The Activity Vector Analysis (AVA) system comprises several behavioral-assessment instruments designed to evaluate individuals, jobs, and performance. They may be used individually or together, depending on organizational needs.

One important benefit of AVA is its ability to generate reports on behavioral tendencies, management competencies, job compatibility, management tips, and other subjects. These reports give clear indications of the ease or difficulty with which an individual or group performs specific behavior-related activities.

The most used instruments in the AVA system are the Individual Analysis and the Job Activity Rating, which complement each other to provide an overall picture of an employee's behavioral suitability for a position. Complementing these assessment tools are the Observed Behavioral Review and Job Expectations.

AVA Individual Analysis
The Individual Analysis, often referred to simply as "the AVA," is the best-known and most frequently used instrument in the AVA system. A certified AVA analyst can use Individual Analysis data to make recommendations about job placement, motivation and stress factors, coaching and development, team building, and much more.

Designed to provide feedback about an individual's predictable behavior under varying conditions, the AVA assesses:

• Pronunciation and manifestation of behaviors in varying situations
• Potential for executing assignments over an extended period of time
• Decision-making approaches in the face of unfamiliar information
• Morale or level of perceived appreciation felt at the time the individual takes the AVA
• Compatibility and flexibility of an individual's behavioral style with the position's behavioral demands

Job Activity Rating (JAR)
Simple yet sophisticated, the Job Activity Rating (JAR) identifies the unique behavioral demands of a position while also providing a complete position description in behavioral terms. As the job-relatedness component of the AVA system, the JAR helps employers ensure compliance with EEOC guidelines.

The JAR:

• Identifies individuals who are strong candidates for success
• Gives managers a meaningful framework for improving performance and productivity
• Evaluates the demands of job behavior on incumbents, superiors, or a combination
• Incorporates a job assessment into the AVA system
• Provides an objective, accurate appraisal of the work environment in which jobs are performed.

Additional Tools
Observed Behavioral Review (OBR). An assessment process in which one or more people observe another person performing job tasks for the purpose of appraising performance.

Job Expectations (JE). Used to determine the job environment in which an individual desires to function. From this assessment, a compatibility comparison can be made to the individual's natural behavior characteristics, and to the behavioral demands of the job. The instrument discerns what an applicant or incumbent is expecting from a position.