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The Sonru Knowledge Centre has been busy of late and their latest addition is this case study on how Queen's University used Sonru to automate a very structured interview format - the Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) - that uses many short independent assessments, typically in a timed circuit, to obtain an aggregate score of each candidate’s soft skills. 

We do a lot of analysis of our interview processes and are quite pleased with our assessments. We are confident the Multiple Mini interview has transferred onto the Sonru system. It suits us very well.
Professor Burden, Director of the Centre for Dental Education, Queen’s University Belfast

The full case study is online but here are some of the highlights:

• Initial Fears Allayed Through Usage - intitial resistance that Sonru would be difficult to useunanimous positive feedback with respect to ease-of-use of the Sonru system was recorded.
• Experiencing the Candidate - as the objective of the MMI process is to assess non-cognitive skills particularly communication skills, there were concerns that the video interview format might not be appropriate however upon using Sonru "it was very apparent watching the video responses if they [candidates] were looking at the screen or looking away or whether they were engaged.”
• Grading the Candidate - the Interviewers felt the automated interview was more advantageous for candidates as Sonru "gives you the opportunity to concentrate on what they [candidates] are saying."
• Flexibility without Compromising Structure - although the MMI interview process has a very rigid structure, the ability to view the video interviews online offered enormous flexibility to the eight Interviewers enabling them to "fit it around their schedules."
• Ideal for International (non-EU) Applications - without automated video interviewing, typically colleges send 2 members of staff to a particular location and as a result are limited to interviewing applicants only from that region and it is impossible to administer the MMI unless you fly out the entire Interviewing team.

Sonru worked very well for Queen’s University’s Dental School with the ability to successfully replicate the structured Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) online to ensure a standard screening interview process for applicants all over the world. ‘It has reduced staff costs and time but also delivers a robust and reliable interview system’ concludes Professor Burden.