The Judgment Index™ Assessment measures a person’s value systems and capacity for good judgement. Our values define who we are. Our value system is the lens through which we view the world, formulate choices, and make decisions. Our value system evolves throughout our lives and is manifested in the way we assess and evaluate; the way we size up situations; the way we solve problems; and ultimately in the way we navigate our course of action. It is influenced by every event, experience, and person who touches our lives. Our customised reports and coaching tools allows a person’s value system and capacity for good judgement to be measured, monitored, and subsequently, strengthened.
The Judgment Index is an online assessment that takes around 20 minutes to complete. The candidate ranks two sets of eighteen statements from best to worst, based on their own unique personal values. There is no right or wrong answer. Once the candidate submits the assessment the mathematical algorithm, which has been developed over decades of research, creates a report based on your needs.
Reports are available within minutes of completion.
Values are measured through the science of axiology. Axiology is a formal science that can mathematically deduce with great precision the thinking patterns of an individual to determine their value system. It is the study of values. Comparatively, a field of study such as psychology is based on observing behaviour and looking to draw conclusions. Axiology is deductive, Psychology is inductive.
Axiology studies human beings from the perspective of their values, and believes that by studying how human beings are motivated by their values that you can tell a great deal about what drives people in the decisions they make and the actions they take. Dr. Robert S. Hartman was a philosopher, professor, and business professional who pioneered the science of values (”axiology”) as a field of study. Hartman’s work in the science of values serves as a tool for understanding human character.
The Judgment Index assessment is the online version of the Hartman Value Profile (HVP). The tool for assessing and placing metrics around judgment created by Dr. Robert S. Hartman Ph.D., in the early 1960s. The HVP as gained substantial attention in both workforce selection and development. The tool does provide numbers, and the predictive value of these numbers is impressive. It gives accurate insight, produces measurable results and provokes important conversations.
The JI is a measure of one’s capacity to make judgements about the world and about one’s self. Judgement is a critical part of decision making, problem solving and interacting with one’s environment. The JI Model defines the individual’s value structure consisting of three dimensions, people (relational judgement), tasks (tactical judgement) and big picture (strategic judgement).
The JI assessment asks the individual to rank order each of the 18 value statements from high to low value. Each of the value statements has 9 evaluation combinations producing a corresponding score. These combinations create the 70 plus indicator patterns that are used to identify the work and personal strengths or areas in need of development.
The typical assessment when hiring candidates is a psychometric or personality profile. This is good for working out the type of role someone would suit, however does it assist in knowing what decisions someone will make on a daily basis? For instance, when you start the day, you choose to do some things and not do other. The reason why you make certain choices is based on your system of thought. An axiology assessment measures an individual’s clarity of thought and what value the individual places on certain choices in relation to others.
For example, you can use the General Judgement and Safety report to identify how a candidate will perform in job safety. In addition to 13 other factors, the General Judgement and Safety report measures the capacity of a person to pay attention to directions, to follow directions with accuracy, and to respect the importance of directions. Stronger scores reveal a tendency to pay attention to instructions and explanations about how a process is to be accomplished safely and accurately.
Understanding how people judge the “worth” of the choices and patterns we use to make comparative or evaluative judgements about everything in our experience can significantly impact overall success.
Having the ability to understand how someone thinks, acts and behaves increases the chance of engagement, successful change and understanding strengths or blind spots to enhance self-awareness.
Utilising the 40 page Personal Narrative report and Blue Diamond score sheet, an accredited JI coach can carefully study and review of this report with an individual to see how they deal with what life throws at them. Enabling and understanding of strengths as areas they should begin to trust and rely upon when needed. And then review the areas of improvement or further strengthening. Understanding self and what areas can be developed or worked on can significantly impact overall success in both work and personal accomplishments along with improving interaction and relationships with others.
Because of the sophisticated, abstract nature of the words used in the Judgment Index, it is very difficult for the candidate to ‘game’ the results. The phrases give little away as to a desired order and ranking and this forces the individual to reflect on their own values and beliefs to complete the assessment. The assessment works in a way that it does not ask the individual what they think of themselves, it simply just asks them to think. The assessment also has inbuilt validity indicators that suggest a retake, if necessary.
The Judgment Index can be used to save organisations millions of dollars through a variety of performance related strategies. Good judgement greatly strengthens the outcome for success in the same way that poor judgement will weaken even the best of skill sets and intelligence. To get the best quality outcome, it is crucial to have competent skills sets plus competent processes plus good information enhanced by good judgement. Results that current clients have reported include:
- Significant reduction in turnover
- Improvements in staff satisfaction
- Increased sales
- Improved care levels for caring organisations
- Industry Award recognition
As it is based on values, the assessment does not consider race, religion, gender, disability or age.
Yes, we can interface with systems through our API. Your provider would need to get in contact with us to discuss integration to meet your specifications. This would be at your own cost. The reports are also produced as a PDF to be saved against applicant or employee files.
What makes the Judgment Index different from other similar tests such as Myers Briggs or an IQ test?
To get the best quality outcome, it is crucial to have competent skills sets plus competent processes plus good information enhanced by good judgement. The Judgment Index allows you to measure a person’s value systems and capacity for good judgement. This links to how they behave, think and act. Values include things like honesty, service, self-respect, respect for others, and success.
Some people score exceptionally well on an IQ test and are
extremely book smart, yet have little common sense or wisdom. The overwhelming majority of profiling tools used today are personality profiles. These types of assessment tools suggest that certain personality types or character traits will result in certain kinds of competency (or lack thereof). In fact, people are able to overcome very real personality traits and perform their work in an excellent fashion. Personality profiles are simply not a sufficient predictor of performance.
If the Judgment Index™ is something you are interested in for your organisation, we suggest you get in contact with us to schedule a meeting. We suggest a meeting so that we can develop a better understanding of your requirements from the Judgment Index and the priority purpose for applying it to your organisation, team, or individual.
Understanding the user experience is important when analysing results, therefore we suggest you take the test yourself, which also allows you to understand the difference between other assessment tools and the accuracy of the results.
You can choose whether you want to implement the assessment on a project basis or a subscription basis for the entire organisation.
The assessment is also used across through our re-seller network. To enquire how you could sell or use the JI within your service, please email
Depending on your needs and use of the assessment, we offer group training, leadership coaching, awareness sessions for managers and support through our online portal for accredited JI consultants.
While intuition can provide a hunch or spark that starts you down a particular path, it’s through data that you verify, understand, and quantify. Being able to make quick and informed decisions will enhance any leader and organisation. People trust when you are genuine and authentic. Having reliable data can assist in solidifying the decision that needs to be made and thus assist others in processing the outcome or strategy. Not only can a leader find out their own values, strengths and blind spots through the Judgement Index, they can also review groups of individuals across any of the individual reports available to compare averages, high performers or engagement trends.
Performance or a successful outcome is driven from leadership, communication, strategy, drive and results. Having a companywide or team report like the engagement index can take a snap shot in time to assist with a change strategy. Having the correct data can enhance the success of that change or decision for the change. Then providing a quick and reliable measure and review of the outcome.
We have easy to understand reports used for recruitment that do not require accreditation. These reports have easy to understand tables and visuals with definitions. Some reports come with interview questions for hiring managers to explore the validity of their recruitment decision.
For the reports that are used for development, group data or leadership, they require accreditation to be able to interpret and provide useful guidance and advice to the individual.
JI Australia has a 2 day course developed to accommodate coaches, recruiters, human resource professionals, management consultants, and business owners. Our Judgment Index Affiliate Training has been approved for ICF Continuing Coach Education and ICF Resource Development credits detailed here on our ICF CCE credits page.
Following successful completion of the training you will be an accredited coach, able to generate and manage all your reports independently online and for approved partners there will be an option to apply for re-seller status with Judgment Index Australia, to enable integration of the value-based reports in learning and development programs and HRMS / LMS platforms. See our accreditation page for more information.