Questionmark and Polaris Assessment Systems Partner To Produce Robust Pre-Employment Screening Assessments

For Immediate Release

Questionmark and Polaris Assessment Systems Partner To Produce Robust Pre-Employment Screening Assessments

STAMFORD, CT – May 12, 2003 -- Questionmark, the leading provider of Web-based testing and assessment software, today announced a new partnership with pre-employment screening specialists Polaris Assessment Systems of Grosse Pointe, Michigan. Through the partnership, Polaris will use Questionmark™ Perception™ testing and assessment software to create and administer assessments that will help screen candidates for entry-level, front-line jobs in hospitality, retail, health care and other industries.

The Polaris selection process includes assessments and interview systems designed to improve job performance, boost training effectiveness and reduce absenteeism, turnover, theft and substance abuse among employees.

“Our goal is to remain focused on the process of identifying the best, most reliable candidates for entry-level jobs, keeping overhead low and thereby offering an unbeatable combination of high quality and low cost,” said Polaris President Dr. John Arnold. “We did not want to create our own assessment software, so we looked around for a good technology partner. Questionmark offered an enormous range of options for presenting questions, delivering tests and producing reports. That, combined with their reputation for reliability, made them a clear choice.”

“With its expertise in the personnel selection and assessment, Polaris is a great addition to our family of partners,” said Questionmark President Eric Shepherd. “We are delighted to welcome them and look forward to their success in helping employers select the best candidates for front-line jobs.”

About Polaris Assessment Systems:
Polaris Assessment Systems, based in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, is a start-up company focused on the development of high-quality, low-cost selection and assessment systems. Dr. John D. Arnold, founder and president of Polaris, holds a Ph.D. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology with a focus on issues involved in personnel selection and assessment, as well as the measurement of employee attitudes, motivation, and abilities. Prior to founding Polaris, he was a senior vice president in the Human Resources Consulting Group of Aon Consulting, where he directed the U.S. consulting practice and provided account management services to a number of national and international clients.

Dr. Arnold has over 20 years of consulting experience, primarily in the areas of personnel selection and classification, assessment center design and development, and organizational research. He has directed numerous projects with national and international scope, including the redesign of both salaried and hourly assessment systems in the “Big Three” auto companies and the direction of multiple consortium studies to develop and validate assessment systems for use throughout the insurance and financial services industry. For details telephone (313) 822-0646.

About Questionmark:
Founded in 1988, Questionmark has more than 1,600 customers worldwide. Questionmark Perception testing and assessment software gives educators, professional trainers and business managers the ability to create, administer and analyze tests and surveys over the Internet, corporate networks or individual PCs. Features for protecting data and tester privacy are automatically built in. Without programming skills, users can create virtually any kind of test or survey, with built- in wizards to incorporate sophisticated features such as up to 18 different question types, feedback based on response and flexible scoring. Tests can also include videos, graphics and other supporting media. Applications include diagnostic tests, skills assessments, course evaluations, partner and professional certifications and employee and customer surveys. Further information is available at www.questionmark.com.

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