What Should Developmental Assessment Centers be Developing?

Abstract

This article raises an important and seldom discussed question for those who design and implement developmental assessment centers (DACs): Are the dimensions traditionally assessed in managerial assessment centers also the most appropriate for DACs? Dimensions in DACs are often borrowed directly from traditional assessment centers, with little consideration of whether, to what extent, or how development can be expected to take place. In this article, we explain the necessity of considering development, and we discuss the importance of both objective and perceived developability. We further discuss the concept of a continuum of developability and offer recommendations for DAC researchers and for practitioners seeking to determine the appropriateness of dimensions for DAC programs.