The Raven’s Advanced Progressive Matrices (APM) is a gold standard nonverbal assessment designed to measure abstract reasoning, pattern recognition, and the capacity to learn new information quickly. Because it relies entirely on visual problem-solving, it offers a fair, language independent measure of cognitive ability—ideal for diverse candidate pools and modern, complex workplaces.

APM is widely regarded as one of the strongest predictors of workplace learning potential, performance in complex roles, and success in environments where ambiguity, analysis, and strategic understanding are critical.

What the APM Measures

The Raven’s APM evaluates an individual’s general mental ability to:

Identify and Interpret Patterns

Each item presents a visual matrix with a missing piece. Test takers must detect underlying rules such as progression, rotation, transformation, or logical relationships, to determine which option completes the pattern.

Think Abstractly Under Increasing Complexity

Items become progressively more difficult, requiring higher order reasoning, flexible thinking, and the ability to synthesize multiple visual cues. In APMIII (commonly used in workplace settings), this may include recognising subtle relationships, integrating information from various perspectives, or analysing intricate cause effect patterns.

Solve Novel Problems Without Prior Knowledge

Because the test is free of language or cultural content, it measures true “fluid intelligence”—the ability to reason through new challenges rather than rely on learned information.

Why Organisations Use the Raven’s APM

• Predict on-the-job performance
  Raven’s APM is one of the strongest predictors of success in demanding roles, particularly those requiring rapid learning, strategic thinking, and adaptability.
• Support high stakes selection and development
  From individual contributors to executives, the APM differentiates cognitive capability across job levels with globally benchmarked norms.
• Provide a fair, culturally neutral assessment
  The test minimises linguistic and educational bias, making it suitable for multicultural workforces and global recruitment.
• Gain deep insight into reasoning style
  Higher performers tend to identify subtle patterns, anticipate implications of actions, detect underlying causes of problems, and integrate diverse information to form accurate conclusions.

Key Features

• Nonverbal matrix style assessment suitable for online delivery with instantaneous reporting.
• Approximately 23–40 items depending on the version, with completion times typically around 40 minutes.
• Progressive difficulty, ensuring meaningful differentiation among high ability candidates.
• Validated against business success criteria and used extensively in workplace assessment programs.
• Global norms for executives, managers, and professional/individual contributor roles.

Turn Cognitive Insight into Better Talent Decisions

Raven’s APM helps organisations identify individuals who can analyse complexity, learn quickly, and thrive in ambiguous, fast changing environments. From hiring to leadership development, this assessment delivers a clear, scientifically grounded view of the reasoning capabilities that drive real world performance.