This chapter presents a questionnaire that measures individual change preferences based on a meta-theory of five paradigms of change. We describe its construction and improvement over a 13-year period, during which time more than 100,000 people have used the test as an instrument for self-reflection.

Our analysis shows how change preferences are distributed among different demographics.

It also reveals that change paradigms are differentiated along two dimensions. We hypothesize that one dimension corresponds to the type of change leadership (top-down versus bottom-up) and the other to the type of change relationship (subject-object versus subject-subject). The questionnaire has proven effective in sparking discussions that aid professionalization and collaboration. We discuss how the test can be used most effectively.

The chapter provides background for anyone teaching or using the color test. The test itself can be found on this site in both English and Dutch. An app for tablets and phones is also launched this year.