The dover test

THE DOVER TEST

The Dover Test (VTS) is an Austrian developed concept

It is a basic skills-competency measurement tool, which looks at fundamental practical skills:

eye-hand-foot + basic manual co-ordination;

reactions to stimuli in various environmental conditions;

auditory discrimination;

estimation of the speed / direction of moving objects,

basic decision-making abilities and concentration levels under monotonous circumstances.

It can also be used in recruitment to narrow down large numbers of applicants for a job.

It is a ‘risk detection and accident reduction tool’ - the Dover Tests identify candidates’ weak / problematic areas in their fundamental skills (which underlie their training on specific machines) candidates can receive appropriate training to improve their weak areas). This reduces accident potential, the cost of production losses, losses on equipment etc.

It does not assess whether or not candidates can actually do the jobs for which they have been trained (such as driving a truck) – it is not a simulator program, but looks at the basic foundation skills upon which more specific skills can be built –

Poor / weak areas indicate a potential risk in the specific skill area, it does not mean that candidates will definitely have an accident but rather that they are at greater risk of potentially having one.

Problematic areas can be addressed through training (such as Rehacom or in-house programs).

The testing system is Culture Fair – if administered properly, every step of each test gets explained by the administrator and the candidate need never have operated a computer before in order to do the test/s. Thus prior computer experience is not required as the administrator ideally controls the process. Even illiterate candidates can do the tests as the administrator ideally explains the basic concepts of the tests, then assists candidates with the standard practice examples before allowing them to continue – administrators control the assessment process, with candidates being required only to listen and respond to instructions.

It does not take other factors that affect a candidates performance into account, such as physical illness, emotional factors (such as aggression) and other things such as drug / alcohol use (although indications of these may be apparent in the practice rounds for each test, the Dover assesses practical skills only).

There is no available assessment tool that can completely eliminate ‘human error’, and many other factors can contribute to candidates having accidents – the Dover is very effective in accident reduction (as no industry will ever have accident-free candidate performance).

It is only a part of the selection / assessment / recruitment process and should NOT be used on its own for hiring / retrenching etc – it needs to be used in conjunction with other procedures such as interviews, practical tests etc.

The Dover Test consists of five

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