HR-XML 3.0 Standards, 2009 September 23.
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HR-XML's Assessments support the procurement of assessment services and the integration of assessment results.
The three key assessment schemas in the HR-XML 3.0 library are:
AssessmentOrder. Defines a set of information necessary to execute an order for an employment test or assessment.
AssessmentReport. Provides scores and other details to fulfill or respond to an assessment order.
AssessmentCatalog. Contains a set of information about assessment services or tests available to a customer. Enables the discovery of "Package IDs" which are necessary to place an order using HR-XML's assessment order specification. A "Package" may consist of one or more assessment instruments. An "assessment package" is the marketable unit of assessment or testing services that may be ordered.
Many assessment integration scenarios are possible. In a typical scenario, the two principal system actors would be a recruiting system acting in the role of requester and an assessment provider acting in the role of supplier:
Recruiting System. A system or service that provides capabilities such as hiring workflow management, position requisition creation and management, candidate intake and application portal services, applicant tracking, decision support, and integration services with external service providers. These systems most commonly are referred to as an "Applicant Tracking System". The system can be a module within a broader ERP suite or talent management system.
Assessment Provider. An Assessment Provider is the organization responsible for accepting and fulfilling assessment orders. This may or may not be the same organization that is the test publisher or owner of the test content. The term "assessment" can encompass a wide variety of tests, screenings, and instruments. Assessments can include tests of both "hard skills" (generally, technical abilities acquired through training and education) and/or "psychometrics" (a diverse range of abilities or personal characteristics such as customer orientation, analytical thinking, leadership skills, team-building skills, listening skills, diplomacy, etc.).
Other possible actors:
- Assessment Subject (often a candidate being considered for a position).
- Employer rrecruiter or manager who places the orders and applies the results.
- Third-party test centers.
- Requesters: Core HR system, Screening Service Provider, or another Assessment Provider.
The term "Package" is used to describe a set of assessment services that can be ordered as a unit. Such orders generally are accomplished by referencing an associated "Package ID." Packages may be of general applicability or they can be created based on the needs of a specific customer.
HR-XML's assessment specifications address the procurement of assessment services and the integration of assessment results. The specifications do not address test content or delivery, nor is the use of the specifications dependent on a particular test format or type of delivery.
There are many types of assessments. Assessments can include tests of both "hard skills" (generally, technical abilities acquired through training and education) and/or "soft skills" (a diverse range of abilities or personal characteristics such as customer orientation, analytical thinking, leadership skills, team-building skills, listening skills, diplomacy, etc.). HR-XML's assessment specification is independent of test content so it can readily be used for both hard and soft skill tests.
It is possible for assessments to be integrated directly within a recruiting process such that the candidate, after completing an employment application, is seamlessly redirected to the assessment provider's system. However, tests do not have to be delivered online nor do they have to be provided in a synchronous manner to use the HR-XML Assessment specification. Tests can be delivered at third-party testing centers, mailed or faxed to the candidate, or sent via email.
An AcknowledgeAssessmentOrder BOD is sent in response to an order request. A key way that the HR-XML AssessmentOrder specification handles test delivery and access is for the assessment provider to return the "AssessmentAccess" component within the AcknowledgeAssessmentOrder. This component identifies the communication means associated with the test and provides an access credential. This credential can be used in an online, realtime redirection from an application site to the assessment site or it could be sent to the candidate via email (or any other communications mechanism) with directions to a designated testing facility.
So while some assessments are available on-demand, others need to be scheduled. Whether the assessment supplier or the assessment requester is responsible for scheduling depends on the employer's hiring process and its arrangements with the assessment provider. If the assessment provider is responsible for scheduling, then sufficient contact details for the assessment subject must be provided within the AssessmentOrder. If the requester handles the scheduling, less information can be provided in the order. This information could even be reduced to an oblique identifier for the assessment subject instead of communicating any personally identifying information.