Predictive Success Blog

Which Behavioural Tool Tops the List?

The personality assessment space has grown very crowded recently, but these two stalwarts have consistently risen to the top of the pyramid. Although the Predictive Index, provided by certified partner Predictive Success, and DISC have both been incredibly successful, it’s important to realize that there are big distinctions between the two platforms, and the two are not as similar as you may think.

History

Both the PI Behavioural Assessment, provided by certified partner Predictive Success, and the DISC personality assessment were generated in the 1950’s by Arnold Daniels, and Walter Clark, respectively. Each founder went in different directions with their creations, as although each were based from ideas from The Emotions of Normal People by William Marston, Daniels made the Predictive Index as a free-choice assessment tailored towards improving employee selection decisions, while Clark chose a forced-choice assessment.

Assessments & Validity

The Predictive Index Behavioural Assessment, provided by certified partner Predictive Success, has been continuously updated and validated since it’s inception. The assessment consists of two free choice questions that take approximately 5-7 minutes to complete. Predictive Success is a member of the Canadian Psychological Association, and the assessment is EEOC compliant. The DISC personality test has roughly 80 questions that require forced-choice answers on a rating scale from strongly agree to strongly disagree. This assessment takes roughly 20 minutes to complete.

A consequential distinction between these two personality assessments is regarding their main use. The Predictive Index Behavioural Assessment, provided by certified partner Predictive Success, has been scientifically validated for use in the talent selection and retention process, whereas the main use of the DISC personality assessment is for communication and management. This is important because a personality test can’t be used for hiring unless previously scientifically validated for the process. While both the PI behavioural assessment, provided by certified partner Predictive Success, and the Disc Personality Profile are both scientifically valid assessments, only the PI behavioural assessment is validated for hiring. This makes the Predictive Index Behavioural Assessment, provided by Predictive Success a multi-tool of sorts, as it can be utilized for management, coaching, and communication strategies as well.

Other Offerings:

Predictive Success

Predictive Success offers various other assessments and tools, the first being the Job Assessment. This tool allows employers to create a pattern for a specific job role, which you can then use to compare to prospective and current employee’s behavioural assessments to identify ideal matches and illustrate differences or blind spots.

The PI Learning Indicator, provided by certified partner Predictive Success, is a cognitive assessment provided by certified partner Predictive Success, which effectively measures individual’s g scores, otherwise known as general cognitive ability. It is a timed assessment, consisting of 50 multiple choice questions that range in difficulty. You have 12 minutes to answer as many numerical, verbal, and abstract questions as possible.

Predictive Success also offers a sales skills assessment (SSAT), the Influencing Skills Assessment Tool (ISAT) and the leadership performance index (LPI).

DISC

DISC offers both the Classic DISC report and the Workplace DISC report, with different distributors offering other services such as the 360-assessment called Everything DISC 363, provided by Everything DISC from Wiley Publishing. This consists of the assessment taker completing a 79 question DISC Personality Profile along with another section concerning their leadership style. The individuals who provide feedback complete the same leadership section, along with providing feedback on the assessment takers leadership style.

Key Comparisons

Language

The Predictive Index Behavioural Assessment, provided by certified partner Predictive Success, has the advantage in translated languages, as the assessment is available in over 70 languages, and the software is available in over 20. It is unclear how many languages the DISC Personality Assessment offers, but the best estimate is from the claims made by 3^rd party authorized re-sellers who claim the assessment is offered in ~ 30 languages.

Software

Predictive Success offers access to their software on a subscription basis, which allows you to administer an unlimited amount of behavioural, cognitive, and job assessments, and utilize group analytics. Predictive Success offers expert consulting services to ensure that you are receiving the most value possible from your subscription.

The software that DISC offers allows administrators to administer assessments and access reports.

Reports

Predictive Success offers reports tailored towards each different assessment. The reports range from 1-3 pages, are very clear and concise, providing detailed information outlining the results of the assessment.

DISC offers reports for their assessments that provide over 25 pages of information and data on each report. Because DISC only offers one-hour online workshops, assessment takers and administrators must rely on this extensive report as their main resource for understanding the report.

Training

Predictive Success offers both face to face and virtual style training through a variety of different workshops that vary from one hour to 2 days in length. The workshops can vary from an introduction and breakdown of the software to educate professionals of best practices to utilize the tool in their organization, to strategies for people management and attracting talent. The 2-day workshop allows you to become a certified PI practitioner.

DISC offers one-hour online training sessions that provide a discussion and analysis for sales development, leadership, and management by a DISC facilitator.

Pricing

Predictive Success offers their unlimited subscription to their software based on the number of employees in your organization or team, however they also offer small business packages that can be customized for smaller companies.

DISC offers their assessments on a per-use basis, beginning at $59.95, but also offer the option of purchasing a bundle of credits which allow you to purchase assessments for roughly $4/assessment.

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, although each assessment has been popular for a long period of time, it appears that the PI Behavioural Assessment, provided by certified partner Predictive Success, is the tool of the present, and the future. Essentially, the software offered by Predictive Success gives you far more options and abilities than that of DISC, and the fact that it is scientifically validated for talent selection puts it a step above the DISC Personality Profile. You can obtain the soft skill information from the PI Behavioural Assessment, provided by certified partner Predictive Success, that you do from the DISC Personality Profile, and their unlimited access to the software makes Predictive Success much more convenient and client-friendly. Predictive Success goes that next step in their assessments, software, and training options that DISC can’t compete with. In my opinion, there’s only one option, and that is Predictive Success.

To learn more about the benefits that come from the PI behavioural assessment, provided by certified partner Predictive Success, visit https://www.predictivesuccess.com/behavioural-assessment/ .

Information gathered from http://www.thediscpersonalitytest.com/?view=Assessments_disc&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI4YCbnqG-1QIVzkoNCh2z4wZiEAAYASAAEgIh8fD_BwE and https://www.predictivesuccess.com/