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Comparing DiSC vs The Predictive Index: Which Solution is Right for Your Organization?
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If you’re in the market for a talent assessment or personality testing solution, you’ve probably come across two popular options: The Predictive Index® (PI) and DiSC. But what’s the difference between the two, and which one should you choose for your organization? Let’s take a closer look.
Table of Contents
A Brief History of DiSC and Predictive Index
The DiSC Personality Profile and the PI Behavioral Assessment™ were both created based on the work of William Marston, who categorized behavioral expression of emotions into four types: Dominance, Inducement, Submission, and Compliance. In the 1950s, Walter Clark and Arnold Daniels, founder of The Predictive Index, each created instruments to measure people on these four dimensions.
Over the past 60 years, the PI Behavioral Assessment™ has been continuously researched, evolved, and refined by the same company that owns it–The Predictive Index.
On the other hand, DiSC has been cloned and commercialized by various companies, such as Wiley Publishing and Thomas International, who have each created their own version of the assessment, which they call Everything DiSC®. Thomas International has also created their own version of the DiSC assessment, which they call Personal Profile Analysis.
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Scientific Validity of DiSC and Predictive Index
While both assessments are scientifically-valid, DiSC is primarily used to help people better communicate and manage others. It is not recommended for pre-employment screening.
In contrast, the PI Behavioral Assessment™ is scientifically validated for use across the entire employee lifecycle, from hire to retire. It is designed and validated for pre-employment screening and selection and can be used beyond post-hire for development
Format and Delivery
The DiSC Personality Profile is delivered via a forced-choice rating-scale format with about 80 questions and takes around 20 minutes to complete. PI Behavioral Assessment™ is delivered as a free-choice, stimulus-response format that’s only two questions long and takes an average of six minutes to complete. Both assessments are untimed.
Job and Cognitive Ability Assessments
DiSC does not offer a job assessment product to determine the ideal behavioral qualities for a role. In contrast, the Predictive Index does provide a Job Assessment, which allows multiple stakeholders to define the ideal behavioral pattern necessary for a given role. The Job Pattern can then be used to match up against the PI behavioral patterns of candidates and employees.
Additionally, DiSC does not measure cognitive ability, while the PI Cognitive Assessment does. This assessment provides a measurement of ‘g’ or general cognitive ability, which helps determine the rate at which an employee can process information. The PI Cognitive Assessment is delivered in a timed, multiple-choice, forced-choice format.
Final Thoughts
While both DiSC and PI have their strengths and are popular solutions in the talent assessment and personality testing space, it ultimately comes down to your organization’s specific needs. If you are looking for a solution to help with pre-employment screening and selection, the PI Behavioral Assessment™ may be the better choice. However, if you’re more focused on improving communication and managing others, the DiSC Personality Profile may be a better fit. Ultimately, it’s important to carefully consider the strengths and limitations of each solution before making a decision.
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The Predictive Index’s PI Behavioral Assessment™ (PI BA) is a scientifically-backed and reliable tool used to determine an individual’s workplace drives and needs. With numerous studies validating its results and a multitude of positive testimonials from business leaders.
In Partnership With Humanostics
360 Talent Solutions Ltd is an Associate Partner of Humanostics® , a PI Certified Partner authorised to use the science, assessment software, and curriculum of management workshops of The Predictive Index.
In partnership with Humanostics, we provide companies in the UK and across Europe access to the assessment tools provided by The Predictive Index.
Take the 6-minute PI Behavioral Assessment™ today. Once you have completed the 6-minute assessment, I will send you a Full Behavioral Report by Predictive Index.
How Can We Help
When it comes to predicting future performance, technology is key:
- Education, years of experience, and references all have low predictive value. Yet, we rely on these for screening early in the recruitment process.
- Cognitive and Behavioural Assessments, have much higher predictive value, and when combined with interviews, provide the most effective method for predicting future performance.
For me, hiring without the use of psychometric assessments is like trying to put together a jigsaw puzzle with pieces missing … and no picture on the box. It’s not fun, it takes longer, and when you are almost finished, you realise you have pieces missing.
If you are interested in learning more or are ready to incorporate behavioral data into your recruitment process, please contact me today, I will be happy to help.
Let’s get started!
Dave Crumby
Founder at 360 Talent Solutions
Certified Predictive Index Practitioner
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