​The VIA Strengths test, developed within the field of positive psychology, is designed to identify a person’s top character strengths from a list of 24, which are organized into six broad virtues: Wisdom, Courage, Humanity, Justice, Temperance, and Transcendence.

 

The VIA framework is universal in nature, emphasizing strengths that contribute to an individual’s overall well-being and happiness. Its primary aim is to highlight the positive traits that can help people lead more fulfilling lives, focusing on
personal growth, relationships, and general well-being rather than specific professional contexts.
 

On the other hand, the Signature Strengths test focuses specifically on the top 20 professional strengths, categorizing them into four practical domains: Doing, Thinking, Feeling, and Influencing. This approach is tailored to professionals looking to enhance their performance in the workplace. The Signature Strengths test provides actionable insights into how individuals can leverage their strengths to achieve professional goals, work more effectively in teams, and excel in leadership or collaborative roles. Unlike the VIA Strengths, which are more broadly applicable to life and personal development, Signature Strengths are deeply tied to professional effectiveness, daily work tasks, and career growth.

Another key difference is the peer feedback feature in the Signature Strengths test, where participants can invite colleagues to assess their strengths, providing a more comprehensive understanding of how their strengths are perceived and applied in real-world settings. This feedback loop helps validate and refine the individual’s self-
assessment, adding depth to the understanding of their strengths in a professional environment. In contrast, the VIA Strengths test is based solely on self-assessment, which focuses on an individual’s internal perception of their strengths without the collaborative feedback aspect.

Moreover, the Signature Strengths test includes features like the Best Partners section, which identifies strengths that complement the participant’s own, encouraging partnerships that enhance teamwork and collaboration. The test also provides a Coaching Journal, a tool designed to help users reflect on their strengths and create actionable steps for ongoing professional development. The VIA Strengths test, while comprehensive in its scope of character strengths, does not offer similar features tailored to workplace dynamics or collaboration. It focuses more on personal reflection and understanding of ones virtues and character traits as they relate to personalwell-being.