But what exactly is survey validation, and why is it so important?
The American Educational Research Association, the American Psychological Association, and the National Council on Measurement in Education’s book titled Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing defines validity as “The degree to which evidence and theory support the interpretations of test scores entailed by the proposed used of tests. Validity is therefore the most fundamental consideration in developing and evaluating tests” (1999).
But lets take this to the layman’s level.
Validation is defined by Dictionary.Com as “To establish the soundness of; corroborate.” Their technology-specific definition says that validation is, “The stage in the software life-cycle at the end of the development process where software is evaluated to ensure that it complies with the requirements.”
At its core, survey validation is using analytical techniques to make sure the instrument is reliable and accurate in measuring the intended goal of the survey.
A validated survey instrument means that, based on that survey’s results, individuals and organizations can make reliable strategic decisions about where to focus their development efforts. The organizations can have confidence that the survey is accurately measuring the things that it is supposed to measure, and that the results can indicate the direction the individual or organization should take.
How can you tell if the tool you are using is validated? It’s simple: ask. Look for a vendor that touts its validation (shameless plug to our own surveys). If you can’t find anything about validation on the tool’s website, call and ask a customer service representative. Just make sure the data that you will be collecting actually means something, and isn’t off-the-mark.
If you use a validated tool, you’ll know that you are using a system that will be worth the money, time, and effort it takes to complete a 360 survey. Coaches will then be able to use this relevant information to create change in your company culture and produce better leaders, better management, and higher productivity.
So after exploring the importance of validation, do you see how vital it is for an effective evaluation and coaching program? We do. That’s why we’ve invested hours into making sure our surveys pass the test. We believe in the essential role of validation in surveys—and we hope you do, too.
