Understanding the Intercultural Development Inventory
What is IDI?
The Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) was formulated by Dr. Mitchell Hammer (1998) in cooperation with Dr. Milton Bennett. 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 is a 50-item theory-based instrument that can be taken either in paper and pencil form or on-line. The instrument is easy to complete and it can generate an in-depth graphic profile of an individual or groups predominant level of intercultural competence along with a detailed textual interpretation of that level of intercultural development and associated transitional issues.
Why use the IDI?
The instrument is available on-line 24-7. It is brief and easy to complete and it generates a graphic profile of an individual or groups predominant stage of intercultural development. The profiles are used to:
- Provide feedback to individuals regarding their approach to intercultural situations
- Assess needs during organizational or individual interventions
- Create lessons and action plans for group and individual learning
- Establish a solid foundation for coaching to improve intercultural competence
- Overall enhancement of intercultural knowledge, skills, and abilities
Why choose the IDI over other assessments?
The IDI meets rigorous scientific criteria for a valid, reliable psychometric instrument. Further, the IDI measures cognitive structure rather than attitudes, making it the type of instrument that generates more reliable outcomes.
IDI Service Options
Implementation of the IDI generally includes the following components:
- Completion of the on-line inventory (available 24-7)
- Confidential one-on-one feedback sessions via phone lasting 45-60 minutes