When Assessio recently launched the most ambitious update of its personality test to date, it wasn’t just to keep up with trends. It was the result of deliberate, data-driven decisions grounded in science, context, and responsibility.

But why do psychometric assessments need updates in the first place?

According to Helene Hoppe Revald, Director of Psychometrics at Assessio, the answer lies in three words:

Science, context, and data.

Science evolves – and so must we

“The field of psychometrics may not be new, but it is constantly evolving,” says Helene.

“New methods allow us to compute tests in new ways or to better prove prediction. Also, what was once considered insignificant in research can suddenly become central because of changes in societal tendencies and technology – and we need to respond to that.”

From improvements in how we assess bias, to growing insight into what actually predicts job performance, psychometric testing is becoming more precise and more purposeful.

But as Helene puts it, updating tools isn’t a luxury – it’s a necessity.

Context changes – and tests must reflect that

While human personality as a construct doesn’t change overnight (the five-factor model was established almost a century ago), the way we work – and what we expect from our colleagues – absolutely does.

“Job roles, team dynamics and the overall job market have changed significantly in the last decade. That means personality tests need to be adjusted to stay fit for purpose,” explains Helene.

One of the major innovations in how Assessio adapts to the future relates to contextualization. Questions are now tailored specifically to a modern work setting, and candidates are asked to reflect on their behavior in professional environments.

“This shift enhances both fairness and accuracy,” says Helene. “People feel the test speaks to who they are at work – and that makes a difference for both precision and candidate experience.”

Data speaks – if we listen

With a vast data pool collected over years of staying atop the talent assessment scene, Assessio is in a strong position to analyze how its tools perform – and how they can be improved.

“Every update to our tests are backed by rigorous testing and insight,” Helene says.

For our latest update, over 700 new items were tested on more than 15,000 candidates.

This wealth of data has led to meaningful changes:

• Better differentiation between candidates
• Reduced risk of bias towards demographic groups
• Updated facet names and content with increased workplace relevance
• Enhanced control for social desirability tendencies in answers

Built for today – and ready for tomorrow

This summer, Assessio launches the biggest and most ambitious update to an existing assessment tool, a full revision of the personality test, MAP.

Because of its scientific support and strength in research, Assessio’s personality test MAP remains grounded in the same theoretical model as before. But with smarter design and sharper focus, it is now even better equipped to support organisations in identifying and developing talent – fairly and accurately.

“Finding talent isn’t magic. It’s science,” Helene concludes.

Read more about our MAP personality test here.