B-PAD is a highly structured candidate assessment system that improves upon traditional oral boards by using video as the main tool to assess a candidate’s behavioral traits. Professionally produced videos present real world scenarios that accurately represent difficult situations encountered by those employed in public safety positions. The process begins with a candidate viewing a recorded scenario. The video pauses at key decision-making points and the candidate has the opportunity to present to the panel members how he or she would achieve a successful resolution of the presented situation.
The B-PAD product design derives from the basic tenet of "behavioral consistency" -- that the best predictor of future, on-the-job performance is performance already observed under similar circumstances.
The seminal research of Goldfried and D’Zurilla in the 1960s established that the most desirable method for assessing competency involves posing specific problems and analyzing one’s ability to resolve them. B-PAD applies this, and later research, to effect a significant improvement in overall validity of the candidate evaluation process.
There are two fundamental components to the successful--that is, valid--use of B-PAD as a predictor of on-the-job performance:
The result: a standardized, defensible test, costing far less time and money than traditional oral boards or assessment centers that provides a clear indication of how candidates will handle real-life problems encountered in their everyday work lives. Responses are a highly indicative of a candidate’s judgment, decision-making and interpersonal skills, common sense, and ability to communicate effectively.
B-PAD video tests assess an applicant’s interpersonal skills, judgment and ethical decision-making. Video scenarios present standardized, realistic, job-relevant situations eliciting a rich and wide variety of candidate responses. These responses provide an accurate prediction of future work behavior. Each test consists of three or four scenarios, selected from a larger pool of scenes, to ensure assessment of each applicant’s competence across an appropriate range of situations. In testing parlance, B-PAD is a “high fidelity test” that uses realistic representations of task situations and provides applicants with an opportunity to resolve situations in real time.
Toward the goal of creating a video test that samples an adequate range of job-relevant competence, the construction of each B-PAD video test began with the collection of numerous problematic vignettes, obtained from numerous agencies, departments and experts in the field. Scenarios were gathered from a diverse group of subject matter experts (SMEs) including women, ethnic minorities, and professionals with urban and rural experience, line employees, supervisors and administrators. Additional SMEs were used to rate written scripts based on realism, importance and difficulty. SME input and the need for a representative range of situations were considered in making the final decision about which scenes to produce on video. Each vignette also reflects a job function regarded by the SMEs as essential. Once the scenes were selected, their scripts were refined, storyboards were developed, actors and actresses were chosen, and the scenes were professionally produced.
The validation and reliability-testing procedures used by THE B-PAD GROUP are conducted in accordance with the “Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing” published jointly by the American Educational Research Association, the American Psychological Association, and the National Council on Measurement in Education. In addition, the procedures comply with the “Principles for the Validation and Use of Personnel Selection Procedures” published by the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology. Selected research briefs addressing validity, reliability, adverse impact, and other issues are attached. These research briefs [Research Briefs] were conducted using the original BPAD video format and may or may not apply to the new oral board format.
Applicants taking a B-PAD video test are seated before a video monitor. After receiving instructions orally, they are presented a series of video simulations selected from a larger pool of available scenes. This new process combines video-testing technology presenting real-life situations with traditional oral interviews that can assess a candidate’s spontaneous response to a situation.
B-PAD advantages:
Candidates are observed in action as they respond to a series of “job-related” scenarios supplemented by follow-up questions from the interviewer. Additional questions from your agency may enhance the ones created by B-PAD. In-house personnel numerically rate each candidate utilizing scoring criteria based on an evaluation of core competencies.
Job-relevant video scenarios, rich in visual and auditory information, assess competencies such as problem solving, interpersonal skills, and ethical decision-making.
We are confident that B-PAD will enable you to effectively screen and evaluate law enforcement candidates in order to find the most qualified people for your organization.
The Guidebook has added optional Linkage Forms (Appendix C) so each agency may add or change the questions related to each scenario. Using the Linkage Form to add agency questions provides a dynamic ability to tailor the test process to each agency’s requirements.
The result of the interviews is a clear indication of how candidates will handle real-life problems encountered in their everyday work lives. Responses will highlight candidates’ judgment, common sense, and their ability to communicate effectively.
This all-inclusive, comprehensive Guidebook, along with the videos depicting different scenarios, is all you need to effectively conduct the B-PAD interview; however, the B-PAD staff is available for onsite training of up to 20 raters in one day, if necessary.
Included are:
