DCSIMG

Technical Guidelines & Frequently Asked Questions

This page sets out technical guidelines to help people undertaking online assessments together with answers to some of the most frequently asked questions. You can also download a PDF containing the same contents:

Click here to download a PDF version of these Guidelines and FAQ's (207KB PDF)

Please note:

You may be required to complete a similar assessment at a later stage under supervision. Therefore, please be honest in your responses to these assessments.

You can refer to ‘General tips for completing online assessments’ and ‘Frequently asked questions’ (below) to help you to complete your assessments.

General tips for completing online assessments

1. If you do not have Internet access or a functioning email address, please contact the organisation you are applying to (contact details supplied on the briefing email received with this document). We do not recommend doing the assessments at an Internet Café.

2. Please note that once you have completed the online assessments, you must remember to click ‘SUBMIT’ or ‘FINISH’, which ensures that your answers have been saved and submitted.

3. In order to access the online assessments, SHL recommends the following hardware and software: 

  • •  56Kbps or faster Internet connection (28.8Kbps minimum)
  • • A computer with a keyboard and mouse running Windows 98, NT4.0, 2000, XP or Vista
  • • Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 6.0 and later
  • • Mozilla Firefox versions 2.0 and 3.0
  • • Macromedia Flash Player 7.0 or later

 

PC requirements

A useful link is included below to assist you in determining the compatibility of your web browser in accessing and interacting with the web based products and services offered by SHL here

http://test.shlsolutions.com/browsercheck.html

This will help with issues such as:

  • •  Web Browser Configuration
  • •  Java Settings
  • •  Flash Settings 
  • •  Pop Up Blocking
    • Once you used the above-mentioned link and need to install software or change any of the settings on your PC, refer to the additional information below to assist you in this process.

           

          Trusted site

          Please add the sites http://ondemand.shl.com, http://research.shlsolutions.com  and http://www.ort.shlsolutions.com  to display as a trusted site to alleviate some problems you might experience.  Open a browser and follow the steps below:

          1. Click on Tools and then Internet options
          2. Choose the Security tab
          3. Click on the icon Trusted sites and click the Sites button
          4. Type in the address http://ondemand.shl.com and click on Add
          5. Click on OK
          6. Repeat the steps for the other two sites listed above.

          Macromedia Flash Player (used for Verify assessments)

          Check whether you have the correct version of the Macromedia Flash Player by using the ‘Browser Check’ link http://test.shlsolutions.com/browsercheck.html already given above. Macromedia Flash Plug-in version 7.0 or later is available as a free download from the supplier’s website:

          http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/

          JAVA (used for supervised online assessments)

          For ability tests to download and run properly throughout the assessment, the computer must be configured to enable Java Applets to download. Java is a program that enables these Applets to download correctly.

          If you do not have Java installed on your computer you can download it from www.java.com  free of charge. Click on the ‘Free Java Download’ button and follow the step-by-step information to assist you with the download.

          Browser options

          Be sure to check that the following browser options are installed and enabled:

          JavaScript (Enabling Javascript in Internet Explorer):

          1. Select Tools
          2. Click on Internet Options
          3. Select the Security tab
          4. Choose Custom level of security and click on Custom level button
          5. Select Enable Scripting/Active Scripting

          ActiveX Controls:

          1. Select Tools, Click on Internet Options
          2. Select the Security tab
          3. Choose Custom level of security and click on Custom level button
          4. Select ‘enable’ on the first five ActiveX options

          Cookies (Internet Explorer):

          1. Select Tools, Click on Internet Options
          2. Select the Privacy tab
          3. Select Override automatic cookie handling
          4. Select Always allow session cookies
          5. Select Accept third party cookies

          Note: The whole test must download on your machine and it may take a while. Do not read email or browse the Internet during this. Close all other programmes as this might result in the download crashing.

          Frequently asked questions:

          Q. I can’t access the assessment website?

          A.  If you can’t, try accessing www.bbc.co.uk or www.yahoo.com.  If you are unable to access these sites as well there is probably something wrong with your internet connection. Speak to your system administrator or try another PC.

          Q. I am being asked for ‘Proxy Authorisation’?

          A.  This is probably due to the network you are using to access the Internet. Please contact your System Administrator for assistance.

          Q. I do not have sufficient rights to download software?

          A. Please contact a technical person/administrator at your company to assist you with the software needed to complete the assessment. If they cannot help you, please try another PC, or ask them to load it on a specific PC so that everyone can use it to complete their assessments.

          Q. The test does not appear in its own window?

          A. This problem is due to software blocking pop-up windows on the Internet. If you know what software this is, you will need to disable the pop-up or ad-blocking features of the software in order to access the tests.

          If you are unsure what software is blocking pop-ups, the following information may help:

          • •  Internet browser plug-in bars (e.g. Google), often have built-in pop-up blockers
          • •  Any Internet Security or Firewall software may have built-in pop-up blocking
          • •  Try hovering the mouse pointer over the icons in the lower right hand corner of the screen to see if any of the programs running there sound like they might be pop-up blocking software.  If so, right-click on the icon to access the settings of that software
          • •  Check the add/remove programs list on your Control Panel
          • •  If you are using Windows XP and have Service Pack 2 (SP2) installed or a later version of Windows, Internet Explorer will have a built in pop-up blocker.  Please click Tools, Pop-up blocker to disable this feature.

          Q. I cannot continue with the test because during the test, I lost my Internet connection.  The system told me to keep a copy of a long number called a ‘results string’?

          A.  Please copy and paste this number into a document for safe keeping. Now access the site, click on the link for the test you were previously completing and try to continue your assessment.

          Q. I cannot continue with the test?

          A. If you have been given a results string for the test, follow the on screen instructions for entering the long number; or
          If you did not receive a results string or lost it, please log into the site and click on the string for the test you are asked the results string for.  Tick the box, which says ‘I do not have my number available’, and click ‘next’. 

          Please refrain from working in other programmes or reading e-mail while the tests are downloading and wait until the tests download completely before attempting to continue with the test.

          Please note that a new test window will be launched immediately, so you should be prepared for this.

          Password Issues

          If you have forgotten your password or are having issues with username please click on the link : http://ondemand.shl.com/ForgotPassword.asp