BP Assessment Tests

BP Situational Judgement Test

1. Question 1 of 10

   You are a sales assistant in a furniture showroom. A customer ordered a sofa eight weeks ago with a promised delivery this week. The warehouse has just told you the fabric is delayed and it will now be a further four weeks. The customer is in the showroom this morning to arrange a delivery slot and does not yet know. Your showroom manager is on the floor. Which response below would be most effective, and which would be least effective?

   1. Book the delivery slot she asks for and let the warehouse contact her about the delay, since they will have the accurate dates and the delay is their fault rather than the showroom's.
   2. Book a provisional delivery slot for four weeks' time and explain that the warehouse has had to move the date, so that she leaves with a new arrangement in place.
   3. Tell her straight away that the fabric is delayed and delivery is now four weeks out, apologise, and go through what she can do about it including speaking to the manager.
   4. Take her delivery preferences as she expects, then ring her this afternoon once you have found out from the warehouse exactly what has caused the delay and how firm the new date is.
   Show the answer

   Most effective: C. Tell her straight away that the fabric is delayed and delivery is now four weeks out, apologise, and go through what she can do about it including speaking to the manager.

   Least effective: A. Book the delivery slot she asks for and let the warehouse contact her about the delay, since they will have the accurate dates and the delay is their fault rather than the showroom's.

   A: Hides the problem: it knowingly books a delivery that cannot happen and leaves someone else to break the news. Sending a customer away believing a false date is concealment, not a handover.

   B: Delays the decision: it hands her a new date before she has been given the choice of cancelling, waiting or taking something else, and after eight weeks that choice is hers to make.

   D: Delays the message: she is standing in front of you arranging a delivery that is not going to happen. Letting her make those plans and correcting them later wastes her morning and her trust.

   The most effective response is to tell her straight away that the fabric is delayed and delivery is now four weeks out, apologise, and go through her options including speaking to the manager: she is in the showroom to arrange something that is no longer possible, so she needs the fact immediately, and after eight weeks of waiting the decision about what happens next belongs to her. It beats booking a provisional slot for four weeks’ time, because that presents her with a decision already taken, when cancelling or changing the order may be what she wants. It beats taking her preferences now and ringing this afternoon once the warehouse has explained, because letting her plan a delivery you know will not happen wastes her time and makes the correction worse. The least effective response is booking the slot she asks for and letting the warehouse contact her: it books a date that cannot be met, so she leaves holding a false promise made knowingly. That is worse than the other two, which mishandle the timing but do not create a false commitment. The principle: when a promise has broken, tell the customer while they are in front of you and let them choose what happens next.

2. Question 2 of 10

   You work in a florist’s shop. It is 9am. A funeral tribute must be delivered to a church by 11am and still needs an hour’s work. A wedding order for Saturday needs its flowers conditioning today, which takes forty minutes and can be done any time before closing. A customer has just walked in wanting a hand-tied bouquet, which takes fifteen minutes. You are alone until noon. Which response below would be most effective, and which would be least effective?

   1. Make a simpler version of the funeral tribute so it takes half the time, then serve the customer and condition the wedding flowers comfortably before noon.
   2. Make the customer's bouquet first since she is waiting in the shop, then the funeral tribute, then condition the wedding flowers.
   3. Tell the customer the bouquet will be about an hour, start the funeral tribute so it is ready for 11am, then make the bouquet and condition the wedding flowers.
   4. Condition the wedding flowers first while they are fresh from the delivery, then make the funeral tribute and the bouquet before noon.
   Show the answer

   Most effective: C. Tell the customer the bouquet will be about an hour, start the funeral tribute so it is ready for 11am, then make the bouquet and condition the wedding flowers.

   Least effective: A. Make a simpler version of the funeral tribute so it takes half the time, then serve the customer and condition the wedding flowers comfortably before noon.

   A: Reduces the work rather than the schedule: it quietly downgrades a funeral tribute the family ordered and paid for, to buy time for jobs with no deadline, and the family find out at the church.

   B: Delays the decision: fifteen minutes for the bouquet leaves only forty-five for an hour's work on a tribute that must reach a church by 11am, so the fixed deadline is put at risk by the flexible one.

   D: Substitutes own judgement for the stakeholder's: it puts forty minutes of work that can be done any time before closing ahead of a tribute with a church service at 11am.

   The most effective response is to tell the customer the bouquet will be about an hour, start the funeral tribute so it is ready for 11am, then make the bouquet and condition the wedding flowers: the tribute needs an hour and a church service fixes the deadline absolutely, so it has to start now. The other two both fit afterwards, and telling her the wait means she can choose whether to stay. It beats making her bouquet first because she is waiting in the shop, since fifteen minutes spent first leaves forty-five for an hour’s work, which loses the one deadline that cannot move. It beats conditioning the wedding flowers first while they are fresh from the delivery, because conditioning can be done any time before closing and the tribute cannot. The least effective response is making a simpler version of the funeral tribute so it takes half the time: it delivers something smaller than the family ordered in order to create time for tasks with no deadline, and they discover it at the service. That is worse than the other two, which sequence badly but deliver the work that was ordered. The principle: start the job whose deadline cannot move and whose duration you know, and tell the person waiting how long they will wait.

3. Question 3 of 10

   You are a project coordinator for an exhibition stand builder. A client’s stand is due to be built on Wednesday for a trade show opening Thursday. On Monday the printer says the large graphic panels will not be ready until Thursday morning. The stand structure can go up on Wednesday without them. The client’s marketing lead is contactable. Your production manager is available today. Which response below would be most effective, and which would be least effective?

   1. Ring the client's marketing lead today, explain the graphics will not arrive until Thursday morning, and agree with her whether to accept that risk or change the artwork.
   2. Build the stand structure on Wednesday and fit the graphics on Thursday morning before the show opens, telling the client on Thursday once everything is in place.
   3. Say nothing and press the printer for Wednesday, since they may still make it and raising it now would worry the client about something that might not happen.
   4. Email the client's marketing lead to say there is a production delay on the graphics and that you will confirm the position once the printer has given a firm time.
   Show the answer

   Most effective: A. Ring the client's marketing lead today, explain the graphics will not arrive until Thursday morning, and agree with her whether to accept that risk or change the artwork.

   Least effective: C. Say nothing and press the printer for Wednesday, since they may still make it and raising it now would worry the client about something that might not happen.

   B: Substitutes own judgement for the stakeholder's: fitting graphics on the morning a trade show opens carries a real risk the client should be allowed to weigh, and telling her afterwards removes that choice.

   C: Hides the problem / silent deadline slip: her stand may be unbranded when a trade show opens, and the plan is to say nothing while hoping. That removes every option she has, including simpler artwork or a different printer.

   D: Delays the message: you already know the graphics land Thursday morning and that the structure can go up regardless, so withholding both leaves her unable to weigh anything.

   The most effective response is to ring the client’s marketing lead today, explain the graphics will not arrive until Thursday morning, and agree whether to accept that risk or change the artwork: graphics arriving on the morning a show opens is a real risk to her stand, she is the person who has to stand on it, and Monday leaves time to simplify the artwork or find another printer. Giving her the facts and agreeing the approach keeps those options alive. It beats building the structure on Wednesday and fitting the graphics on Thursday morning before telling her, because that takes a decision about her own exhibition presence. It beats emailing to say there is a production delay and that you will confirm once the printer commits, because you already know everything she needs. The least effective response is saying nothing and pressing the printer for Wednesday: it leaves her stand possibly unbranded at a show opening while you hope the printer recovers. That is worse than the other two, which decide or communicate imperfectly but do not conceal. The principle: when a delay puts a client’s own event at risk, tell them at once and decide the response together.

4. Question 4 of 10

   You are a property manager for a block of flats. A leaseholder has been chasing you for three weeks about a leak into her flat from the roof. Today the contractor confirms the roof needs a full repair costing more than the reserve fund holds, which means a consultation with all leaseholders and no repair for at least two months. She has already reported damage to her ceiling. Your director is available. Which response below would be most effective, and which would be least effective?

   1. Ring the leaseholder today, explain the roof needs full repair, that consultation means at least two months, and what will be done about her ceiling and the leak meanwhile.
   2. Wait until the consultation is under way before contacting her, so that you can give her firm dates rather than an open-ended answer she will only chase you about again.
   3. Write to all leaseholders with the consultation notice, so that everyone including her receives the same information about the roof at the same time.
   4. Tell her the roof repair has been approved in principle and that you will confirm timescales once the consultation process has been worked through.
   Show the answer

   Most effective: A. Ring the leaseholder today, explain the roof needs full repair, that consultation means at least two months, and what will be done about her ceiling and the leak meanwhile.

   Least effective: B. Wait until the consultation is under way before contacting her, so that you can give her firm dates rather than an open-ended answer she will only chase you about again.

   B: Hides the problem: she has water entering her flat and has chased for three weeks. Waiting for tidier information leaves her with no information at all, and the silence is chosen to avoid being chased rather than to help her.

   C: Tells the wrong audience first: she has been chasing for three weeks and has water coming into her flat, so receiving a standard notice with everyone else answers none of her particular questions.

   D: Over-promises: describing it as approved in principle implies more certainty than a consultation that has not started, and it withholds the two-month timescale she needs to plan around.

   The most effective response is to ring the leaseholder today, explain the roof needs full repair, that consultation means at least two months, and what will be done about her ceiling and the leak meanwhile: she has been chasing for three weeks, has an active leak and ceiling damage, and the news is bad in a specific way she needs to plan around. That treats her as someone with a live problem rather than one of a list. It beats writing to all leaseholders with the consultation notice, because a general notice answers the block’s question and not hers. It beats telling her the repair is approved in principle with timescales to follow, because that overstates where things stand and still leaves out the timescale. The least effective response is waiting until the consultation is under way so you can give her firm dates: it delays telling her anything until the information is neater, while water continues to come into her flat, and the reason is to avoid being chased. That is worse than the other two, which communicate partially but do communicate. The principle: tell the person carrying the consequence directly, give them the timescale even when it is bad, and say what happens in the meantime.

5. Question 5 of 10

   You are a production assistant at a signage workshop. Two jobs are on your bench. A shop fascia must be finished today because the fitters collect it at 4pm for a Saturday installation, and a set of exhibition panels is due to be couriered tomorrow. At 11am the vinyl for the fascia arrives damaged; a replacement roll can be collected from a supplier forty minutes away. Your supervisor is at the supplier’s trade counter this morning and contactable by phone. Which response below would be most effective, and which would be least effective?

   1. Carry on with the fascia using the damaged vinyl, working around the worst of the damage, and say nothing to the fitters since the fault may not be obvious once the fascia is installed.
   2. Start on the exhibition panels while you think about the fascia, so that at least one of the two jobs is definitely progressing rather than both waiting on a roll of vinyl.
   3. Ring your supervisor at the supplier now, ask him to bring back a replacement roll, and prepare everything else on the fascia so it can be finished the moment the vinyl arrives.
   4. Drive to the supplier yourself to collect the replacement roll, so the vinyl is on the bench as quickly as possible and the fascia can still be finished before the fitters arrive.
   Show the answer

   Most effective: C. Ring your supervisor at the supplier now, ask him to bring back a replacement roll, and prepare everything else on the fascia so it can be finished the moment the vinyl arrives.

   Least effective: A. Carry on with the fascia using the damaged vinyl, working around the worst of the damage, and say nothing to the fitters since the fault may not be obvious once the fascia is installed.

   A: Hides the problem: it knowingly sends out damaged work on a Saturday shopfront and relies on nobody noticing. That is concealment of a defect, not a scheduling decision like the other options.

   B: Abandons own committed work: the panels have a day in hand and the fascia has five hours. Turning to the job that is not in trouble uses up the only time in which the fascia could still be saved.

   D: Acts on assumptions without checking: your supervisor is standing in that supplier's trade counter now. An eighty-minute round trip spends the fascia's remaining time on a journey a phone call could have avoided.

   The most effective response is to ring your supervisor at the supplier for a replacement roll and prepare everything else on the fascia meanwhile: he is already standing in that shop, so one phone call solves the shortage at no travel cost, and preparing the rest means the vinyl goes straight on when it arrives. It beats driving to the supplier yourself, because that spends eighty minutes of the fascia’s remaining five hours doing something the person already there could do for free. It beats starting on the exhibition panels while you think about it, because the panels have a full day in hand while the fascia has a fixed 4pm collection, so that spends the fascia’s last usable hours on the job that was never at risk. The least effective response is working around the damage and saying nothing to the fitters: it is the only response that lets defective work leave the workshop, on a shopfront the public will see, with the fitters and the customer told nothing. That is worse than the other two, which mismanage the time but produce sound work. The principle: solve the shortage the cheapest way available, prepare everything you can meanwhile, and never let a deadline persuade you to ship a defect quietly.

6. Question 6 of 10

   You are an instructor at an outdoor activity centre. Checking equipment before a climbing session for a school group you find a harness with a frayed stitch on a load-bearing strap. There are enough harnesses without it. The group arrives in fifteen minutes. Centre procedure requires damaged equipment to be quarantined and logged by the technical manager, who is on site. Which response below would be most effective, and which would be least effective?

   1. Put the harness back at the end of the rack so it is not used today, and tell the technical manager after the session when he has more time.
   2. Set the harness aside and log it in the equipment book yourself, so the record exists and the technical manager can review it at the next equipment check.
   3. Use the harness for the session but give it to one of the lighter pupils, since the stitching is only frayed and there is no sign it is close to failing.
   4. Take the harness out of use, put it aside where it cannot be picked up, and tell the technical manager before the group arrives.
   Show the answer

   Most effective: D. Take the harness out of use, put it aside where it cannot be picked up, and tell the technical manager before the group arrives.

   Least effective: C. Use the harness for the session but give it to one of the lighter pupils, since the stitching is only frayed and there is no sign it is close to failing.

   A: Acts on assumptions without checking: a damaged harness left on the rack can be picked up by anybody, and the placement relies on everyone knowing what you know.

   B: Acts outside own authority: the procedure names the technical manager because he decides whether a fault is repairable or the batch needs checking, and a self-made log entry replaces that judgement with a record.

   C: Uses equipment known to be damaged: a frayed load-bearing strap on a climbing harness is the failure the inspection exists to catch, and putting a child in it on a judgement about weight is a safety decision nobody is qualified to take that way.

   The most effective response is to take the harness out of use, put it aside where it cannot be picked up, and tell the technical manager before the group arrives: a frayed load-bearing strap makes it unusable, spares exist so nothing is lost by removing it, and he is on site and is the person the procedure names. Both steps fit inside fifteen minutes. It beats putting it back at the end of the rack and telling him after the session, because a damaged harness left on the rack can be picked up by anyone who does not know, so its position is not a control. It beats setting it aside and logging it in the equipment book yourself, because that substitutes a record for his judgement about whether other harnesses in the batch need checking. The least effective response is using it for one of the lighter pupils because the stitching is only frayed: it puts a child into a harness with a damaged load-bearing strap on a personal judgement about weight. That is worse than the other two, which handle the procedure imperfectly but take the harness out of use. The principle: remove damaged safety equipment from use immediately, then tell the person the procedure names, before the activity starts.

7. Question 7 of 10

   You work in a jewellers. A customer collects a ring left for resizing before an anniversary tomorrow. Checking it in front of her you see the setting has been marked during the work. The workshop jeweller is in and could repolish it in about forty minutes. The customer has not noticed. Your shop manager is on the floor and can authorise a goodwill gesture. Which response below would be most effective, and which would be least effective?

   1. Hand the ring over as it is, since the mark is small, she has not noticed and the anniversary is tomorrow so there is no time to do anything about it.
   2. Hand the ring over and mention that if she notices any marking on the setting she should bring it back and the workshop will put it right free of charge.
   3. Point out the mark to her yourself, apologise, and offer to have the jeweller repolish it in about forty minutes while she waits or comes back.
   4. Take the ring back into the workshop without explaining why, have it repolished, and hand it over when it is finished.
   Show the answer

   Most effective: C. Point out the mark to her yourself, apologise, and offer to have the jeweller repolish it in about forty minutes while she waits or comes back.

   Least effective: A. Hand the ring over as it is, since the mark is small, she has not noticed and the anniversary is tomorrow so there is no time to do anything about it.

   A: Hides a known defect: it passes damage caused by the shop to a customer who has not seen it, and claims there is no time when the jeweller could repolish it in forty minutes. Relying on her not noticing is concealment.

   B: Passes responsibility to the customer: you have already seen the mark, so leaving her to find it puts the burden of noticing on her and risks her wearing it for the anniversary as it is.

   D: Hides the problem: the outcome is right and she is never told that the workshop marked her ring, so she cannot judge the shop's work or decide whether she wants a goodwill gesture.

   The most effective response is to point out the mark to her yourself, apologise, and offer to have the jeweller repolish it in about forty minutes: the shop marked the ring, you have seen it, and it can be put right before an anniversary tomorrow. Telling her yourself and offering the repolish is both honest and practical. It beats taking the ring back into the workshop without explaining why, because that gets it right and leaves her unaware that the shop damaged and repaired it. It beats handing it over with a suggestion to bring it back if she notices any marking, because you already know about the mark, so leaving her to find it makes her responsible for spotting the shop’s own error. The least effective response is handing the ring over as it is because the mark is small and she has not noticed: it passes on damaged work and claims there is no time when there is. That is worse than the other two, which end with the ring put right. The principle: when you have caused a defect and can still fix it, say so first and fix it.

8. Question 8 of 10

   You are a warehouse operative at a pharmaceutical distributor. Picking an order you notice a pallet of temperature-sensitive medicines standing in the main aisle rather than in the cold room. You do not know how long it has been there. The order it belongs to is due to ship in an hour. The quality supervisor is on site. There is a written procedure for temperature excursions that you have seen but not been trained on. Which response below would be most effective, and which would be least effective?

   1. Leave the pallet where it is, tell the quality supervisor now that temperature-sensitive stock has been out of the cold room for an unknown time, and let her apply the excursion procedure.
   2. Move the pallet into the cold room straight away so the medicines stop warming, and mention it to the quality supervisor when you next see her.
   3. Say nothing, since you do not know how long it has been there, it may have been moved out minutes ago, and you have not been trained on the excursion procedure.
   4. Read the excursion procedure and follow the steps yourself so the pallet is handled correctly before the order ships in an hour.
   Show the answer

   Most effective: A. Leave the pallet where it is, tell the quality supervisor now that temperature-sensitive stock has been out of the cold room for an unknown time, and let her apply the excursion procedure.

   Least effective: C. Say nothing, since you do not know how long it has been there, it may have been moved out minutes ago, and you have not been trained on the excursion procedure.

   B: Removes the evidence: cooling the pallet erases how long it was out, which is the one fact the excursion procedure exists to establish. The stock is no safer for having been put back.

   C: Fails to escalate a genuine risk: medicines whose temperature history is unknown are about to ship to patients, and the reason for silence, that you are untrained, is exactly why it needs to reach someone who is trained.

   D: Acts outside own training: applying a procedure you have never been trained on, to decide whether medicines are still fit to ship, risks a confident and wrong answer within the hour.

   The most effective response is to leave the pallet where it is and tell the quality supervisor now that temperature-sensitive stock has been out of the cold room for an unknown time: that is precisely what the excursion procedure exists to assess, and she is on site and trained to do it before the order ships. Leaving the pallet untouched preserves the information she needs. It beats moving it into the cold room straight away and mentioning it later, because that destroys the evidence of how long it was out, and warmed stock is not made safe by being cooled again. It beats reading the excursion procedure and following the steps yourself, because working through a procedure you have never been trained on, to decide whether medicines are fit for patients, is a decision made on the wrong authority under time pressure. The least effective response is saying nothing because you do not know how long it has been there and have not been trained: it lets medicines of unknown temperature history ship to patients and tells nobody, using your own lack of training as the reason for silence. That is worse than the other two, which act wrongly but bring the problem into the open. The principle: when something is outside your training and about to become irreversible, preserve the situation and get the trained person to it.

9. Question 9 of 10

   You are an administrator at a community sports centre. Reconciling bookings you notice that the same coach has been booking the sports hall at the discounted community rate for what your records show are commercial sessions he charges participants for. Nobody has asked you to check this. He books again next week. Your centre manager is on site today. Which response below would be most effective, and which would be least effective?

   1. Take the booking records to your centre manager today, show her the pattern and the rate that has been applied, and let her decide what happens before next week's booking.
   2. Change next week's booking to the commercial rate so the centre is charging correctly, and mention it to your manager afterwards.
   3. Leave it, since checking booking entitlements is not part of your role and the centre manager approves the bookings anyway, so she has presumably accepted them.
   4. Ask the coach directly whether his sessions are commercial, so that you understand the position before raising anything with your manager.
   Show the answer

   Most effective: A. Take the booking records to your centre manager today, show her the pattern and the rate that has been applied, and let her decide what happens before next week's booking.

   Least effective: C. Leave it, since checking booking entitlements is not part of your role and the centre manager approves the bookings anyway, so she has presumably accepted them.

   B: Substitutes own judgement for the stakeholder's: the coach may have an agreement you do not know about, and re-rating his booking without checking commits the centre to a position and a charge nobody has approved.

   C: Fails to escalate a genuine risk: the centre may be losing income on a repeating booking, and the reason for silence is that the manager must have noticed, when the records you have just reconciled are what show she has not.

   D: Acts on assumptions without checking the right source: the person benefiting from the rate is the least reliable place to establish whether he is entitled to it, and asking warns him before anyone with authority has seen the records.

   The most effective response is to take the booking records to your centre manager today, show her the pattern and the rate applied, and let her decide before next week’s booking: you have found a pattern in the centre’s own records, you cannot know whether there is an agreement behind it, and she can settle it in time. Taking her the evidence is both the fastest and the fairest route. It beats changing next week’s booking to the commercial rate and mentioning it afterwards, because that decides an entitlement question you have not checked, and may be wrong. It beats asking the coach directly whether his sessions are commercial, because the person who benefits is the least reliable source on entitlement, and it tips him off before anyone with authority has looked. The least effective response is leaving it because checking entitlements is not part of your role: it lets a possible loss of income run on a repeating booking, on the assumption that the manager approving them must have noticed, which the reconciliation you have just done contradicts. That is worse than the other two, which act clumsily but bring it into the open. The principle: take what the records show to whoever owns the decision, before the next occurrence, and before speaking to the person concerned.

10. Question 10 of 10

    You are a ward administrator at a veterinary hospital. At 4pm three things need you. A dog is due to be collected at 4.30 and its discharge notes are not written, which takes fifteen minutes. A referring vet has rung twice for an update on a case and is waiting for a call back. And the practice manager wants the month-end invoicing reconciled tonight, which takes two hours. You finish at 7pm. Which response below would be most effective, and which would be least effective?

    1. Ring the referring vet first since he has already rung twice, then write the discharge notes and start the invoicing.
    2. Start the month-end invoicing since it is the longest job and is wanted tonight, and fit the discharge notes and the call around it as the evening goes on.
    3. Send the dog home at 4.30 without written discharge notes and telephone the owner with the aftercare instructions later in the evening once the invoicing is done.
    4. Write the discharge notes for the 4.30 collection, ring the referring vet back, then spend the rest of the evening on the invoicing.
    Show the answer

    Most effective: D. Write the discharge notes for the 4.30 collection, ring the referring vet back, then spend the rest of the evening on the invoicing.

    Least effective: C. Send the dog home at 4.30 without written discharge notes and telephone the owner with the aftercare instructions later in the evening once the invoicing is done.

    A: Delays the decision: the call has no fixed time and the collection is at 4.30. Answering by who has waited longest rather than by when something is needed risks the owner arriving to notes that are not written.

    B: Splits effort so nothing finishes: two hours of invoicing has three hours of room, and starting it first leaves a fifteen-minute task with a 4.30 deadline to be squeezed.

    C: Acts recklessly with a clinical handover: discharge notes are how an owner knows about medication and aftercare, and sending an animal home without them, on a promise to ring later, risks the dog's recovery.

    The most effective response is to write the discharge notes for the 4.30 collection, ring the referring vet back, then spend the rest of the evening on the invoicing: the collection is fixed and only fifteen minutes away, the vet’s call has no fixed time but has already waited twice, and two hours of invoicing fits comfortably in the three hours left. Sequencing by deadline gets all three done. It beats ringing the referring vet first because he has already rung twice, since that risks an owner arriving to notes that do not exist. It beats starting the month-end invoicing as the longest job wanted tonight, because that squeezes the one task with a hard time on it. The least effective response is sending the dog home without written discharge notes and telephoning the aftercare later: it discharges an animal without written instructions to protect a paperwork deadline. That is worse than the other two, which order the work badly but complete it properly. The principle: do the short task with the fixed clinical deadline first, then the waiting person, then the long job that fits the remaining time.