Development Centers

Development Center
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A center set up by the organization to

assess, provide feedback, and assist formulating developmental plans on competencies required to perform higher level jobs.

Development Center is Diagnostic Intervention

It is Diagnostic Center and not a center that develops competencies a It provides insights into developmental gaps and needs a It assesses competencies in relation to future likely jobs or jobs that have not been preformed so far
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DC
It might include competencies required to perform current jobs also (though not focussed on the current jobs) a It stops with developmental plans
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Development Centers: Limitations

As the name suggests it should also provide opportunities for the candidate to develop a However it is believed that competencies need to be developed constantly and on the job through individual initiative and learning and organizational support
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DC: Assumptions
Identification of Development gaps or competency gaps and acceptance of the competency gaps is the first critical step in development a Competence gaps need to be identified in relation to a given set of jobs or a family of jobs or a level of jobs a Competence gaps can be ideally identified when the person is put on the job
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Why Development Centers

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However organizations can't take the risk of identifying competence gaps by putting people on the job and letting them perform if they have other ways of assessing and developing competencies

How do DCs work?

Competence gaps are identified through simulated settings a Competence gaps can be identified by multiple methods a Competence gaps need to be identified by multiple observers or assessors
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Development Centers : Starting Points

Job profiling a Competence profiling a Development of assessment tools a Administration of tools a Assessment of competencies through observation and performance on the tools a Multiple assessors a Multiple methods
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Assessment Tools
In-baskets a Interpersonal skill testing exercises through role plays a Leaderless Group discussions a Behavior Event Interviews a Psychometric Tests a Presentations a Simulation exercises
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Some guidelines
Assessors are trained in observation skills and assessment techniques a Assessors are from at least two levels above the level of the assessee a Assessors should not be the reporting or reviewing officers or one time seniors of the candidate.
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DCs: Some Guidelines

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Same assessor may not assess the same candidate in all the tests or different assessors should assess the candidate in different tests Feedback should be provided to the assess at the end Assessee should be helped to prepare development plans on the basis of the development gaps identified

DCs
Feedback is critical a Organizational support will be useful but the candidate should be the final judge and take responsibility for his development
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DCs in NTPC

DCs in NTPC
Job profiling has been done for EDs and GMs in 1997-98 a Competencies have been idetified and a role directory prepared a An attempt has been made to use the competence lists for assessment by multiple raters a Organization was not yet ready to fully implement the Assessment Center system
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DCs in NTPC
It was decided to take a development approach a The levels where most people need to be prepared for next higher levels is taken. a To begin with Executives who have completed three years in E 5 level is chosen for participating in DC
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DCs in NTPC
Competencies have been mapped for Senior Managers using interviews in two plants a They have been pre-tested on a group of Senior managers and Deputy General Mangers in two development centers
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DCs in NTPC
Tests have been developed to assess a Groups of DGMs & AGMs have been trained as Assessors by M/S TV RAO LEARNING SYSTEMS. a Assessors training organised on Regional basis and pilot DCs organised. a Each RHQ assigned responsibility to conduct DCs.
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Strategy of Introducing the DCs

Start with Managers to Senior Managers a Extend to other levels after experiencing success a Use it only as a development tool
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Thank you