Is there always a right answer?

Is there always a “right” answer when testing our employees after training? With the proliferation of learning management systems, many organizations are now creating tests and quizzes to be administered post-training. Those types of quizzes often DO have one right answer, but our economy has moved away from task-oriented training and more toward a knowledge-based economy, and that type of work performance may not have a ‘right answer.’

When you are determining if someone is thinking or reasoning appropriately, it’s impossible to give a paper and pencil test. So what are we left to do? Do we follow people around and ask them to explain what they are doing? Do we look at the end result and assume the steps that got them there were correct?

How do we assess problem solving, reasoning and decision making?