The Zurich Team Assessment Inventory : a new tool for team-based personnel selection and development

Introduction: Although teams nowadays constitute the prevalent form of work organization in many industries, assessment processes still focus on individual employees. As a major disadvantage, this individual-based approach does not consider team composition, which is crucial factor for team and organizational effectiveness. Moreover, there are few if any tools that offer a valid assessment on the team level. Consequently, the goal of this work is the development of the Zurich Team Assessment Inventory (ZTAI) - a new tool for team-based assessment. Methods: This multi-study research used a mixed-methods approach combining qualitative interviews (N=11) and two different quantitative samples (N = 566). Based on the expert interviews and theoretical considerations, an initial set of items was formulated. Item parameters were improved during a multistage process using test development procedures from classical test theory. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and correlational analysis were used to assess construct validity. Results: The ZTAI comprises 3 dimensions with 8 items each. All three dimensions exhibit sufficient internal reliability (alpha .74 to .82) and EFA indicates that each is a one-dimensional construct. Correlational analysis shows substantial relationships with established constructs in accordance with theoretical considerations. Conclusions: Our findings show that the ZTAI has good psychometric properties. Moreover, we provide initial proof of construct validity. The ZTAI represents a versatile tool that both promises to foster research on team-based assessment as well as provides practical applicability for personnel selection and team development.