Assessment & Evaluation Techniques Flashcards
7 cards from real CSC practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Assessment & Evaluation Techniques flashcards as text
A senior consultant evaluates a client's project portfolio using Earned Value Management (EVM). A Cost Performance Index (CPI) of 0.78 indicates which condition?
Answer: The project is delivering $0.78 of value for every $1.00 spent
A CPI below 1.0 signals cost overrun; at 0.78, the project delivers only 78 cents of earned value for each dollar actually spent.
When assessing organizational culture during a consulting engagement, which method provides the richest qualitative insight into unwritten norms and underlying assumptions?
Answer: Ethnographic observation and immersion
Ethnographic observation allows consultants to witness actual behaviors, rituals, and informal interactions that reveal culture beyond what employees self-report.
A consultant applies a Logic Model to evaluate a workforce development program. What does the Logic Model's 'Outcomes' component represent?
Answer: The short-, medium-, and long-term changes in participant knowledge, skills, or behaviors
In a Logic Model, outcomes represent the changes or benefits that result from the program, distinct from outputs (e.g., number of sessions) and inputs (resources).
A consultant must assess the effectiveness of a recent organizational restructuring. Which evaluation approach best captures the perspectives of those most affected by the change over time?
Answer: Longitudinal panel study tracking the same employees at multiple points
A longitudinal panel study follows the same cohort over time, revealing how perceptions, productivity, and morale evolve after restructuring.
During a needs assessment, a senior consultant distinguishes between a 'want' and a 'need.' Which statement best defines a genuine performance need?
Answer: A measurable gap between the current performance state and the required performance standard
A genuine need is defined by a verifiable discrepancy between desired and actual performance, not by expressed preferences or leadership directives.
A client asks a senior consultant to assess whether their customer satisfaction scores are statistically reliable measures. Which psychometric property directly addresses score consistency across repeated measurements?
Answer: Test-retest reliability
Test-retest reliability measures whether the same instrument produces consistent scores when administered to the same population under unchanged conditions.
A senior consultant recommends a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to evaluate a new leadership development program. In the context of consulting, what is the most significant practical barrier to implementing an RCT?
Answer: Random assignment of employees to treatment and control groups is often ethically and operationally infeasible
Randomly withholding development opportunities from a control group raises ethical concerns and is often resisted by HR departments and union agreements.