Booked review: The Test Book

The two authors of The Decision Book, a well-executed recent volume which contained 50 models for strategic thinking, have produced a follow-up here which looks at the world of tests. It follows the same innovative format and ranges across both the world of work and other aspects of life.

Tests dominate our lives. Even before we enter the world, there’s a pregnancy test while even on our departure from life, there is a test to determine our cause of death.

The authors have compiled an analysis of 64 tests ranging from famous and obscure ones to historical and brand new ones.

We are not only testing ourselves but we are also passing judgement on everything and everyone around us, a professor's lecture, a book we bought on Amazon, service in a hotel.

We live in a data dictatorship, the authors conclude, our ideology is measurability and tests are the oracle of the modern world.

All of the tests in this book relate to the human condition. Tests are as old as humanity and the authors note, there are four fundamental questions that we have never stopped asking: “Are you guilty?”, “Are you able?” “Who am I?” and “Am I sick?”

Personality classifications were originally conceived as clinical instruments but by the mid-20th century human resources departments had discovered the possibilities of using typologies in the recruitment process.

One of the more prominent examples was the scientifically controversial, yet still widely used, Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. This test judges a person in the Jungian tradition according to how they present themselves in the outside world.

Typical questions ask whether you are more of a practical or effusive person or whether it is more important for you to stick to your principles or listen to your feelings.

While it has have some merit, the authors acknowledge, this form of testing is fundamentally flawed as it does not allow for grey areas or ambivalence.

According to Krogerus and Tschäppeler, our obsession with analysing ourselves is not just restricted to our personalities or careers, but is increasingly also extending to our physical appearance.

Self-tracking or recording every conceivable piece of personal data from calorie consumption to blood pressure to the number of steps that we take every day is symptom of the modern generation’s self-obsession.

The book has an interesting chapter on job interview tests and notes that companies such as Google are eschewing standardised psychological tests to make objective evaluations and are returning to the old-fashioned interview.

Behavioural interviews follow two assumptions. The first is that the past is a good indicator of the future. It is best for a prospective employer therefore not to ask “how would you solve the following situation?” but instead ask, “tell me about an instance where you solved a problem such as this”.

The second point is that experiences are neither right not wrong. So, instead of asking people what their weaknesses are you should begin every question with “tell me about . . .” . This takes away the pressure to provide the ‘right’ answer and the theory is that the less people feel the need to perform, the more they reveal about themselves.

Some interesting behavioural questions that are used in interviews include “what people do you find it difficult to work with?”.

The best approach for the candidate here apparently is to say what personality types she finds challenging and how she deals with them.

Another curveball scenario is one where the interviewer asks the candidate to judge them as an interviewer on a scale of one to 10. This not only provides interesting feedback for the interviewer, it also tests how the candidate deals with authority figures.

Compiled in a neat and concise “dip-in and out” anthology style, this is a very interesting and accessible volume.