Immediate Release
4th October 2000

Tim Neill Associates (TNA) today launches an interactive graduate assessment and selection system for PA Consulting company, Cubiks. The ‘In-Tray Exercise’, as it is called, automatically measures and records an applicant's ability to analyse and handle a demanding mix of business tasks and will be used by Cubiks as a key component in its portfolio of graduate selection tools.

Comments TNA managing director, Tim Neill, "Traditionally, employers have used printed materials such as letters and reports in their selection tests. However, running such 'paper based' exercises brings huge practical problems in fairly assessing, marking and comparing each applicant's responses. This unique system completely automates the process of appraising an applicant's task-handling abilities."

The program presents candidates with a range of 'in tray' items to consider and handle in the way they judge to be most appropriate. These can include e-mails, phone calls, reports and letters. S/he chooses and names the 'in-trays' in which to place each item and then describes the action(s) to undertake, for example, in response to a letter of complaint from a major customer. The session would conclude with a letter-writing exercise.

Each stage of the assessment has a time limit and every action is stored, either locally or across a network, to the candidate database for review and reporting. Algorithms within the program automatically mark every decision made and generate a final, overall applicant score. An important feature is that the contents of every ‘in-tray item’ are generated dynamically from the database and may be easily modified by the client, for example to include issues relevant to the company or their business sector.

Commenting on the successful installation of the system, Dr Rob Feltham, director of R&D at Cubiks, comments "Our experience suggests that employers are increasingly looking to electronic media to increase the range, quality and cost effectiveness of their assessment processes. We chose TNA for this assignment because of the commitment and flexibility they had demonstrated in previously commissioned projects."

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Note to Editors: TNA was set up in 1988 and specialises in the design and creation of high quality, interactive staff training and assessment programs for corporate clients. It currently services over 50 retained clients including Nokia, Citibank and SITA Airport Services in New York. The company also develops interactive product simulations, corporate presentations and web sites.

For further press information please contact Rebecca Jensen mailto: [email protected]
For more details on the project please contact Tim Neill at TNA mailto: [email protected]

Telephone: 01825 761774 Fax: 01825 769355

The TNA web site at www.tnanet.com carries summaries and screen examples
of over 60 completed projects.

Rebecca Jensen