TESTING SYSTEM

A system for determining user characteristics, comprising: a database, storing a plurality of scales, each scale being related to a characteristic, and a plurality of items, each item being associated with at least one scale; and an assessment server comprising: a test construction module adapted to receive a request identifying a set of characteristics to be determined; retrieve from the database a plurality of scales and associated items in dependence on the set of characteristics; and construct a test comprising a plurality of item blocks, each block comprising a plurality of items, wherein in the plurality of blocks there is at least one associated item for each retrieved scale, and wherein the items within each block comprise no two items relating solely to the same scale; a test administrator module adapted to apply the test to the user; a scoring module adapted to score the test; and a reporting module.