How to Make an Assessment for L&D?

Assessments are not just tools for measuring learner performance. They are a key part of the learning process. When assessment design is taken up strategically, it helps learners improve, spot their strengths and weaknesses, and guide trainers on how to adjust their lesson plans. By giving learners chances to show what they know and to receive feedback, assessments move learning and development forward in organizations. In this blogpost, we will understand how to make an assessment for L&D in detail.

Getting Started: Why do Assessments Matter?

Assessments are more than just a box to check at the end of a training program. They help us measure learning effectiveness, track skill development, and, most importantly, tie learning initiatives back to business impact. All of these are important considerations for an L&D team.

• First of all, learning effectiveness needs to be proved in order to solicit approvals, budgets, and engagement from the various stakeholders. This is a big unlock for L&D teams struggling to prove the worth of their work.
• Second, skill development is the core purpose of any L&D program. In fact, about half the companies are concerned about this as AI joins the workforce, as per LinkedIn’s Workplace Learning Report. An assessment is a tool used to measure how well learners have acquired specific skills and knowledge.
• Third, assessments ensure that you are on the right path with your L&D initiatives. It helps you verify that you are contributing to the development of a skillset that will help your team achieve business success. It will help you spot the precise sub-skill areas that need more support as well as the weaknesses of the L&D program designs, if any.

Fundamentals of Assessment Design for L&D

Without a solid assessment strategy, it’s difficult to prove ROI or refine development programs. Let’s start by understanding the basics before we jump into the process of assessment design:

4 Types of Assessments Every L&D Leader Should Know

• Pre-assessments: Establish a baseline of skills before training.
• Formative assessments: Check understanding during training (quizzes, discussions, etc.).
• Summative assessments: Measure learning outcomes post-training.
• Performance-based assessments: Evaluate how well learners apply skills in real-world scenarios.

Let’s see it in action with an example: If you are running a leadership development program, you will start with a pre-assessment to first understand the current level of leadership skills in your people. As the course is running, you will have some assessments within the program to check progress and learning. Later on, after the program, you will use a summative assessment to understand the growth from the overall program. A while later, once the learners have had the opportunity to practice and apply their new training, you can conduct a performance-based assessment to track across business metrics and behavioral areas.

Defining the Purpose of the Assessment

Before designing an assessment, ask yourself: What am I measuring? Is it knowledge retention, skill mastery, behavioral changes, or business impact? Also, consider your audience. Are you assessing new managers, high-potential employees, or senior leaders? The clearer your objectives, the more meaningful your assessment results will be. Assessments should not exist in a vacuum; they must be integrated into a broader strategy that aligns with competencies and business objectives. If we are talking of leadership development, they must be aligned with leadership competencies, organizational KPIs, and overall business strategy. For instance, if a company is focused on improving cross-functional collaboration, assessments should measure how well leaders work across departments, not just theoretical knowledge.

Choosing the Right Assessment Methods

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to a perfect assessment design for L&D teams. Consider a mix of objective and subjective methods to track the different types of data points appropriately:

• Objective assessments: Multiple-choice quizzes, knowledge tests.
• Subjective assessments: Role-plays, case studies, simulations.
• Feedback-based assessments: 360-degree feedback, self-assessments, peer reviews.

Quantitative vs. Qualitative Approaches to Assessment Design

• Quantitative: Use scoring rubrics, analytics, and performance metrics to track trends.
• Qualitative: Gather insights from open-ended responses, behavioral observations, and leadership journaling.

How to Make an Assessment for L&D?

Now that we know the ingredients, let’s get to the process of designing an assessment. The building of the assessment is the main task, but it’s not the end either! We will also look into how you should administer the assessment, work with results, and maximize the impact.

Designing the Assessment

Step 1: Define Competencies & KPIs Start by identifying the core skills and behaviors needed for success. Whether it’s strategic thinking, emotional intelligence, or decision-making, ensure each competency ties back to your goals. For example, as Risely is an AI-powered leadership development tool, our in-built assessments track leadership and people management competencies at the sub-skill level and are administered based on the challenges faced by the particular user. Step 2: Create Clear and Measurable Criteria Avoid having vague criteria for your assessments, like “good communication skills.” Instead, define measurable indicators such as “can effectively lead cross-functional meetings with clear agendas and follow-ups.” Assessments work best when they are tied to a clear objective and track impact directly toward it. Essentially, every assessment should link to a clear goal for both the participant and the team. Step 3: Structure the Assessment for Engagement & Accuracy

• Use scenario-based questions to test real-world application.
• Include a mix of formats (quizzes, role-plays, self-reflection).
• Consider adaptive assessments that adjust based on performance.

Explore: Best 360 Assessment Tools for Learning and Development

Administering the Assessment with Your Team

Assessments shouldn’t just be a report that sits in a folder. They are your tool for continuous learning and development. By analyzing the results, you can identify skills gaps at both individual and organizational levels and take actions accordingly. The second aspect is providing timely and constructive feedback based on these assessments, which ensures that learners understand their strengths and areas for improvement. Lastly and most importantly, use the insights collected from assessments to rewire and enhance your learning and development strategies.

Analyzing Results & Providing Feedback

Assessment data should drive meaningful change. First of all, you can use insights to refine learning interventions and tailor programs to meet evolving needs. This happens very frequently in Risely, as managers who have just taken as assessment can talk about their skills, challenges, and raise questions with the AI-coach Merlin, thus giving a well-rounded experience. By tracking long-term impact through repeated assessments, you will be able to measure progress and ensure sustained development. Moreover, tying results to KPIs helps demonstrate the ROI of learning and development programs, reinforcing the value of strategic L&D investments.

Assessment Design Mistakes to Avoid

By avoiding these common mistakes in assessment design, you can ensure that assessments are meaningful, practical, and contribute to genuine learning and development.

#1 You are relying on standardized tests

One of the biggest pitfalls in assessment design is over-reliance on standardized tests instead of focusing on practical applications. While multiple-choice quizzes can measure theoretical knowledge, they often fail to assess a leader’s ability to handle real-world situations. For example, a leadership training program might test conflict resolution skills with a quiz, but a more effective method would be a role-playing exercise where participants navigate a simulated workplace dispute. As we highlighted above too, effective assessment design is considerate of the context.

#2 You are not aligning assessments with people and jobs

Another common mistake is failing to align assessments with real job responsibilities. Assessment design should mirror the actual challenges your people face rather than being abstract evaluations. For instance, instead of asking managers to define key leadership principles in a test, a more effective approach would be to assess their ability to lead a team project or present a strategic vision.

#3 The biggest sin is not using assessment data

Additionally, collecting data but not acting on it is a missed opportunity. We need to think of L&D processes holistically and not leave assessment design in a silo of its own. Many organizations gather assessment results but fail to use them to refine their programs. If feedback indicates that managers struggle with decision-making under pressure, the training program should be adjusted to include more scenario-based exercises. Without this continuous improvement loop, assessments become a formality rather than a tool for growth for your team. As an L&D leader, you need to ensure that assessments are reflective of the real job responsibilities and leadership challenges. Avoiding these pitfalls ensures assessments contribute meaningfully to your learning and development plans.

Wrapping Up

Assessments aren’t just about testing knowledge; they’re about driving meaningful growth of your people. When designed and implemented effectively, they provide valuable insights that shape future leaders and enhance business performance. The next step for you is to review your current assessments—ensuring they align with business goals and deliver actionable outcomes. Experimenting with different formats can make assessments more engaging and impactful. In case you are tied up and need a solution to implement leadership development assessments for your organization, head to Risely!