Assessment Ratings

Bundle scores for brilliant feedback with Ratings

Ratings group respondent scores in a way that is useful for delivering feedback. They can be used to set scoring bands for subsections, sections, segmentations, and the assessment as a whole. Ratings are then called on to run automated calculations for feedback text or charting - removing the need to generate complex formulas.

A structured diagram with sections for high-level and detailed assessment ratings, questions, answers, and report texts, organized in a hierarchical layout with labeled boxes and a vertical orange bar on the left.

Ratings and the assessment hierarchy

Ratings in Brilliant Assessment can follow the assessment hierarchy or be based on segmentations and advanced combinations.

In a typical assessment hierarchy, ratings are more high-level than answer text. However, ratings can be detailed and nuanced depending on their definition. Factors include how focused sections, subsections, and segmentations are and the significance of scores in combination.

Assessment ratings

Applying ratings at the overall assessment level comprehensively summarises a respondent’s performance.

Section ratings

Applying ratings to sections for targeted feedback within a certain theme or question grouping.

Subsection ratings

Apply ratings to subsections to offer even more detailed insights. Pinpoint specific competencies, providing a clearer picture of performance in each area.

A diagram showing a process of question-based segmentation rating, with a series of question boxes connected to a main header labeled 'Segmentation Rating (Question-based)'
Diagram showing a process where multiple answer boxes lead to a final answer-based segmentation rating.

Ratings and segmentations

Define ratings for particular groups of questions or answers, regardless of where they appear in your assessments. Learn more about segmentations here.

Popular rating methods

You can define your ratings in any way you like. Each rating grade has a maximum score associated with it, represented as a percentage. This is used to define the thresholds for achieving a rating.

A visual representation comparing the words 'Pass' and 'Fail' in orange and brown speech bubbles, with a check mark indicating pass and an X indicating fail.

Pass or fail

Set ratings for binary pass or fail results. This can also be applied only at the assessment level, with more detailed ratings at section levels to indicate areas of improvement.

Flowchart with three orange rounded rectangles labeled 'Green,' 'Orange,' and 'Red,' each containing a four-square grid icon.

Traffic light

A classic rating method is the universally understood traffic light system. This method is popular in ratings directly connected to graphs, where rating colors can provide a useful reference point.

A three-tier horizontal bar chart illustrating competency levels. The top chart shows low competency with a short brown bar. The middle chart shows medium competency with a brown bar divided by a white line, and the bottom chart shows high competency with a full brown bar.

Maturity

Popular in skill, aptitude and organizational assessments, high to low competency ratings often have around five levels that measure the success and improvement areas of respondents or cohorts.

Grid of orange buttons labeled with letter grades from A+ to F.

Graded

Another more direct method for banding scores is to, well, band the scores. This might be a rating based on a percentage point band, or grade levels ranging from A to F.

A user interface for editing a rating, showing fields for rating name, maximum score of 74, rating color, override and certification checkboxes, rating text, rating content, upload image option, current image, image comment, and buttons for saving, deleting, or canceling.

  • The rating name is generally internal to the system and a way of you finding your rating easily.

  • The maximum score is the most points a respondent can achieve before being pushed into the next rating threshold. The minimum score will be the score that proceeds the rating.

  • Rating Color is used on all graphics related to a rating. We recommend using highly contrasting colors if you want a particular rating or difference between ratings to stand out on a chart.

  • Rating Text is an option that only appears if you have selected "Show Alternate Report Texts" on the Settings form.  You can have up to 5 versions of rating content, and while we call this rating text, it can also include images and videos. You can select different rating content on reports and results pages.

  • An override is used when a respondent may skip a section that doesn’t apply to them, but you may still want to pull particular text into your report where the section is. The respondent won’t see this as a missed section, and the report will still contain content in every space, even skipped sections or subsections.

  • This additional and optional field issues a certificate if the rating indicates a ‘pass’ - particularly helpful in assessments with a qualification element.

  • If you have a badge or something similar for different achievement ratings, you can upload it as a rating image. The image will be displayed in the Feedback Report or Results.

A digital collage of three sections related to people development. The top left section titled 'Developing Your People' contains a paragraph about the importance of developing others and a bullet list of benefits such as enhancing skills, boosting productivity, and building stronger teams. The middle right section features a course titled 'People Development: Course The Three Core Coaching Skills' with a photo of four diverse people in a discussion and a play button icon indicating a video. The bottom left section titled 'People Development: Resources' lists links to resources for skills development, including LinkedIn, a webpage, and Forbes. Orange tags with labels 'Rating text one', 'Rating text two', and 'Rating text three' are attached to each section.

Bring ratings to life in your feedback

Ratings come to life in feedback. Typically they contain detailed text and links to additional resources. But ratings can also include tables, files, and videos to create a rich and informative feedback experience. It’s also to apply different rating options to different report formats

Rating colors are used in charting graphics. This visual representation helps respondents quickly identify their rating band.

A woman smiling at the camera in a business meeting, with a graph overlayed showing multiple peaks in front of her, and colleagues working at the table in the background.

Do more with Advanced Ratings

Advanced Rating types cater to complex rating needs where multiple ratings are calculated for each response.

A great use of Advanced Ratings is where different sections have different norms and bell curves, so what is considered a high, medium or low score may be a different score ranges. 

This flexibility ensures that Ratings accurately represent the diverse range of assessment outcomes.

Advanced Ratings can also be used to assign different colors for feedback charts in different contexts.