derived from the raw data. Standard reports are straightforward and easy to understand, but it is the accuracy of the analysis that has amazed us.

The application

We use HA before we even interview anyone as an important “weeding out” step, which saves us time – and that of any unsuitable candidate. When someone joins us, we use their HA results at their induction to introduce the discussions about personal development goals with them. The HA reports are valuable tools in the ongoing relationship between manager/coach and the staff member.

The verdict

The advantage of HA is that the data can be cut so many ways, while standard or tailored reports can be generated. The system is easy to use and we have had no difficulty with it.
Gayna Hart, managing director of Quicksilva, a supplier of systems integration and messaging services

The client – The experience

When I first took the HA, my feeling was: “Oh no, not another one.” I had completed assessment tools in the past and had not felt that the results were particularly authentic.

Completing the questionnaire was quite straightforward. I did worry about whether my responses were accurate, as sometimes you can fit two categories of answer. But my consistency score came back as very high and I realised there were checks in the system to ensure accuracy. I was impressed with the thoroughness of the written report and the ease of understanding generated by the visual representation.

What happened next

Some areas of the report touched a nerve. For example, I had never considered myself to be evasive in communication. But I soon found examples that created an impression of indecisiveness in me and had a knock-on effect on others.

For instance, I was recently asked what aspects of my role I would like to take into my new one. Liking variety at work, I realised that my response seemed evasive, making it difficult for my line manager to accommodate me in his planning. I corrected this and my manager was extremely appreciative.

I have also made adjustments to my behaviour in relation to knowing when something is fit for purpose. In the past I had struggled to find to a cut-off point because I’d always perceived there was something else to add, giving people the impression that I had difficulty completing projects. I am a lot clearer in meetings now, suggesting ideas with a clear outcome, as well as showing more confidence in presentations.

The verdict

I went from “not again” to finding this particular tool extremely useful, easy to use and expansive. It didn’t try to categorise me, but highlighted areas where I could achieve more leverage and balance in my behavioural flexibility.

Valerie Thwaites, project manager at the Oxfordshire Carers’ Forum

Harrison Assessment: pros and cons

Upside

  • Simple to use.
  • Accurate.
  • Highlights areas of stress and poor performance.

Downside

  • Requires a trained administrator.
  • At first the statements appear a little bizarre and disconnected.
  • The repetition of statements in different formats can be a little confusing, but this is done to check for consistency.