Comparing assessments for coaching: a practical guide
Comparing assessments for coaching: a practical guide
In short:
- Choose assessments based on measurement goal, scientific validation and practical usability.
- Use them as conversation starters and translate them into concrete development actions during coaching.
Choose an assessment based on three things: what you want to measure, whether the instrument is scientifically validated, and whether the report produces usable development steps. Marketing claims and attractive dashboards are secondary. An instrument with strong validation but a vague report gets your coachee nowhere. The reverse also holds: a clear report without solid foundations is an opinion, not a measurement.
Three priority checks before you choose an assessment:
- Measurement goal: What exactly do you want to know? Behaviour, personality, values, aptitude or team dynamics?
- Validation: Is there independent research on reliability and validity? Check COTAN ratings or peer-reviewed validation studies.
- Applicability: Does the report produce concrete development actions you can use in a coaching conversation?
Table of contents
- What types of assessments are there for coaching?
- How do you compare assessments? A practical checklist
- How do you use an assessment step by step during a coaching programme?
- Which instruments are used most? A practical comparison
- What does the science say about validity, limitations and ethics?
- Which assessment do you choose for common coaching questions?
- Key insights
- What coaches really notice in practice
- Exantur helps you manage assessments in a structured way
- Recommended sources and further reading
- Frequently asked questions
What types of assessments are there for coaching?
The most commonly used instruments fall into five categories. Each type measures something different and suits different coaching questions.
Personality questionnaires
The Big Five (also known as the NEO-PI-R) is the most researched personality measure. It measures five broad dimensions: openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness and neuroticism. Empirical research confirms that Big Five measures can partly predict behaviour, but effect sizes vary considerably by outcome. Strong at explaining behavioural patterns, less suitable as the sole basis for decisions.
DISC measures four behavioural styles: dominance, influence, steadiness and conscientiousness. It is user-friendly, uses accessible language and works well in team coaching. The scientific foundation is less deep than the Big Five, but its practical recognisability is high.
MBTI sorts people into sixteen types based on four dimensions. Widely used and recognisable, but its scientific foundation is limited. Scores are not stable over time and the type classification is too black-and-white for nuanced coaching work.
Aptitude tests
These measure cognitive abilities such as reasoning, numerical insight or verbal ability. Relevant in career coaching or role-fit questions. Choose the test level to match the job level: vocational, higher professional or university. Always check COTAN ratings per variant, because quality varies considerably by provider.
360-feedback
Collects assessments from colleagues, managers and employees about someone's behaviour. Directly usable for leadership development. Downside: the quality depends heavily on the number of raters and the degree of anonymity.
Values and motivation questionnaires
These map out what drives someone and what gives or drains energy. Useful for career questions and for formulating a personal leadership profile.
Strengths instruments and coaching tools
The Wheel of Life is a practical coaching instrument that lets someone score themselves across multiple areas of life. Not a scientifically validated test, but a powerful conversation starter for prioritisation and awareness. Suitable as an intake instrument or interim measurement.
How do you compare assessments? A practical checklist
A good comparison of coaching assessments starts with the right questions. Use these criteria as a guide:
Measurement goal and decision question First formulate what you want to know. Is it about behavioural styles, personality, aptitude, values or team dynamics? An instrument that measures the wrong thing always produces the wrong answer.
Scientific validation Request the validation report. Check whether there is test-retest reliability (guideline: at least 0.85), predictive validity and a norm group that matches your population. In the Netherlands you can consult COTAN ratings for recognised tests. A good selection checklist describes four decisive steps and concrete technical threshold values.
Reliability and sample size Validation studies should be large enough for reliability and representativeness. Also check whether the study is independent or was carried out by the provider itself.
Action orientation of the report A good report translates scores into concrete development advice, interview questions and follow-up suggestions. If you cannot use the report in a debrief without additional explanation, it is not suitable for coaching.
Certification and coach training Some instruments require certified training to interpret the results responsibly. Check this in advance. A report without qualified interpretation can do more harm than good.
Duration and candidate experience How long does the test take? What is the language level of the questions (aim for B1 for Dutch participants)? A test that is too long or too complicated lowers motivation and affects the scores.
Privacy and GDPR The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) requires you to process personal data carefully. Check whether the provider uses EU hosting, offers a data processing agreement and applies data minimisation.
Cost model Do you pay per participant, per licence or via a subscription? Calculate the total cost at your expected volume.
Pro tip: Request the validation report before you sign a contract, and first test the instrument on a small group of your own coachees. That provides a usable reference point and makes interpretation concrete.
| Criterion | What you check |
|---|---|
| Measurement goal | Does the instrument match your coaching question? |
| Validation | COTAN rating, test-retest ≥ 0.85, independent study |
| Norm group | Does the sample match your population (language, education, culture)? |
| Action orientation | Concrete development advice and follow-up in the report? |
| Certification | What training do you need to use it responsibly? |
| Duration | Duration and language level appropriate for the participant? |
| Privacy/GDPR | EU hosting, data processing agreement, data minimisation |
| Cost model | Per participant, licence or subscription? Total cost at your volume? |
How do you use an assessment step by step during a coaching programme?
Timing and preparation largely determine whether an assessment delivers anything. A test that is administered without context and then disappears into a drawer helps no one.
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Discuss the report in the first conversation. Focus the debrief on interpretation, not on labels. Ask the coachee what they recognise and what surprises them. Scores are a starting point for conversation, not a final verdict. Personality tests are tools, not diagnoses.
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Translate scores into development actions. Together, formulate two or three concrete actions based on the outcomes. Link these to measurable goals and schedule a follow-up moment. Use an evaluation form to track progress.
Example timeline: intake with Wheel of Life in week 1, administer DISC profile in week 2, debrief in week 3, first progress measurement after three months.
Pro tip: Always schedule the debrief within two weeks of administration. The longer you wait, the less the participant remembers the test experience and the less the scores resonate.
Which instruments are used most? A practical comparison
The profiles below are based on instrument types, not specific providers. This allows you to make a fair comparison.
Big Five / NEO Measures five broad personality dimensions. Strong scientific foundation, large norm groups, suitable for development coaching and career questions. Reports are sometimes too abstract for direct action. Requires some knowledge of personality psychology for good interpretation.
DISC Measures four behavioural styles in work and communication situations. Accessible language, high recognisability among participants, popular in team coaching. Scientific foundation is less deep than the Big Five. Reports are generally practical and action-oriented.
MBTI Widely used typology method with sixteen types. High name recognition, but limited scientific foundation. Scores are not stable over time. Usable as a conversation starter, less suitable as a basis for serious development programmes.
360-feedback Collects assessments from multiple raters. Directly usable for leadership development. Quality depends on anonymity, the number of raters and the quality of the questions. No standardised norm group.
Wheel of Life Practical coaching instrument for prioritisation and awareness. No scientific validation as a psychometric test, but high usability as an intake or interim instrument. Low threshold, no certification required.
| Instrument | What it measures | Validity | Action orientation | Certification needed | Duration | GDPR/EU hosting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Five / NEO | Personality (5 dimensions) | High | Moderate to high | Recommended | 20 to 40 minutes | Depends on provider |
| DISC | Behavioural styles (4 types) | Moderate | High | Yes (most providers) | — | Depends on provider |
| MBTI | Personality types | Limited | Moderate | Yes | 20 to 40 minutes | Depends on provider |
| 360-feedback | Behaviour from multiple perspectives | Context-dependent | High | Recommended | — | Depends on provider |
| Wheel of Life | Satisfaction per area of life | Not standardised | High | No | — | Depends on provider |
What does the science say about validity, limitations and ethics?
Assessments are tools, not diagnoses. That sounds obvious, but in practice scores are regularly treated as definitive. A coach who says "you are a D in DISC" misses the point entirely.
The research consensus is clear: the working alliance between coach and coachee is one of the strongest predictors of coaching effectiveness. Research on working alliance and coaching effectiveness shows that the fulfilment of basic psychological needs (autonomy, competence and relatedness) is associated with the outcomes of coaching. A good assessment can strengthen that alliance, but never replaces it.
Specific points of attention for coaches:
- One-off measurement: Routine evaluation of coaching with standardised short questionnaires provides more insight than a one-off measurement at the start.
For ethical use, three basic rules apply: always ask for informed consent, store only what is needed (data minimisation) and use a provider with a data processing agreement and EU hosting. The WAI-S (Working Alliance Inventory, short version) is a practical instrument for monitoring the quality of the working alliance throughout the programme. Use it regularly, not just once.
Guideline for predictive validity: a coefficient above 0.30 is considered usable in the literature for predictive applications. Many popular instruments do not reach that threshold.
Which assessment do you choose for common coaching questions?
Use this scheme as a quick decision aid.
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Question: someone wants to develop soft skills (communication, collaboration, self-awareness) Choose a personality questionnaire with high action orientation. Big Five or DISC work well. Make sure the report contains concrete behavioural advice, not just scores.
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Question: determining a career switch or role fit Combine a personality questionnaire with an aptitude test at the right level (vocational/higher professional/university). Use both outcomes as input for an in-depth conversation, never as the sole basis for a decision.
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Question: improving team dynamics or making conflicts discussable 360-feedback or DISC in a team setting. Preconditions: at least four raters per person, guaranteed anonymity and a trained facilitator for the debrief.
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Question: leadership development 360-feedback is the strongest instrument here. Combine it with a personality questionnaire for deeper insight into motivations.
Quick yes/no checklist for your choice:
- Have you formulated a clear measurement goal? If not: stop and formulate that first.
- Is the instrument validated on a norm group that resembles your coachee? If not: look for a better-fitting alternative.
- Does the report produce usable development actions? If not: the instrument is not suitable for coaching.
- Do you have the required certification or training? If not: obtain it first or work together with someone who does.
- Does the provider meet GDPR requirements? If not: do not use it.
Key insights
The most valuable principle when comparing coaching assessments is this: always choose based on measurement goal and validation, and use the report as a conversation starter, never as a final verdict.
| Point | Details |
|---|---|
| Choose based on measurement goal | First formulate the coaching question, then the instrument. The wrong goal always produces the wrong answer. |
| Check validation | Request the validation report. Check the COTAN rating, test-retest and norm group for your population. |
| Action-oriented reports | A report without concrete development advice is not usable in coaching. Test this beforehand. |
| Combine with conversation | Assessments are conversation starters. Working alliance and psychological safety determine the effectiveness of coaching. |
| Exantur as a workspace | Exantur supports structured assessments such as DISC and Wheel of Life, linked to goals and progress per coachee. |
What coaches really notice in practice
There is a pattern I see time and again: coaches invest a lot of time in choosing the right instrument, and then too little time in the debrief. The report is forwarded, the coachee reads it at home, and in the next session it is briefly referred to. That's a shame.
The value of an assessment does not lie in the score. It lies in the conversation the score makes possible. A DISC profile that leads to an honest conversation about how someone reacts under pressure is worth more than an extensive Big Five report that disappears into a folder.
My practical warning: never blindly trust an instrument, however well validated. Use assessments routinely, but also schedule evaluation moments to assess whether the instrument still fits the question. Populations change, coaching questions change, and an instrument that worked well three years ago need not do so now.
And finally: if a coachee does not recognise the outcome, that is no reason to defend the score. It is an invitation for a better conversation.
Exantur helps you manage assessments in a structured way
Choosing assessments is one thing. Using them well within an ongoing coaching programme is another. That requires structure: the report linked to the right coachee, the outcomes translated into goals, and progress tracked between sessions.
Exantur offers coaches an integrated workspace for exactly this. Structured assessments such as DISC and Wheel of Life are built in and directly linked to the coaching programme of the relevant coachee. Reports, notes and action points stay together. Via the coachee portal, participants can view their goals and progress and complete check-ins between sessions.
Regarding privacy: Exantur uses EU hosting in Frankfurt and offers a data processing agreement. That supports GDPR-conscious data processing, although software does not automatically make a practice fully GDPR-compliant.
Want to see how this works in practice? Try Exantur free for 14 days via the page for coaching practice management software. Payment details are required at the start; cancelling before the end of the trial period prevents automatic renewal.
Recommended sources and further reading
For coaches who want to go deeper into validation, COTAN ratings and scientific foundations:
- Choosing an assessment: checklist — practical selection checklist with technical threshold values and four decisive steps.
- Personality tests: sense or nonsense? — critical discussion of limitations and the importance of context.
- Working alliance and coaching effectiveness (Nobco) — master's thesis on the role of working alliance and basic psychological needs.
- Big Five and performance (ResearchGate) — empirical research on the predictive value of personality measures.
How do you assess a validation report in 60 seconds?
| What you check | What to look out for |
|---|---|
| Norm group | Matches your population (language, education, sector) |
| Test-retest | Reliability coefficient stated and preferably ≥ 0.85 |
| Independence | Study carried out by external researchers, not only by the provider |
| Publication date | Not older than ten years, or recently reconfirmed |
Frequently asked questions
What types of assessments are there for coaching?
The five most commonly used types are personality questionnaires (such as the Big Five and DISC), aptitude tests, 360-feedback instruments, values and motivation questionnaires, and practical coaching tools such as the Wheel of Life. Each type measures something different and suits a different coaching question.
What is the difference between DISC and Big Five?
DISC measures four behavioural styles in work situations and is accessible and practical. The Big Five measures five broad personality dimensions and has a stronger scientific foundation. For in-depth development coaching the Big Five offers more explanatory power; for team coaching and communication training DISC often works more accessibly.
When do you use a 360-feedback instrument?
360-feedback is most suitable for leadership development and situations where someone wants insight into how others experience their behaviour. Ensure at least four anonymous raters and a trained coach for the debrief.
How do you know whether an assessment is GDPR-proof?
Check whether the provider uses EU hosting, offers a data processing agreement and applies data minimisation. Also ask how long data is retained and who has access to it. Exantur uses EU hosting in Frankfurt and offers a data processing agreement for coaches who want to manage assessments securely.
How do you combine multiple assessments in a coaching programme?
Use a maximum of two or three instruments per programme and make sure each measures a different aspect. Combine a personality questionnaire with a practical instrument such as the Wheel of Life for intake, and add 360-feedback if leadership development is the coaching question. Always discuss all outcomes in a conversation.