Questions with Accurate Answers
2025-2026 Updated.
Problem statement will: - Answer -spell out your goals
-lay out boundaries on the problem-solving space.
-define success criteria.
-spell out the constraints you're going to face.
-articulate your assumptions, who the stakeholders are, and any timelines that you're going to
face.
Explain what it means to ask the question behind the question. - Answer Seek to understand
why you're asked to look at something
-Motivation for asking the question
Describe three ways to view a problem through a different lens. - Answer -change your point
of view
-context
-reality
change your point of view - Answer different perspectives of the problem
Can you change context - Answer can you imagine the problem in new ways
Can you change reality - Answer ask what if?
Whats a cause - Answer the root of a problem
What is a symptom? - Answer a result of the root cause of the problem.
Chronology - Answer Chronology is laying out that path that says:
-if I do this, then this might happen, then this might happen.
-is going to help you predict some of the outcomes that you could face, and if those might be
bad outcomes, it can impact the type of recommendation you make in the first place
business model blow-up - Answer -rethink about how you go to market.
, -rethink what your market actually is.
revenue blow-up - Answer How do you expand:
-the products
-your pricing
-the geography
-the reach of your business?
cost blow-up - Answer -how do you challenge the business model and what you're spending
money on?
-how do you eliminate drag from the business to become much more efficient?
Explain and apply the "5 whys" approach to problem identification. - Answer -allow us to ask
why and really understand the cause
-the 4th or 5th why is where you'll find the real insight/root cause of symptoms
Explain and apply the "7 so whats" approach to solution generation - Answer -thinking tool
used to outline the consequences of an action
Explain and apply the 80/20 rule to choosing what analysis to do and what problems to solve. -
Answer 20% of the drivers will drive 80% of the results.
During the 80/20 rule focus resources - Answer on problems or drivers that affect a majority
of the results. (meaningful)
Describe how to prioritize the use of resources in critical thinking. - Answer focus on tasks
that will have the most impact on the problem you are facing.
Describe five common pitfalls in critical thinking. - Answer -Jumping to answers too quickly
-being unwilling to expand the problem space
-focusing on the unimportant
-taking analytical results at face value
-not thinking of the future consequences
Describe the four areas of the balanced scorecard - Answer -Finance
-Customer
-Internal Processes