Comprehensive Assessment with Mixed Test Model: Three Question Types in One Test

Organizations typically use a single method when conducting employee assessments: Either only Likert scale, only multiple-choice tests, or only open-ended questions. However, each method has its own inherent limitations. Likert scale doesn't provide detailed insights, multiple-choice tests can't measure attitudes, and open-ended questions don't provide measurable metrics.

This is exactly where the mixed test model comes into play. TestEd's unique mixed test system enables you to evaluate employees in a multi-dimensional and comprehensive manner by combining three different question types in a single test.

What is a Mixed Test?

A mixed test is an innovative assessment model that combines different question types within a single test. TestEd's mixed test system includes three main question types:

• Likert Scale: 5 or 7-point rating questions for attitude and perception measurement (e.g., "Team leader provides effective feedback" - Strongly Disagree / Strongly Agree)

• Multiple-Choice Questions: A-B-C-D options for knowledge and competency testing (e.g., "What is the first step of performance management? A) Goal setting B) Feedback C) Reward D) Training")

• Open-Ended Questions: Free text for detailed opinion and experience analysis (e.g., "What is your leader's greatest strength? Explain with an example.")

When these three question types are combined in a single test, both quantitative (numerical) and qualitative (opinion-based) data about employees are collected. Result: More comprehensive, more reliable, more strategic assessment.

Why Mixed Test? Limitations of Single-Type Tests

Each traditional assessment method has its own weaknesses:

Using Only Likert Scale

Advantage: Collects fast and measurable data. You can easily calculate averages, trends, and comparisons.

Limitation: You don't understand why these scores were given. If "Team leader provides effective feedback" is rated 2 points, what's the reason? Wrong timing of feedback? Insufficient content? Hurtful tone? You can't tell.

Using Only Multiple-Choice Tests

Advantage: Objectively measures knowledge level. Right/wrong answers provide clear scoring.

Limitation: Can't measure soft skills like attitude, motivation, or leadership perception. An employee may know performance management theory but fail in practice.

Using Only Open-Ended Questions

Advantage: Provides in-depth insights. You get employees' real thoughts, experiences, and suggestions.

Limitation: Analysis is difficult and time-consuming. Manually reading and categorizing hundreds of open-ended responses is impractical. Also, numerical comparisons are difficult.

Mixed testing combines these three methods, filling the gaps of each with the others. You see the general trend with Likert, measure knowledge level with multiple-choice, and understand the in-depth reason with open-ended.

When Should Mixed Tests Be Used?

The mixed test model is effective in any scenario requiring multi-dimensional assessment:

• Leadership and Competency Assessments: Both leadership knowledge and leadership perception must be measured simultaneously. A manager may know leadership theory but fail in practice. Mixed testing evaluates both.

• Training Impact Analyses: After training, both learning (multiple-choice) and satisfaction (Likert) and implementation plans (open-ended) should be measured. Digital measurement platforms report all three integrally.

• Employee Engagement Surveys: Engagement scores (Likert) are not enough. Why are they engaged or not? (Open-ended). What knowledge gaps do they have? (Multiple-choice). Mixed testing answers engagement's what, why, and how questions.

• Performance Evaluations: Objective success metrics (multiple-choice) + subjective attitude assessment (Likert) + development plan views (open-ended) combination provides critical data for data-driven promotion decisions.

• 360 Degree Feedback: In multi-source assessment (manager, colleague, subordinates), mixed testing collects both quantitative scores and qualitative comments to create a comprehensive profile.

How Does TestEd's Mixed Test System Work?

The TestEd platform makes creating and managing mixed tests extremely easy:

1. Easy Test Design

With the drag-and-drop interface, you can add three question types in any order. Example: First general attitude measurement with Likert, then knowledge test with multiple-choice, finally in-depth opinion collection with open-ended.

2. Automatic Reporting

Mixed test results are reported in three layers:

• Likert scores: Average, distribution, and trend graphs

• Multiple-choice: Correct/incorrect ratios, category-based success metrics

• Open-ended: Word cloud, theme analysis, AI-powered sentiment analysis

3. Correlation Analyses

TestEd's advanced analytics engine automatically finds relationships between different question types. For example: "Are employees with high leadership perception also successful in leadership knowledge tests?" provides critical insights.

4. Individual, Department, and Organization-Wide Reports

Mixed test results are presented at three levels: Personalized reports for individual development plans, team reports for department comparisons, organization-wide dashboard for strategic decisions.

Mixed Test vs Google Forms / SurveyMonkey

You can also use different question types with general survey tools like Google Forms and SurveyMonkey. However, these tools are not designed for mixed testing:

• No Integrated Reporting: Each question type is reported separately, relationships between them are not shown

• Missing Open-Ended Analysis: You must manually read hundreds of open-ended responses, no automatic theme detection or word cloud

• No Correlation Analysis: You can't see the relationship between Likert scores and multiple-choice success

• Limited Department Comparison: You need to manually export data and process it in Excel

TestEd's mixed test system is designed not just to collect different question types, but to meaningfully combine and interpret this data. Explore our corporate measurement solutions.

The mixed test model is the future of modern employee assessment. While single-type tests provide superficial data, mixed testing offers multi-dimensional, comprehensive, and strategic insights. By combining Likert scale, multiple-choice, and open-ended questions in one test, you answer the what, why, and how questions.

Evaluate your employees 360 degrees with TestEd's unique mixed test system, discover leadership potential, measure training impact, and make data-driven HR decisions. Mixed testing is not just mixing question types, it's meaningfully integrating data.