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Essentive

Development assessments with impact

Discover and unlock your employees’ growth potential

Written by Patrick van Dalsum
Assessmentpsychologist at Essentive

Development assessment

Develop potential with the ITTI® method

Employees develop most effectively when it is clear where their talents lie and which type of growth genuinely suits them. However, it is not always easy to identify a person’s potential or determine which development will have the greatest impact. An Essentive development assessment provides in-depth insight into talents, drivers and development opportunities. Below, you will discover how a development assessment supports targeted development choices, where many existing assessment methods fall short and why Essentive’s ITTI® method delivers reliable, practically applicable insight.

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Development assessment

What is a development assessment?

A development assessment is an evaluation that provides insight into a person’s talents, learning ability, drivers and development areas. This type of assessment is often used for employees who already work within an organisation, to determine what growth is possible and which support, role or training programme is the best fit.

There are also assessments for people who want to discover their potential and better understand which work suits them best; this is known as a career assessment.

Development assessment

Why use a development assessment?

A development assessment provides deeper insight into a person’s potential, talents and development areas. It reveals what someone naturally brings, where opportunities for growth lie and which development will have the greatest impact.

This creates a strong basis for targeted development choices, coaching, career moves and internal progression. It allows an organisation to develop employees more purposefully, while giving employees the guidance they need to work consciously and systematically on their own growth.

Development assessment

Components of our development assessment

Our development assessment provides insight into 67 talents and the relationships between them. A unique feature of our method is that we distinguish between innate talents and competencies that can be trained effectively. This creates a clear picture of a person’s strengths and the competencies that can be developed further. It also shows which forms of development are promising and worthwhile, and where less return can be expected.

Development assessment

When is a development assessment valuable?

A development assessment is particularly valuable when an employee is ready for a next step or when an organisation wants to invest consciously in growth and talent development. Examples include internal progression, leadership development, coaching, career orientation and strengthening long-term employability.

Method

Where do conventional development assessments fall short?

Many development assessments are available, but not every method offers the same level of depth or reliability. In practice, many assessments remain limited to general labels and superficial observations, which means they do not always produce a complete and useful picture. You can read more here about the shortcomings of conventional assessments. They often fall short in the following areas:

  • Insufficient scientific validation
  • Focus on behaviour rather than who someone really is
  • Susceptible to influence and subjectivity
  • Overly simplistic and lacking nuance
  • Poor candidate experience

Method

Essentive’s ITTI® method: a stronger alternative

Essentive’s ITTI® method provides a clear answer to these limitations. Whereas many assessments remain focused on observable behaviour and are vulnerable to subjectivity, the ITTI® method scientifically identifies drivers, thought patterns and personality structure. This produces a richer, more objective and more useful development profile (you can read more about our method here).

  • Scientifically sound and ethically safeguarded
  • Focus on drivers and thought patterns
  • Moving away from subjectivity
  • Rich and nuanced personality profile
  • People-centred and respectful
  • Practical and specific advice

Companys we work with

Method

At a glance: what ITTI® adds

AspectCommonly used assessmentsEssentive's ITTI® method
Scientific foundationQuality varies; not always scientifically validatedConsistent use of valid, reliable and evidence-based instruments
FocusOften focused on observable behaviourFocus on underlying drivers, thought patterns and personality structure
ObjectivitySusceptible to influence from self-reporting and assessorsStandardised measurement that cannot be manipulated, combined with professional interpretation
Accuracy / depthOften simplistic, insufficiently nuanced profilesNuanced, detailed profile showing the interrelationships between 67 traits
Candidate experienceCan feel impersonal; candidates may not sufficiently recognise themselves in the resultsPeople-centred approach with explanation, dialogue and high candidate acceptance

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Do you want more information about the way we work and our method?

Case study

An impending burnout — caused not by workload, but by the underlying belief

Sandra, a project manager in healthcare, came to Essentive on the advice of her coach. Her symptoms clearly pointed towards burnout: chronic fatigue, poor sleep and the constant feeling that she was falling behind. She had already tried the standard advice — working fewer hours, resting more and setting firmer boundaries. It helped temporarily, but the symptoms returned.

The ITTI® methodology enables Essentive to look much deeper than symptoms and workload, helping to identify a solution that other tests might overlook. What emerged was not what Sandra expected: the problem was not the amount of work, but an exceptionally strong sense of responsibility and perfectionism, combined with the belief that delegating tasks was equivalent to failure. As a result, she remained permanently “switched on”, even in her private life. Not because she had to, but because she knew no other way.

The coaching programme focused on that underlying belief, rather than on calendars or time management. Sandra is now working full-time again, with more calm and enjoyment than she had experienced in years. Not because her workload decreased, but because her relationship with it changed.

“I thought I needed to work on my diary. It turned out I needed to work on myself.”

The case above is a good example of a development assessment. Looking for more inspiration? View our other cases and discover how we address assessment challenges in practice

For whom

Who are our development assessments suitable for?

Development assessments can be used for a wide range of development questions, including internal progression, leadership development, talent development, coaching, mobility issues and sustainable employability. Essentive focuses on roles with a major impact on the organisation, such as managerial, specialist, advisory and coordinating positions.

Suitable for every sector

Our development assessments can be used across all sectors. Whether the context is professional services, healthcare, government, industry, engineering or another field, the sector itself is not the central concern; the focus is on the person, the role and the impact that person has within the organisation.

Process

Process

A development assessment using the ITTI® method follows clear steps. Each step contributes to a careful, in-depth and practically useful result. More information about our process can be found on this page.

  • Client intake & role analysis
  • Practical information for the candidate
  • Completing the assessment
  • ITTI® analysis: talent analysis using the ITTI® method
  • Results and advisory meeting
  • Report

FAQ

The cost of a development assessment is usually between €1,500 and €3,100 per candidate, depending on the content, level and depth of the assessment. Our development assessment costs €1,995 excluding VAT per candidate. This enables us to offer a high-quality assessment with excellent value for money.

A development assessment provides insight into talents, development areas and growth potential. This allows you to invest in development more purposefully, make better career decisions and help prevent costs caused by mismatches, absence or unfocused training.

Developed competencies are knowledge, skills and behaviours that a person has built over time through education, training and work experience.

A development competency is a skill that a person can improve further in order to perform more effectively in a role or position.

Core competencies are developed through targeted training, practical experience, coaching and feedback. Conscious practice and regular evaluation strengthen these competencies over time.

A selection assessment focuses on whether a candidate is suitable for a specific role and supports an evidence-based hiring decision. A development assessment focuses more on growth potential, talents and development areas, with the aim of helping someone progress in their career or current role. You can read more about the selection assessment here.

Interested in the possibilities?

Contact us, we would like to get to know you.