In the post-Covid professional world, technical skills are no longer enough.
It’s soft skills that now make the difference.
Adaptability, communication, leadership, emotional intelligence — these are the qualities employers are looking for today and will need even more tomorrow.
But one question remains for training institutions: how can we reliably assess them?
This article explores the best methods and tools to measure soft skills acquisition and help you develop them within your institution.

🔍 The most effective evaluation methods

🎯 Situational judgment test (SJT)

The situational judgment test presents learners with realistic professional scenarios (team conflict, unhappy client, work overload…) along with multiple possible responses. Each option corresponds to a level of maturity or behavioral style.

How does it work?
“A colleague publicly challenges one of your decisions in a meeting. What do you do?”
Responses might range from complete avoidance to a firm correction, or a private discussion. This type of test shows how someone positions themselves emotionally, socially, and hierarchically — beyond a theoretical response.

What is it used for?
This technique is ideal for assessing soft skills such as:

  • Decision-making under pressure
  • Stress management
  • Leadership in complex situations

It evaluates likely behavior in a real scenario — not just intentions. The SJT is also standardized, making it easy to compare learners and establish an average group level.

👀 Direct observation

Direct observation takes place in real or simulated settings. The instructor or tutor observes a learner during a project, workshop, or group exchange, based on a predefined indicator grid.

How does it work?
During a collaborative exercise, an observer might check whether the learner:

  • Considers others’ ideas
  • Communicates clearly
  • Adapts to unexpected changes
  • Remains calm under pressure

This method can detect subtle signals like active listening or reactions to criticism that written tests may not reveal. It focuses more on how someone works than on the result.

Observation offers a qualitative, contextual view of soft skills.
But beware!
It requires:

  • A clear evaluation grid (e.g., “active listening = rephrases the speaker’s point at least once”)
  • Trained evaluators who observe without projecting their own biases

It’s crucial to train tutors and instructors in these best practices.

🗣️ Targeted interview

The structured interview (also called behavioral interview) is based on open-ended questions about past situations. It follows the STAR method: Situation, Task, Action, Result.

Example:
“Tell me about a situation where you had to manage a disagreement within your team. How did you react? What was the outcome?”

What is it used for?
The interview helps to:

  • Assess soft skills already mobilized in the past
  • Identify behavioral patterns
  • Detect comfort zones or avoidance tendencies

Here, the learner is confronted with their own reality. When well-conducted, it can reveal latent or underused soft skills (natural leadership, organizational ability…).

✅ Ongoing self-assessment

Asking learners to regularly self-assess their soft skills through questionnaires or journals helps to:

  • Develop self-awareness
  • Encourage personal reflection
  • Build a dialogue with the instructor or tutor

For instance, a learner might rate themselves from 1 to 5 on items like:

  • “I’m comfortable expressing disagreement in a meeting”
  • “I know how to prioritize my tasks independently”

Self-assessment isn’t about giving a grade. It boosts learner engagement by making them active participants in their development. It also provides a solid foundation for meaningful feedback and often helps define a direction for future progress.

🧰 Tools that bring these methods to life

So, how can you implement this in your institution?
Don’t worry — there are many tools available to help.

🧪 Psychometric tests

These tests measure personality traits (empathy, emotional stability, sociability…) directly linked to soft skills.

💻 Online assessment platforms

Some platforms offer question types specifically designed for soft skills (weighted multiple choice, value scales…).
They simplify response analysis — as long as the scenarios are well-written and contextualized.

🎭 Simulations and role-playing

Putting learners in real-life situations (customer service, conflict resolution…) allows you to observe their reactions and evaluate interpersonal agility on the spot.
It’s immersive, concrete, and often revealing.

📋 Criteria-based observation grids

These grids help make observations more objective. They list expected behaviors for each soft skill, with levels (beginner, intermediate, expert).
Perfect for evaluation interviews or feedback after a role-play session.

🔁 Test and learn approach

Widely used to measure training impact: observe behavior before/after a course and compare with a control group.
It’s one of the only ways to gauge the real effect of a training program on behavioral skills.

💡 What about software?

To simplify daily evaluation, Edusign includes two features designed for soft skills:

  • Smart questionnaires: after each session or at set intervals, you can send customized questionnaires to learners for self-assessment or feedback on skills developed.
  • Profile comments: instructors and administrators can annotate each learner’s strengths, improvement areas, and observed soft skills directly in their profile

This moves away from a pure scoring logic and toward a qualitative, continuous, and shared vision.

🎯 The goal? To offer a dynamic and evolving evaluation that truly supports soft skills development over time.

✅ Best practices for successful evaluation

Here are the key steps to complete before putting these methods into action:

  • Mix your approaches: combine tests, interviews, and field observation for a well-rounded picture
  • Train your evaluators: unconscious bias is real. Training is essential
  • Explain the process to learners: they need to understand the goals to engage meaningfully
  • Align tools with your values: if you promote empathy and openness, your evaluation methods should reflect that

🏁 In conclusion

Soft skills are not beyond evaluation. With the right tools, criteria, and structured approach, they become as measurable as technical skills.
Most importantly, they find their rightful place in training paths — visible, recognized, and fully valued.

🎯 Want to implement effective, modern soft skills evaluation in your institution?
Request a personalized demo of our smart questionnaires and discover how to track your learners’ soft skills!