Optional Research Questions (ORQs)

The Optional Research Questions (ORQs), are a set of questions in which respondents are invited to participate prior to the PI Behavioral Assessment. 

The ORQ page consists of demographic questions and may also consist of additional questions about the respondent. These questions help The Predictive Index ensure the continuing fairness of its assessments as well as continue to develop products from which clients can benefit. 

What kinds of questions are asked in the Optional Research Questions?

The ORQ consists of several “standard” demographic questions, such as age and gender, and additional research questions that may differ depending on the respondent’s language and time of administration. The additional questions are meant to help PI better serve its clients and assessment-takers by understanding the background of those individuals who take the assessment and the context in which the assessment is administered. These questions are subject to frequent changes and may be dynamic in nature, meaning that it is possible not all assessment-takers will receive the same research questions.

What is the purpose of the Optional Research Questions?

The voluntary collection of demographic information is common and a best practice in the testing industry.  For The Predictive Index (PI), it is a necessary and critical source of data for the maintenance and ongoing scientific evolution of PI workforce assessments.  Information collected from the ORQ page:

• allows The Predictive Index to confirm that the PI Behavioral Assessment is fair and free from bias,
• contributes to the development of high-quality norms, and
• enables the identification of scoring trends that may be important to the tool’s application in the workplace (e.g., whether patterns differ by education level).  

All major assessment publishers collect data in this manner to ensure that their instruments continue to be accurate, free from bias, and in compliance with governmental guidelines. It is a standard procedure for a publisher to request voluntary participation in research or demographic questions.  

Where do the Optional Research Questions appear?

When an assessment-taker enters their information (name, preferred language and email address) on the very first page of the PI Behavioral Assessment, they are given the option to select a checkbox that says, “I would like to participate in PI research by answering a few optional questions.” If the assessment-taker selects this box, then they will be directed to the ORQ page after they click “Continue.” If they do not select the box, the ORQ page is not displayed and after clicking “Continue,” the assessment-taker is directed to the instructions for the PI Behavioral Assessment. 

How is the voluntary nature of the Optional Research Questions communicated to respondents?

The messaging that invites assessment-takers to opt-in to the ORQs is designed to make it clear to respondents that their participation in the ORQ page is entirely voluntary and will not affect their assessment results in any way.  Furthermore, assessment-takers who do opt-in may choose not to disclose an answer to any of the ORQs.

How are responses used?

The Predictive Index uses the voluntary responses from the ORQ page for internal research purposes. Most assessment publishers collect this type of data to ensure that their products continue to be accurate, free from bias, and consistent with governmental guidelines.

As a client, can I see the responses of one of my employees or job candidates? 

No. The fact that a respondent does or does not participate in the ORQ page is not disclosed to the person who sent the assessment, the organization they work for, or any other third party. Data collected through the ORQ are released only collectively and anonymously. The Predictive Index publishes the results of some, but not necessarily all, of their research in a variety of formats, including technical documents, white papers, and blogs. 

What should I say to an assessment-taker who raises concerns about the Optional Research Questions?

Assessment-takers occasionally raise concerns about the ORQ page. When this happens, it is useful to share the following points with them:

• ORQs are common and best practice for employment-based testing.  The information is used to ensure that the PI Behavioral Assessment remains a world-class assessment tool by being fair and accurate for all people who complete it. 
• All ORQ questions are completely optional.  Opting to skip the questions will not affect an assessment-taker’s results in any way. 
• No ORQ data is shared with a potential or current employer, nor is an assessment-taker’s choice to participate or not participate in the ORQs disclosed.
• Access to raw ORQ data is strictly limited to only individuals who are employed by The Predictive Index are involved in research projects that require this data, and all personal identifying information is removed from this data prior to its use. The data are used solely for group-level research. 

Can I remove the option for assessment-takers to complete the Optional Research Questions?

Yes. It is possible to remove the ORQ page from the PI Behavioral Assessment for an entire account. This can be done by your account owner under their account settings. 

Please note that turning off the ORQs for an account means that PI will not have the necessary data to help the client in the event of a legal challenge.