HBDI® Assessment Update: The Gender Question

New Option and Scoring in the Axon Thinking Analytics System

One of the questions within the HBDI® Thinking Styles Assessment is “Gender”.  This question has been included in the HBDI® since its inception. In response to increasing concerns about how gender is perceived and ever increasing data privacy concerns, and with the launch of the new Axon system, Herrmann has recently added “Prefer not to answer” as a response to the Gender question.   With this new option for Gender, Herrmann has also determined it best that we no longer attribute any HBDI® Profile points to the overall score for the Thinker based on their Gender choice.

What about HBDI®s completed in the HTMS
(Herrmann Thinking Management System)?

HBDI®s completed in the HTMS are being migrated to the new Axon system so those HBDI®s will continue to be accessible.  It is important to understand that migrated HBDI®s come over to Axon as "responses" by the Thinker, but not the HBDI® scores.  This way, we can standardize the scoring so that the Gender question no longer provides points to the overall score for a Thinker, regardless of which system they utilized to complete the HBDI® Assessment.

Why is this important to me?

As a Thinker, be assured that Herrmann is committed to your data privacy, and to the sensitive issues of providing personal data like gender.  Herrmann continues to adapt as necessary to respond to these concerns.

As an HBDI® Practitioner, you will need to be aware that the overall profile score for a Thinker may change slightly if you are reporting from the Axon system and you are using an HBDI® taken via the HTMS.  The score can vary from one system to the other by a matter of 1 to 2 points. This variation is expected, and should not cause any concerns about the data or the result for the Thinker.

A gentle reminder:  A difference of 1 to 2 points should not be a concern at all since mood and other factors can cause shifts in preference scores over time. Remember that the overall shape and tilt of the HBDI® profile and the preferences represented remain consistent for most Thinkers, unless they have experienced a life changing event.