Collaborating with Us

Our approach

Our Guiding Principles

Each of our instruments is designed for a unique purpose and used in a distinct way. Yet all share the same foundation:

One foot firmly in research, the other in real-world practice.

We are continually refining our tools, strengthening their rigor, and deepening our understanding of how they connect. When exploring whether an instrument is the right fit for an engagement or collaboration, we look to our guiding principles:

Aligned research interests

We partner with organizations that share our curiosity, whether that's measuring personal change or linking our assessments to meaningful outcomes at work and in life. Our instruments are built for self-insight and development, not hiring or diagnostic use, and our collaborations reflect this commitment.

Mutual benefit

Strong partnerships offer value to both sides. For us, that includes opportunities to validate our instruments in real-world settings while supporting organizations in cultivating insight, awareness, and leadership growth.

Values in action

Engaging with us means amplifying the McNulty Leadership Program's values of excellence, compassion, and learning, or contributing to our broader curricular mission.

Publications as a byproduct

While academic publication is welcomed, it is never the primary motivation for an engagement.

Working with People Lab

Collaboration process

Our collaborations are rooted in guiding principles to ensure we remain true to our purpose. A shared process helps People Lab and its partners create aligned, meaningful, and mutually beneficial engagements.

  1. Step one

    Determine fit

    Determine if a People Lab instrument is the right fit for an engagement. We use our guiding principles to ensure a collaboration expands our existing learners, data, platform, and research interests in a way that aligns with our strategic priorities.

  2. Step two

    Consider delivery

    Identify and evaluate the elements of the engagement to deliver a meaningful experience while providing mutual benefit to People Lab and our partner.

  3. Step three

    Establish shared expectations

    Establish shared roles, responsibilities, and expectations. A shared structure keeps the experience smooth, coordinated, and supportive for everyone involved.

Participant journey

Expectations & Milestones for People Lab Participants

A step-by-step overview from setup through results and follow-up content.

  1. Log into People Lab

    Start the process before or during the program.

  2. Take self assessment

    Complete your assessment to move forward.

  3. Invite evaluators

    Ask others to provide feedback.

  4. Email evaluators a reminder

    Follow up during or after the engagement.

  5. View results

    Review your feedback and assessment results.

  6. Read, watch, and listen to content

    Use follow-up resources to continue learning.

Implementation expectations

People Lab responsibilities

People Lab will

  • Provide ongoing technology support to staff and participants
  • Include program title on People Lab materials
  • Reset passwords for participants
  • Provide participation updates to partners on a predetermined cadence
  • Align results delivery to participants based on predetermined timeline

People Lab will not

  • Change, add, or remove questions in our instruments
  • Change how results are displayed in the People Lab platform or PDF
  • Share evaluator contact information
  • Modify data collected
  • Share who consented to research
  • Remind evaluators for participants
Privacy Policy

At Wharton, we believe that meaningful growth begins with trust. The People Lab platform is designed to foster development while ensuring that all participant and evaluator information remains secure and confidential.

Participants: we are committed to protecting the privacy of individuals who engage with our assessments and digital tools. Information shared by participants, including evaluator nominations, and all feedback collected from evaluators is handled with strict confidentiality. Evaluator names, contact information, and submitted feedback are never disclosed to others. Assessment results are shared only with the participant, creating a protected space for personal reflection and growth.

Participation Status Updates: to help our partners stay informed while upholding participant privacy, we may provide high-level participation status updates. These updates indicate whether a participant has completed their self-assessment, whether sufficient evaluator feedback has been gathered to generate a report, and the number of evaluators nominated and responses received. Individual identities and specific feedback remain strictly confidential.

Validity: People Lab is dedicated to maintaining empirically validated scales grounded in observable behaviors. This requires ongoing analysis, refinement, and research collaboration. As a uniquely Wharton initiative, the instrument is continuously improved through partnerships that bring together empirical research, theoretical foundations, and extensive insights from seasoned coaches, students, and staff. Our validation process incorporates exploratory factor analysis, network analysis, and detailed item-level evaluation to ensure accuracy, relevance, and impact.