Value of Validated 360 Feedback Surveys

How is the concept of validity applied to the Task Cycle® Surveys?

There are many kinds of validity in psychological testing and surveys. All aim to determine whether a test actually measures what it was designed to measure. All approaches to validity have a role to play. In the case of 360 degree feedback surveys that are designed for training and development purposes, survey designers strive for construct validity.

Construct validity is evaluated by determining how well the concepts behind the instrument account for an individual's performance on the instrument. For example, the Survey of Management Practices measures the qualities of management. A manager with a strong record of success should have high scores on the survey whereas a manager whose performance has been weak should have low scores.

The aim of the Clark Wilson Group research program is to test the instruments and their underlying constructs. Our technical manual, Meaningful Measures, details how we meet or exceed technical standards for each of the following techniques:

• Application of judgmental and logical analysis
• Correlational analysis
• Process analysis
• Analysis of group differences
• Changes over time
• Responsiveness of scores to experimental treatment.