Project EXCEL (Excellence in Community Elected and Appointed Leadership) was created in 1990 to provide opportunities for assessing job training and personal development needs of public officials in small and midsized communities, as well as to develop a continuing education program to assist public leaders in professional growth and problem solving. One of the first strategies developed by the project was the creation of an assessment center where current and aspiring county commissioners could identify their current managerial capabilities and training needs. Project EXCEL used a five-step process for development of the assessment center: job analysis, selection of dimensions and activities, training of assessors, conducting pilot simulations, and conducting evaluation. The DACUM (Developing a Curriculum) process was used to determine the competencies or tasks needed for the position of county commissioner. The results of the DACUM were used in interviews to identify 15 dimensions or areas to be evaluated: oral communications, planning and organizing, leadership, decision making and judgment, initiative, objectivity, development of co-workers, perception, sensitivity, management control, collaborativeness, written communications, behavior flexibility, organizational sensitivity, and assertiveness. The following eight activities were then developed for the Project EXCEL Assessment Center for County Commissioners: background interview, group discussion assigned roles, leaderless group discussion, in-basket exercise, interview simulation, fact-finding, case study, and press conference. Trained assessors observe participants' performance of these activities and then provide feedback and discuss opportunities for professional development. Of the first 36 county commissioners who completed the assessment center experience, 42 percent said they learned a great deal about management abilities and 58 percent said they learned a moderate amount. In addition to the formal assessment centers conducted, Project EXCEL plans to develop a mock assessment center activity for demonstrations and as an educational program for community leadership groups. (Contains 10 references.) (KC)