Secret Rules of Career SuccessLearn how work really works

Learn how work really works

About Human Patterns


The following information is from the Human Patterns report, describing the Human Patterns instrument. They say that career development is "is the highest and best use of the instrument. It offers comprehensive personally tailored feedback to an individual on his preferences and interests."



The instrument is almost a workbook for personal development options and frames of reference. It can be viewed as an outline of a comprehensive course in personal development. Managers particularly can set up training agendas based on their results.

Why So Much Information?
• We believe a single administration of a complex instrument that yields many different sub-sets of data is more cost-effective and limits the need to over-extrapolate.
• We believe a “holographic” portrait is better than multiple administrations of unrelated and poorly integrated “single issue” instruments.
• We also believe that information about preferences and interests needs to be absorbed and integrated over time and that a thorough portrait allows for specific and relevant decisions about change or training for long term development.

How To Use Your Human Patterns Report
Number Sheets: These are standard deviation reports that are transposed into the graphs. They are used by Certified Administrators of Human Patterns® for advanced interpretation and consultation.

Preference and Rejection Text Graph Lists: These Best use and Least ideal use lists are rank ordered groups of preferences and rejections for rapid scanning of interests and themes. They are drawn from overall rankings that are independent of the context defined by a graph.

Bar Graphs: These provide “user friendly” explanations of the features measured by Human Patterns® in several subsets. Each graph is a “natural” cluster of preferences or interests that is framed by a context question or “issue”. Graphs are in four groups:
1 Personal Style And Resources
2 Interpersonal Style And Resources
3 Work And Employment
4 Leadership-Management
The graphs enable assessment of many features of interest to individuals and employers. If two individuals compare scores, they may well discover areas of synergy or conflict. This can be useful for negotiating relationship and performance expectations. Your Certified Administrator has agreed to provide you with face to face or telephone feedback to enable you to make full use of this information. If this does not occur, please contact HUMAN PATTERNS®.

Important Points To Consider About Personality Measurement
If a feature is a strong or a weak preference, it must be considered in the context of interpersonal expectations, job and work roles, and organizational culture.

If a feature is strong or weak, it implies an order of preference. To interpret a weaker score as an absence of ability is both incorrect and unfair. Many individuals are able to develop ancillary skills to compensate for low preferences.

Relationship Of Human Patterns® To Other Instruments
An exhaustive analysis of many personality preference and interest instruments was part of the development of Human Patterns®. In each case, we evaluated the theoretical model of the seminal thinker behind an instrument and determined whether it contained features that would be useful for an employer to know. We then designed this 67-factor instrument. In order to reduce over-extrapolation, we clustered factors into sub-sets of base models that are reflected in the question that leads off a graph. Some instruments extrapolate an entire personality from a small number of factors. Rather than risk over-extrapolation, Human Patterns® provides specific measures of multiple factors. This has lead some to feel overwhelmed by the amount of information and others to be delighted with the specificity and “granularity” of the information.