How situational judgment assessments work
A situational judgment test gives you a realistic workplace scenario and asks how you would handle it. Researchers, including McDaniel and colleagues (2001), have studied how these tests relate to job performance. TrueStep HR uses four development stages, from Foundational to Strong, to show managers where their judgment is strongest and which skills to develop next.
About this note
Published Reviewed
For managers and employers interested in how management judgment develops through experience and practice.
At a glance
The assessment uses realistic management scenarios to identify one of 4 development stages, from Foundational through Strong. Results are shown by stage rather than percentile because this scenario set has no population norm.
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- percentiles are shown. Percentile rankings require a representative comparison group.
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- development stages, from Foundational to Strong, highlight strengths and development priorities.
What situational judgment tests measure
An employee keeps missing deadlines. The manager could address the missed work directly, ask what is causing the delays, adjust priorities, or combine these approaches. Each response tackles a different part of the problem. Scenarios like this help show how managers weigh different responses to the same problem. They can also cover conflict, leadership decisions, and helping employees work more independently.
Researchers have studied the relationship between these tests and workplace performance for decades. McDaniel and colleagues (2001) found that well-designed situational judgment tests can help predict job performance. For managers, the value is seeing how different decisions could affect the team. Compare your first instinct with the other reasonable approaches, then choose one skill to practice in your next management conversation.
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Explore how the personality traits in your Work Style Profile results influence your leadership, feedback, and response to pressure. Includes practical guidance and conversation scripts.
How the four development stages work
The assessment combines your responses into one of four development stages: Foundational, Developing, Established, or Strong.
The stages draw on capability maturity models, which describe development through defined levels. Your result highlights where your management judgment is strongest and which skills to develop next. Practice one of those skills in real situations, then revisit your progress over time.
How to interpret your stage
Each stage describes a pattern in how managers make decisions. This custom scenario set has not been established against a representative reference population, so results are presented as development stages rather than percentile rankings.
Use your result for coaching, reflection, and skill development. Look at a recent decision, consider how another approach might have worked, and choose a skill to practice. TrueStep HR development assessments are designed for these purposes, not for hiring, promotion, or screening.
Why the response choices matter
A good scenario gives you several responses that could make sense in the situation. One approach may resolve an immediate problem. Another may also improve accountability, communication, or long-term performance. Looking at the differences helps you see what each response prioritizes and how it could affect the team.
Answer based on what you would actually do, even when another choice sounds appealing. Consider what led you to each answer and whether it reflects how you usually handle similar situations. Discuss your results alongside feedback and examples from your work.
Research and sources
8 sources reviewed. Most recent review: 1 July 2026.
- McDaniel, M. A., Morgeson, F. P., Finnegan, E. B., Campion, M. A., and Braverman, E. P. (2001). Use of situational judgment tests to predict job performance: A clarification of the literature. Journal of Applied Psychology, 86(4), 730-740. A widely cited review of situational judgment tests and their relationship to job performance. doi.org
- Weekley, J. A., and Ployhart, R. E. (Eds.). (2006). Situational Judgment Tests: Theory, Measurement, and Application. Lawrence Erlbaum. A reference on how situational judgment tests are constructed, scored, and used, including their strengths and susceptibility to response distortion. routledge.com
- CMMI Institute, Capability Maturity Model Integration. Background on the defined-stage approach used in capability maturity models, which describe progression through stages rather than a single score. cmmiinstitute.com
- SHRM, performance management and assessment guidance. Guidance on assessments for development and the different validation and legal requirements that apply to employee selection instruments. shrm.org
- McDaniel, M. A., Hartman, N. S., Whetzel, D. L., and Grubb, W. L. (2007). Situational judgment tests, response instructions, and validity: A meta-analysis. Personnel Psychology, 60(1), 63-91. A meta-analysis supporting the use of "would do" questions to examine typical behavior rather than test-taking knowledge, with little loss of criterion validity. doi.org
- Christian, M. S., Edwards, B. D., and Bradley, J. C. (2010). Situational judgment tests: Constructs assessed and a meta-analysis of their criterion-related validities. Personnel Psychology, 63(1), 83-117. A meta-analysis of the skills situational judgment tests measure, with leadership and interpersonal skill among the most commonly and validly assessed. doi.org
- Christian, M. S., Bradley, J. C., Wallace, J. C., and Burke, M. J. (2009). Workplace safety: A meta-analysis of the roles of person and situation factors. Journal of Applied Psychology, 94(5), 1103-1127. A meta-analysis linking safety climate and leadership to safety performance. It helps inform the safety leadership domain in the manufacturing assessments. doi.org
- Barling, J., Loughlin, C., and Kelloway, E. K. (2002). Development and test of a model linking safety-specific transformational leadership and occupational safety. Journal of Applied Psychology, 87(3), 488-496. Research linking leaders' safety communication and actions with safety climate and injury outcomes. These findings inform the safety leadership items. doi.org
Common questions
What is a situational judgment test?
A situational judgment test presents realistic workplace situations and asks how you would respond. Your answers offer a picture of how you approach decisions about people, priorities, and performance. Research has found that well-designed tests can help predict job performance.
Why does the result show a stage instead of a score?
The four stages, Foundational, Developing, Established, and Strong, describe patterns in management judgment. Each stage highlights what you do well and where you can build your skills.
Why is there no percentile?
Percentiles compare results against a representative population. This custom scenario set has not been normed against one, so results use four development stages instead.
How should I choose my answers?
Choose the response that best reflects what you would actually do, even when another option sounds appealing. Each scenario offers realistic choices with different strengths. Afterward, look for patterns in your answers and compare them with how you make decisions at work.
Tools for the next step
Answer 30 management scenarios in about 13 minutes. See your development stage across six areas, including strengths and skills to develop.
FreeReview your HR processes and identify which areas to strengthen first.
FreeExplore how the personality traits in your Work Style Profile results influence your leadership, feedback, and response to pressure. Includes practical guidance and conversation scripts.
$69Discuss your assessment results and development priorities with a senior HR practitioner in a $99 Results Debrief.
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