In order to use the IDI effectively and appropriately, individuals need to attend an intensive, IDI Qualifying Seminar (IDI QS) conducted over three days and consent to a licensing agreement. November 16 – 19, 2010, I attended an IDI Qualifying Seminar in Baltimore, MD to gain expertise in using the IDI in my own consulting, training and research efforts. Attendance at an IDI Qualifying Seminar and consent to a licensing agreement is required to use the IDI assessment. Participants received IDI handouts and materials that include detailed interpretive guidelines, and written descriptions of procedures.. The Intercultural Development Inventory® (IDI®) is a statistically reliable, cross-culturally valid measure of intercultural competence adapted from the Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity. The IDI can be used for a wide variety of purposes, including:
- Individual assessment in coaching, counseling situations
- Group analysis in teambuilding efforts
- Organizational-wide needs assessment for training design
- Program evaluation to assess the effectiveness of various interventions
- Research
The IDI is a 50-item, theory-based instrument that can be taken either in paper and pencil form or online. The IDI is currently in twelve languages (Bahasa Indonesian, English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Russian, Korean, French, Japanese and Chinese). Translations from the English-language version were completed using rigorous “back translation” scientific protocols to insure both linguistic and conceptual equivalency. The instrument is easy to complete and it can generate an in-depth graphic profile of an individual’s or groups’ predominant level of intercultural competence along with a detailed textual interpretation of that level of intercultural development and associated transitional issues. During the seminar, participants:
- Gained proficiency in using the IDI for increasing intercultural competence for individuals, teams, and organizations
- Learned how the IDI differs from traditional measures of intercultural competence
- Reviewed the rigorous cross-cultural validity and reliability research protocols used in developing the IDI
- Learned how to interpret individual and group IDI profiles of intercultural competence
- Practiced giving IDI feedback in supportive, role-play scenarios
- Gained skills in using the IDI for training needs assessment, program evaluation, and other “large group” assessments
Hammer, M.R., Bennett, M.J. & Wiseman, R. (2003). The Intercultural Development Inventory: A measure of intercultural sensitivity. In M. Paige (Guest Editor), International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 27, 421-443. (Science Direct).