1.1 This guide provides guidelines for measuring and tracking the performance of individual assessors on a descriptive sensory panel.

1.2 This guide provides guidelines to assist sensory professionals in measuring performance for given assessors. Measuring performance will form the basis for (1) determining the reliability of the results, and (2) establishing remedial actions for an individual assessor.

1.3 This guide examines various aspects of trained assessor performance; such as repeatability, discrimination, and agreement and demonstrates some ways to measure them. The procedures will help the sensory professional determine areas of good performance as well as those that require improvement.

1.4 Individual assessor performance is tracked using established statistical procedures. These procedures depend on whether replicates are collected and if they are collected over multiple sessions or within a single session.

1.5 This guide provides suggested procedures, including statistical procedures that can be done using standard statistical software, for evaluating performance and is not meant to exclude other methods that may be effectively used for a similar purpose.

1.6 Methods for training and screening assessors are not within the scope of this guide. This guide does not address how to communicate performance feedback information to individual assessors. Monitoring of panel reproducibility, a measure of the panel’s ability to reproduce the results of other panels, is also not within the scope of this guide.

1.7 This guide does not address all of the personnel issues associated with panel and assessor performance and it does not address issues of panel psychology or group dynamics (for example, effect of removing a poorly performing assessor).

1.8 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

1.9 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.