FAQ
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Find answers to the most frequently asked questions about PI and The Predictive Index solutions here. Do not hesitate to contact us if you would like to talk to a PI Consultant about our products and services.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PI SOLUTIONS
| QUESTION | ANSWER |
|---|---|
| What is The Predictive Index (PI)? | The Predictive Index (PI) is a talent optimisation platform that combines behavioural science with practical tools to help organisations hire, develop and retain talent. The platform includes assessments and tools for hiring, leadership development, team effectiveness and employee engagement. |
| Can the PI assessments be used for pre-employment testing? | Yes. PI assessments are widely used as part of structured hiring processes. They are designed to support hiring decisions by providing additional insight into behavioural fit and cognitive capacity. Best practice is to use them alongside interviews, experience, skills and other relevant information. |
| What are psychometric assessments? | Psychometric assessments like The PI Behavioral Assessment and The PI Cognitive Assessment are tools designed to measure psychological attributes such as cognitive ability, personality, and behavioural tendencies. In modern organisations, they are used to support hiring decisions, talent development, and team effectiveness. |
| How reliable are the PI assessments? | PI assessments are designed to provide reliable and consistent measurements of behavioural drives and cognitive ability. They have undergone extensive research into reliability and validity and are most effective when used as part of a broader, evidence-based people strategy. |
| How do the PI assessments compare to other tools on the market? | PI assessments are designed specifically for workplace applications and are integrated into a broader talent optimisation platform. Unlike many standalone assessments, PI combines behavioural insights, cognitive ability, job profiling and team tools to support decisions across the employee lifecycle. Furthermore, the PI assessments are quicker to complete than many other scientific assessments on the market while still providing valid, accurate results. |
| What is the relationship between Humanostics and The Predictive Index? | Humanostics is the Certified Predictive Index Partner in Denmark and supports organisations in implementing and applying PI solutions. Humanostics provides consulting, training, certification and ongoing support to help organisations get the most value from the PI platform. |
| What is the difference between personality and behaviour? | Personality refers to the underlying traits, needs and preferences that influence how people think and feel. Behaviour is how those tendencies are expressed in practice, often influenced by the environment and situation. The PI Behavioral Assessment focuses on workplace-related behavioural drives and how they are likely to manifest at work. |
| Are the PI assessments certified / under review? | Yes. PI assessments have undergone extensive validation and review against recognised professional standards for psychometric assessments. PI maintains an internal science team and regularly evaluates the assessments to ensure quality and relevance. |
| Are PI assessments compliant with GDPR and data privacy regulations? | PI provides tools and processes designed to support compliance with GDPR and other applicable data privacy regulations. Organisations remain responsible for ensuring their own use of the platform complies with local laws and internal policies. Humanostics supports clients in implementing PI in accordance with applicable privacy requirements. |
| How much do the PI assessments cost? | PI is offered as an annual subscription licence. The licence is based on the size of your organisation rather than the number of assessments completed. This means your organisation can use PI flexibly across recruitment, development, leadership, collaboration and team composition without paying per assessment or report. The subscription includes unlimited use of assessments and reports within the organisation, making it easier to embed PI into everyday people decisions rather than limiting usage to individual hiring cases. The exact cost depends on the size of the organisation and the selected PI package. |
| Who typically uses PI assessments (HR, managers, executives)? | PI assessments are used by HR professionals, recruiters, hiring managers, executives, leaders and consultants. They are used across the employee lifecycle, from hiring and onboarding to leadership development and team effectiveness. |
| Can PI assessments be integrated with HR systems (ATS, HRIS)? | Yes. PI offers integrations with many applicant tracking systems (ATS) and HR systems (HRIS). Integrations can help automate workflows and ensure assessment insights are available directly within existing systems. |
| Can the PI assessments be used by individuals with disabilities and neurodivergent individuals? | Clients should feel comfortable using PI’s assessments with most populations, including those of individuals with disabilities. If an assessment taker’s disability or diagnosis requires an accommodation in order for them to take the PI Behavioral Assessment and/or PI Cognitive Assessment, clients are encouraged to provide such accommodations as appropriate. Most accommodations will not change the validity or interpretations of the results. |
| What industries use PI assessments the most? | PI is used across a wide range of industries, including manufacturing, professional services, healthcare, retail, logistics, technology, financial services and education. The assessments are designed to be applicable across different sectors and job types. |
| Can the PI assessments be used for team bulding? | Yes. The PI Behavioral Assessment is frequently used to improve team effectiveness. They help teams understand different working styles, improve communication and identify strengths and potential gaps within the team. Tools like Team Discovery from The Predictive Index are highly useful for analysing teams and conducting team sessions. |
| Can the PI assessments be used for development and collaboration? | Yes. The PI Behavioral Assessment supports individual development, leadership growth and collaboration. It provide a shared language for discussing behavioural differences and help individuals and teams work more effectively together. |
| Can personality change over time? | Research suggests that personality is relatively stable in adulthood, although people can adapt their behaviour based on experience, context and development. While core tendencies tend to remain fairly consistent, individuals can learn new skills and behaviours over time. The PI Behavioral Assessment measures motivational drives that tend to stay stable throughout adulthood. |
| Do candidates receive feedback on their PI results? | This depends on the organisation's policies and the specific use case. Many organisations choose to share assessment results with candidates, particularly in development contexts or later stages of the hiring process. When feedback is provided, it can help candidates better understand their strengths, communication preferences and work style. Organisations should ensure that feedback is delivered by a person who is PI certified and in accordance with local laws and internal policies. |
| How many languages are the PI assessments available in? | The PI assessments are available in a wide range of languages to support global organisations and diverse workforces. The PI Behavioral Assessment is currently available in 68 languages while The PI Cognitive Assessment is available in 65 languages. Result tend to me much more accurate when candidates complete the assessments in their first language. |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PI BEHAVIORAL ASSESSMENT
| QUESTION | ANSWER |
|---|---|
| What is the PI Behavioral Assessment? | The PI Behavioral Assessment is a workplace personality test that helps organisations understand a person’s natural behavioural drives, needs and work styles. It provides insight into what motivates a person, how they tend to communicate, how they approach work, and what type of environment is likely to help them thrive. |
| Is the PI Behavioral Assessment a personality test? | Yes. It can be described as a workplace personality assessment, but we prefer not to call it a “test”, because that can imply that there are right or wrong answers, or that you can pass or fail. The PI Behavioral Assessment is better understood as a behavioural profile or personality assessment that provides insight into needs, motivations and workplace behaviour. |
| What does the PI Behavioral Assessment measure? | The PI Behavioral Assessment measures four primary workplace-related behavioural drives: Dominance, Extraversion, Patience and Formality. These drives help explain how a person tends to influence others, interact socially, respond to pace and change, and approach rules, structure and detail. The assessment also includes Objectivity as a secondary factor related to decision-making style. |
| How does the PI Behavioral Assessment work? | The assessment is a free-choice assessment that usually takes less than 10 minutes to complete. The respondent chooses a number of words from an adjective checklist, which are translated into a behavioural pattern. This pattern shows the relative strength of the person’s key behavioural drives and provides a practical framework for understanding their likely workplace behaviour. |
| Can the PI Behavioral Assessment be used for hiring, recruitment, talent acquisition or pre-employment testing? | Yes. The PI Behavioral Assessment can be used in hiring and recruitment when applied responsibly. It helps talent acquisition specialists and hiring teams compare a candidate’s behavioural pattern with the behavioural requirements of a role. However, it should be used as one data point alongside structured interviews, experience, skills, references and other relevant information like the PI Cognitive Assessment |
| Can you fail the PI Behavioral Assessment? | No. You cannot fail the PI Behavioral Assessment. There are no right or wrong profiles. The assessment is designed to provide insight into behavioural drives and work-related needs. In recruitment, the question is not whether someone has passed or failed, but whether their natural behavioural style fits the requirements of the role. |
| Can people fake their answers? | The PI Behavioral Assessment is designed to reduce the likelihood and impact of faking. There are no obvious right or wrong answers, and the assessment uses a free-choice adjective checklist format that makes it difficult to consciously engineer a specific result. As with any self-report assessment, people should be encouraged to answer honestly and naturally. |
| How long does it take to complete the PI Behavioral Assessment? | The PI Behavioral Assessment is untimed and typically takes less than 10 minutes to complete. Because of its free-choice format, it provides valid and accurate results while being quick to complete. |
| Can The PI Behavioral Assessment predict job performance? | Yes, it can support the prediction of job performance when used correctly. When used along with the PI Job Assessment, the PI Behavioral Assessment helps identify the fit between a person and a role, and PI’s validity research links BA results to workplace behaviours and performance outcomes. Job success is influenced by many factors, so the assessment should be combined with other information such as skills, experience, cognitive ability, motivation and interview data. |
| Are there good and bad profiles? | No. There are no good or bad PI Behavioral Assessment profiles. Every behavioural pattern has strengths, potential caution areas and environments where it is likely to be more or less effective. The important question is not whether a profile is “good”, but whether the person’s natural drives fit the requirements of the role, team or situation. |
| How do you interpret the results of the PI Behavioral Assessment? | The results should be interpreted as a behavioural pattern, not as a label, and the interpretation should only be done by individuals who are certified in PI. The pattern gives insight into likely needs, strengths, communication preferences, potential caution areas and the type of work environment where the person may be most motivated. |
| Is the PI Behavioral Assessment scientific? | Yes. The PI Behavioral Assessment is a scientifically developed psychometric assessment. It is supported by hundreds of research studies into validity, reliability and fairness, and it is maintained by PI’s science team. The assessment has also been reviewed by independent third parties. |
| Is the PI Behavioral Assessment valid? | Yes. The PI Behavioral Assessment has been developed and validated for workplace use. It has undergone extensive validation research, including hundreds of criterion-related validity studies linking assessment results to workplace behaviours and performance outcomes. It has also undergone third-party review against recognised professional standards. |
| Is the PI Behavioral Assessment accurate? | The PI Behavioral Assessment is designed to provide a reliable and practical picture of a person’s natural behavioural drives in a workplace context. Assessment takers should complete the assessment in their first language if available to get the most accurate results. Like any psychometric assessment, it should not be used as the only source of information. Its value is strongest when combined with The PI Cognitive Assessment, role requirements, interviews, experience, skills and other relevant data points. |
| How do you prepare for The PI Behavioral Assessment? | There is no preparation required. The best approach is to answer honestly and naturally, based on how you tend to behave at work. The assessment is not designed to be passed or failed, and trying to answer strategically can make the results less useful. |
| Is the PI Behavioral Assessment stable over time? | Yes, the PI Behavioral Assessment is designed to measure stable behavioural drives. PI’s reliability research shows that results are generally stable enough to support workplace decisions over multiple years. Small changes can occur over time, but the overall behavioural pattern is usually expected to remain consistent throughout adulthood. |
| Can the PI Behavioral Assessment be used for leadership development? | Yes. The PI Behavioral Assessment is widely used for leadership development. It helps leaders understand their own behavioural style, how they may be perceived by others, and how to adapt their communication and management approach to different employees. It can also support better coaching, feedback, delegation and 1:1 conversations. |
| How does the PI Behavioral Assessment support team building? | The PI Behavioral Assessment helps teams understand individual and collective behavioural styles. When team members understand their own and each other’s drives, strengths and potential caution areas, they gain a shared language for improving communication, collaboration and trust. In PI software, tools such as Team Discovery can also help compare team dynamics with strategic priorities. |
| Is the PI Behavioral Assessment a psychometric tool? | Yes. The PI Behavioral Assessment is a psychometric tool. Psychometric tools are designed to measure psychological characteristics that cannot be observed directly, such as personality traits, behavioural drives and cognitive abilities. The PI Behavioral Assessment focuses specifically on work-related behavioural drives. |
| Is the PI Behavioral Assessment fair across cultures and languages? | The PI Behavioral Assessment is available in 68 languages and is designed for use across international organisations. Assessment takers should always complete the assessment in their first language if available. PI conducts research and fairness reviews to support responsible assessment use. As with any assessment, organisations should still apply it consistently, fairly and as part of a broader decision-making process. |
| Is the PI Behavioral Assessment based on the five factor model? | No, the PI Behavioral Assessment is not based on the Five Factor Model. It measures four primary workplace-related behavioural factors and one secondary factor. PI describes it as a more specific workplace personality assessment, designed for practical application in hiring, management and employee development. |
| How do you conduct a behavioral assessment? | For the PI Behavioral Assessment, the individual receives a link, completes the assessment online, and the results are then reviewed in PI Software. For best practice, the results should be interpreted by trained PI users and used responsibly as part of a broader people decision process. |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PI COGNITIVE ASSESSMENT
| QUESTION | ANSWER |
|---|---|
| What is the PI Cognitive Assessment? | The PI Cognitive Assessment is a scientifically developed assessment that measures an individual's cognitive capacity and ability to learn, adapt and solve problems. It is designed to predict how quickly someone can acquire new knowledge and handle complexity in the workplace. |
| What does the PI Cognitive Assessment measure? | The PI Cognitive Assessment measures general cognitive ability, often referred to as learning capacity. Specifically, it assesses verbal reasoning, numerical reasoning and abstract reasoning. These abilities help indicate how quickly a person can learn, process information and adapt to new situations. |
| Is the PI Cognitive Assessment an IQ test? | Not exactly. The PI Cognitive Assessment measures general cognitive ability, which is related to IQ, but it is designed specifically for workplace use. Unlike traditional IQ tests, it focuses on predicting workplace outcomes such as learning agility, adaptability and job performance. |
| How does the PI Cognitive Assessment work? | The assessment consists of 50 multiple-choice questions completed within 12 minutes. It measures a person's ability to reason across verbal, numerical and abstract information. The score is based on the number of correct answers and is compared to a norm group. |
| How long does it take to complete the PI Cognitive Assessment? | The PI Cognitive Assessment consists of 50 questions and is completed within 12 minutes. Candidates may also choose to complete a practice test before taking the assessment. |
| What is a good score on the PI Cognitive Assessment? | There is no universally "good" score. The right score depends on the complexity and requirements of the role. The assessment is scored on a scale from 100 to 450, with 250 representing the average score in the norm group. The higher the score, the greater the cognitive capacity. |
| How can candidates prepare for the PI Cognitive Assessment? | Candidates can familiarise themselves with the assessment format by taking a practice test known as the PI Cognitive Assessment Sample Questions, however, the PI Cognitive Assessment is designed to be an accurate measure of general cognitive ability without any form of preparation. |
| Can you fail the PI Cognitive Assessment? | No. There is no passing or failing score on the PI Cognitive Assessment. The results provide information about cognitive capacity relative to a norm group. In hiring, the relevant question is not whether someone passed or failed, but whether the role's cognitive requirements align with the individual's strengths. |
| Can The PI Cognitive Assessment predict job performance? | Yes. Decades of research in industrial-organisational psychology have shown that cognitive ability is one of the strongest predictors of job performance. The PI Cognitive Assessment helps organisations understand a person's capacity to learn quickly, adapt and solve problems, which are important contributors to workplace performance. |
| Is it possible to cheat on the PI Cognitive Assessment? | Like most assessments, no test can eliminate all forms of cheating. However, PI has implemented measures designed to protect test integrity, including monitoring for unusual behaviour and technical features that discourage the use of external tools. As of yet, there is no evidence that AI tools are impacting the results of the PI Cognitive Assessment. |
| Is the PI Cognitive Assessment valid? | Yes. The PI Cognitive Assessment has undergone extensive validation research and has been shown to predict workplace outcomes such as job performance, learning speed and adaptability. Cognitive ability is one of the strongest predictors of job performance across many roles and industries. |
| Is the PI Cognitive Assessment valid? | Yes. The PI Cognitive Assessment has undergone extensive validation research and has been shown to predict workplace outcomes such as job performance, learning speed and adaptability. Cognitive ability is one of the strongest predictors of job performance across many roles and industries. |
| Is the PI Cognitive Assessment accurate? | Yes. The PI Cognitive Assessment is designed to provide a reliable measure of cognitive ability. Assessment takers should always complete the PI Cognitive Assessment in their first langauge if available to ge the most accurate score. Like any assessment, it is most effective when used alongside other information such as experience, behavioural fit, interviews and references. |
| Is the PI Cognitive Assessment scientific? | Yes. The PI Cognitive Assessment is a scientifically developed psychometric assessment supported by research into validity, reliability and fairness. It is maintained by PI's science team and has undergone independent review against recognised professional standards. |
| How do you determine what the right score for a job is? | The appropriate score should be based on the complexity and learning demands of the role. Organisations often use job analysis, benchmarking and role profiling tools like the PI Job Assessment to determine the desired level of cognitive capacity for success in a particular position. |
| Can the PI Cognitive Assessment be used for roles at all levels? | Yes. The assessment can be used across all job levels and industries. The key is ensuring that the desired cognitive requirements align with the demands of the specific role. |
| Is the PI Cognitive Assessment the same as the PLI or the LI? | Yes. The PI Cognitive Assessment was previously known as the Predictive Index Learning Indicator (PLI), and before that simply the Learning Indicator (LI). While the name has changed over time, the underlying assessment remains fundamentally the same. |
| Is the PI Cognitive Assessment stable over time? | Yes. Cognitive ability tends to be stable throughout adulthood. While scores may vary slightly due to factors such as fatigue or testing conditions, the assessment is designed to measure an underlying cognitive capacity that remains consistent over time. |
| Is The PI Cognitive Assessment fair across cultures and languages? | The PI Cognitive Assessment is available in more than 65 languages and has been designed for use across global organisations. PI conducts research and fairness reviews to support responsible use across cultures and regions. As with any assessment, it should be used consistently and fairly as part of a broader process. |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PI JOB ASSESSMENT
| QUESTION | ANSWER |
|---|---|
| What is the PI Job Assessment? | The PI Job Assessment is an online role profiling tool that helps organisations define the behavioural and cognitive requirements of a job. It provides a structured way to identify what it takes to succeed in a role and creates a job target that can be used for hiring and development. |
| Why should organisations use a job profiling tool? | Organisations should use a job profiling tool to define what success in a role actually requires before assessing candidates. Without a clear job profile, hiring decisions can easily be influenced by personal preferences, assumptions or unclear expectations between stakeholders. A job profiling tool helps create alignment around job requirements, so candidates can be evaluated against the job rather than against an individual manager’s opinion. This supports a more structured, fair and consistent hiring process. It can also improve interview quality, reduce mis-hires and help organisations identify both fit and potential gaps before making a decision. |
| How does the PI Job Assessment work? | The PI Job Assessment is completed by one or more stakeholders who are familiar with the role. Participants answer a series of questions about the demands of the job, and the system translates their input into a behavioural and cognitive target profile. When multiple stakeholders participate, the software helps build consensus around the role requirements. |
| What are the benefits of using the PI Job Assessment? | The PI Job Assessment helps organisations align stakeholders on role requirements, reduce bias in hiring decisions, and improve candidate selection. It also allows organisations to create more structured interviews, support employee development and succession planning, and increase consistency across hiring processes. |
| What is the difference between a job target and the PI Job Assessment? | The PI Job Assessment is the process used to define a role by gathering input from relevant stakeholders. The output of that process is the job target: a behavioural and cognitive profile that describes the requirements of the position. |
| Who should complete the PI Job Assessment? | The assessment is best completed by stakeholders who understand the role well, such as hiring managers, HR professionals, high-performing incumbents or other key team members. |
| How long does it take to complete the PI Job Assessment? | The PI Job Assessment typically takes 10–15 minutes to complete but there is no time contraint. |
| Are there generic job targets available in the software? | Yes. PI provides benchmark and template job targets that organisations can use as a starting point. However, the most effective job targets are customised to the specific role and organisational context using input from The PI Job Assessment. |
| Should the defined job target be updated over time? | Yes. Roles evolve as organisations change, strategies shift and technologies develop. It is good practice to review and update job targets periodically to ensure they remain aligned with current business needs. |