What is AVA?

AVA is a cross-industry, work-related suite of behavioral assessment tools widely recognized for its accuracy, validity, simplicity, and utility. AVA predicts workplace behaviors, approaches to decision-making, flexibility under various conditions, and other important aspects of behavior.

The AVA system is designed to help companies better understand what the behavioral requirements of a particular job are, and what the behavioral styles of their top performers within that job are. By having that job-related knowledge and being able to rapidly compare it to the behavioral style of an individual candidate, hiring managers can make much more accurate, informed, and timely decisions regarding that candidate’s fit.

AVA is built upon—and continues to develop from—the theories and research of prominent psychologists such as Walter V. Clarke (the original developer of AVA), Prescott Lecky, and S.I. Hayakawa. Each was an expert in the behavioral sciences of personality, motivation, and psychometrics. Yet AVA is not frozen in time. Bizet’s research and development department keeps the system current, valid, and in adherence with state and federal regulations, including the American Psychological Association’s Standards for Employment and Testing and Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.

AVA has been the tool of choice for managers making decisions for hiring, succession planning, team-building, transfers, promotions and career direction worldwide for over 50 years.

How is AVA Different?

Unlike other assessment systems, AVA is:

• Job related. AVA was developed specifically for the needs of the workplace. It assesses workplace behaviors, job activities, and the fit between them. The Job Activity Rating (JAR)—which assesses the work environment in which a job is performed—gives AVA its uniquely job-related advantages. The JAR identifies strong candidates for success and for providing managers with a meaningful framework for improving performance and productivity.
• Dynamic. AVA reveals how individuals will act in a variety of situations: person to person, person to job, job to job.
• Comprehensive. AVA’s free-response format provides insights into the full range of predictable behaviors, including the extent of a person’s behavioral tendencies, his or her commitment to a behavior style, his or her flexibility in the face of situational challenges, and the relationship of behavioral tendencies to one another.
• Highly accurate and reliable. Our ongoing research and development assure that AVA results are valid across a wide range of industries, job descriptions, and employment levels.

How is AVA Used?

AVA has many applications throughout an organization’s structure and throughout an individual employee’s career.
They include:

• Selection: hires, promotions, transfers, and terminations
• Development: coaching and counseling, designing training programs, and succession planning
• Motivation: tailored management approaches to address individual needs
• Organizational alignment: team building, executive coaching, and succession planning
• Retention: Outplacement coaching and counseling, interpersonal dynamics