mckinsey problem solving game youtube

McKinsey Solve

• Fundamentals
• How it works
• Skills tested
• How to prepare
• A guide to the McKinsey Problem Solving Game

MCC is here to help

McKinsey’s Solve assessment has been making candidates sweat ever since it was initially trialled at the firm’s London office back in 2017 - and things have gotten even more difficult since a new version launched in Spring 2023, adding the Redrock case study.

More recently, in Summer 2023, we have seen a new iteration of that Redrock case, as we continue to interview test takers to keep you updated. This replaces the case study about optimising wolf pack populations across Redrock Island with one about boosting the overall plant biodiversity on the same island.

Since its initial roll-out, the Solve assessment has definitely been the most idiosyncratic, but also the most advanced, of the screening tests used by the MBB firms.

It can be hard to understand how an ecology-themed video game can tell McKinsey whether you’ll make a good management consultant, let alone know how to prepare yourself to do well in that game. When you consider that McKinsey are potentially cutting 70%+ of the applicant pool based on this single test, you can hardly blame applicants for being worried.

Matters are definitely not helped by the dearth of reliable, up-to-date information about what could very well be - with a top-tier consulting job on the line - the most important test you will take over your entire career. This was already true with the version of Solve that had been around for a few years, let alone the new iterations.

What information is available online is then often contradictory. For a long time, there was huge disagreement as to whether it is actually possible to meaningfully prepare for the Solve assessment - before you’ve even considered how to go about that preparation. There is also a lot of confusion and inaccuracy around the new Redrock case - largely as it is such a recent addition, and individual test takers tend to misremember details.

Luckily, we at MCC have been interviewing test takers both before and after the Redrock case rollout and have been following up to see which strategies and approaches actually work to push individuals through to interview.

Here, we’ll explain that it is indeed possible to prepare effectively for both versions of Solve and give you some ideas for how you can get started. Understanding how the Solve assessment works, what it tests you for and how is critical for all but the most hurried preparations.

This article makes for a great introduction to the Solve assessment. However, if you are going to be facing this aptitude test yourself and want full information and advice for preparation, then you should ideally get our full PDF guide:

Master the Solve Assessment

What is the mckinsey solve assessment.

In simple terms, the McKinsey Solve assessment is a set of ecology-themed video games. In these games, you must do things like build food chains, protect endangered species, manage predator and prey populations, boost biodiversity and potentially diagnose diseases within animal populations or identify natural disasters.

Usually, you will be given around 70 minutes to complete two separate games, spending about the same amount of time on each.

Until recently, these games had uniformly been Ecosystem Building and Plant Defence. However, since Spring 2023, McKinsey has been rolling out a new version across certain geographies. This replaces the Plant Defence game with the new Redrock case study. Some other games have also been run as tests.

We’ll run through a little more on all these games below to give you an idea of what you’ll be up against for both versions and possible new iterations.

An important aspect that we'll cover in more detail here is that the Solve games don't only score you on your answers (your "product score"), but also on the method you use to arrive at them (your "process score") - considerably impacting optimal strategy.

In the past, candidates had to show up to a McKinsey office and take what was then the Digital Assessment or PSG on a company computer. However, candidates are now able to take the re-branded Solve assessment at home on their own computers.

Test takers are allowed to leverage any assistance they like (you aren’t spied on through your webcam as you would be with some other online tests), and it is common to have a calculator or even another computer there to make use of.

Certainly, we strongly advise every candidate to have at least a pen, paper and calculator on their desk when they take the Solve assessment.

Common Question: Is the Solve assessment the same thing as the PSG?

In short, yes - “Solve” is just the newer name for the McKinsey Problem Solving Game.

We want to clear up any potential confusion right at the beginning. You will hear this same screening test called a few different things in different places. The Solve moniker itself is a relatively recent re-branding by McKinsey. Previously, the same test was known as either the Problem Solving Game (usually abbreviated to PSG) or the Digital Assessment. You will also often see that same test referred to as the Imbellus test or game, after the firm that created the first version.

You will still see all these names used across various sites and forums - and even within some older articles and blog posts here on MyConsultingCoach. McKinsey has also been a little inconsistent on what they call their own assessment internally. Candidates can often become confused when trying to do their research, but you can rest assured that all these names refer to the same screening test - though, of course, folk might be referring to either the legacy or Redrock versions.

How and why does McKinsey use the Solve assessment?

It’s useful to understand where the Solve assessment fits into McKinsey’s overall selection process and why they have felt the need to include it.

Let’s dive right in…

How is the Solve Assessment used by McKinsey?

McKinsey's own account of how the Solve assessment is used in selection can be seen in the following video:

Whilst some offices initially stuck with the old PST, the legacy Solve assessment was soon rolled out globally and given universally to candidates for roles at pretty well every level of the hierarchy. Certainly, if you are a recent grad from a Bachelor’s, MBA, PhD or similar, or a standard experienced hired, you can expect to be asked to complete the Solve assessment.

Likewise, the new Redrock case study versions seem to be in the process of being rolled out globally - though at this point it seems you might be given either (especially as McKinsey has been having significant technical problems with this new online case study) and so should be ready for both.

At present, it seems that only those applying for very senior positions, or perhaps those with particularly strong referrals and/or connections, are allowed to skip the test. Even this will be office-dependent.

As noted above, one of the advantages of the Solve assessment is that it can be given to all of McKinsey’s hires. Thus, you can expect to be run into the same games whether you are applying as a generalist consultant or to a specialist consulting role - with McKinsey Digital , for example.

The takeaway here is that, if you are applying to McKinsey for any kind of consulting role, you should be fully prepared to sit the Solve Assessment!

Where does the Solve assessment fit into the recruitment process?

You can expect to receive an invitation to take the Solve assessment shortly after submitting your resume.

It seems that an initial screen of resumes is made, but that most individuals who apply are invited to take the Solve assessment.

Any initial screen is not used to make a significant cut of the candidate pool, but likely serves mostly to weed out fraudulent applications from fake individuals (such as those wishing to access the Solve assessment more than once so they can practice...) and perhaps to eliminate a few individuals who are clearly far from having the required academic or professional background, or have made a total mess of their resumes.

Your email invitation will generally give you either one or two weeks to complete the test, though our clients have seen some variation here - with one individual being given as little as three days.

Certainly, you should plan to be ready to sit the Solve assessment within one week of submitting your resume!

Once you have completed the test, McKinsey explain on their site that they look at both your test scores and resume (in more detail this time) to determine who will be invited to live case interviews. This will only be around 30% of the candidates who applied - possibly even fewer.

One thing to note here is that you shouldn’t expect a good resume to make up for bad test scores and vice versa. We have spoken to excellent candidates whose academic and professional achievements were not enough to make up for poor Solve performance. Similarly, we don’t know of anyone invited to interview who hadn’t put together an excellent resume.

Blunty, you need great Solve scores and a great resume to be advanced to interview.

Your first port of call to craft the best possible resume and land your invitation to interview is our excellent free consulting resume guide .

Why does this test exist?

As with Bain, BCG and other major management consulting firms, McKinsey receives far far more applications for each position than they can ever hope to interview. Compounding this issue is that case interviews are expensive and inconvenient for firms like McKinsey to conduct. Having a consultant spend a day interviewing just a few candidates means disrupting a whole engagement and potentially having to fly that consultant back to their home office from wherever their current project was located. This problem is even worse for second-round interviews given by partners.

Thus, McKinsey need to cut down their applicant pool as far as possible, so as to shrink the number of case interviews they need to give without losing the candidates they actually want to hire. Of course, they want to accomplish this as cheaply and conveniently as possible.

The Problem Solving Test (invariably shortened to PST) had been used by McKinsey for many years. However, it had a number of problems that were becoming more pronounced over time, and it was fundamentally in need of replacement. Some of these were deficiencies with the test itself, though many were more concerned with how the test fitted with the changing nature of the consulting industry.

The Solve assessment was originally developed and iterated by the specialist firm Imbellus ( now owned by gaming giant Roblox ) to replace the long-standing PST in this screening role and offers solutions to those problems with its predecessor.

We could easily write a whole article on what McKinsey aimed to gain from the change, but the following few points cover most of the main ideas:

• New Challenges: Previously, candidates were largely coming out of MBAs or similar business-focussed backgrounds and the PST’s quickfire business questions were thus perfectly sufficient to select for non-technical generalist consulting roles. However, as consulting projects increasingly call for a greater diversity and depth of expertise, McKinsey cannot assume the most useful talent – especially for technical roles – is going to come with pre-existing business expertise. A non-business aptitude test was therefore required.
• Fairness and the Modern Context: The covid pandemic necessitated at-home aptitude testing. However, even aside from this, online testing dramatically reduces the amount of travel required of candidates. This allows McKinsey to cast a wider net, providing more opportunities to those living away from hub cities, whilst also hugely reducing the carbon footprint associated with the McKinsey selection process.
• Gaming the System: More pragmatically, the Solve assessment is a much harder test to “game” than was the PST, where highly effective prep resources were available and readily allowed a bad candidate with good preparation to do better than a good candidate. The fact that game parameters change for every individual test taker further cuts down the risk of candidates benefitting from shared information. The recent move towards the Redrock version then also helps McKinsey stay ahead of those developing prep resources for the legacy Solve assessment.
• Cost Cutting: A major advantage of scrapping the old pen-and-paper PST is that the formidable task of thinning down McKinsey’s applicant pool can be largely automated. No test rooms and invigilation staff need to be organised and no human effort is required to devise, transport, catalogue and mark papers.

Impress your interviewer

There has been a bit of variation in the games included in the Solve assessment/PSG over the years and what specific form those games take. Imbellus and McKinsey had experimented with whole new configurations as well as making smaller, iterative tweaks over time. That being said, the new 2023 Redrock case studies (seemingly added by McKinsey themselves without Imbellus) are by far the largest change to Solve since that assessment's genesis back in 2017.

Given that innovation seems to continue (especially with the lengthy feedback forms some candidates are being asked to fill in after sitting the newest iteration), there is always the chance you might be the first to receive something new.

However, our surveys of, and interviews with, those taking the Solve assessment - both before and after recent changes - mean we can give you a good idea of what to expect if you are presented with either the legacy or one of the Redrock versions of Solve.

We provide much more detailed explanation of each of the games in our Solve Assessment PDF Guide - including guidance on optimal scenarios to maximise your performance. Here, though, we can give a quick overview of each scenario:

Ecosystem Building

In this scenario, you are asked to assemble a self-sustaining ecosystem in either an aquatic, alpine or jungle environment (though do not be surprised if environments are added, as this should be relatively easy to do without changing the underlying mechanics).

The game requires you to select a location for your ecosystem. Several different options are given, all with different prevailing conditions. You then have to select a number of different plant and animal species to populate a functioning food chain within that location.

In previous versions of the game, you would have had to fit as many different species as possible into a functioning food chain. However, newer iterations of the Solve assessment require a fixed number of eight or, more recently, seven species to be selected.

Species selection isn’t a free-for-all. You must ensure that all the species you select are compatible with one another - that the predator species you select are able to eat the prey you have selected for them etc. All the species must also be able to survive in the conditions prevailing at the location you have selected.

So far, this sounds pretty easy. However, the complexity arises from the strict rules around the manner and order in which the different species eat one another. We run through these in detail in our guide, with tips for getting your food chain right. However, the upshot is that you are going to have to spend some significant time checking your initial food chain - and then likely iterating it and replacing one or more species when it turns out that the food chain does not adhere to the eating rules.

Once you have decided on your food chain, you simply submit it and are moved on to the next game. In the past, test takers were apparently shown whether their solution was correct or not, but this is no longer the case.

Test takers generally report that this game is the easier of the two, whether it is paired with the Plant Defence game in the legacy Solve or the Redrock case study in the new version. Candidates will not usually struggle to assemble a functioning ecosystem and do not find themselves under enormous time pressure. Thus, we can assume that process scores will be the main differentiator between individuals for this component of the Solve assessment.

For ideas on how to optimise your process score for this game, you can see our PDF Solve guide .

Plant Defence

As mentioned, this game has been replaced with the Redrock case study in the new newer version of the Solve assessment, rolled out from Spring 2023 and further iterated in Summer 2023. However, you might still be asked to sit the legacy version, with this game, when applying to certain offices - so you should be ready for it!

This scenario tasks you with protecting an endangered plant species from invasive species trying to destroy it.

The game set-up is much like a traditional board game, with play taking place over a square area of terrain divided into a grid of the order of 10x10 squares.

Your plant is located in a square near the middle of the grid and groups of invaders - shown as rats, foxes or similar - enter from the edges of the grid before making a beeline towards your plant.

Your job then is to eliminate the invaders before they get to your plant. You do this by placing defences along their path. These can be terrain features, such as mountains or forests, that either force the invaders to slow down their advance or change their path to move around an obstacle. To actually destroy the invaders though, you use animal defenders, like snakes or eagles, that are able to deplete the groups of invaders as they pass by their area of influence.

Complication here comes from a few features of the game. In particular:

• You are restricted in terms of both the numbers of different kinds of defenders you can use and where you are allowed to place them. Thus, you might only have a couple of mountains to place and only be allowed to place these in squares adjacent to existing mountains.
• The main complication is the fact that gameplay is not dynamic but rather proceeds in quite a restricted turnwise manner. By this, we mean that you cannot place or move around your defences continuously as the invaders advance inwards. Rather, turns alternate between you and invaders and you are expected to plan your use of defences in blocks of five turns at once, with only minimal allowance for you to make changes on the fly as the game develops.

The plant defence game is split into three mini-games. Each mini-game is further split into three blocks of five turns. On the final turn, the game does not stop, but continues to run, with the invaders in effect taking more and more turns whilst you are not able to place any more defences or change anything about your set-up.

More and more groups of invaders pour in, and your plant will eventually be destroyed. The test with this “endgame” is simply how many turns your defences can stand up to the surge of invaders before they are overwhelmed.

As opposed to the Ecosystem Building scenario, there are stark differences in immediate candidate performance - and thus product score - in this game. Some test takers’ defences will barely make it to the end of the standard 15 turns, whilst others will survive 50+ turns of endgame before they are overwhelmed.

In this context, as opposed to the Ecosystem Building game typically preceding it, it seems likely that product score will be the primary differentiator between candidates.

We have a full discussion of strategies to optimise your defence placement - and thus boost your product score - in our Solve guide .

Redrock Case Study

This is the replacement for the Plant Defence game in the newest iteration of Solve.

One important point to note is that, where the Solve assessment contains this case study, you have a strict, separate time limit of 35 minutes for each half of the assessment. You cannot finish one game early and use the extra time in the other, as you could in the legacy Solve assessment.

McKinsey has had significant issues with this case study, with test takers noting several major problems. In particular:

• Glitches/crashes - Whilst the newest, Summer 2023 version seems to have done a lot to address this issue, many test takers have had the Redrock case crash on them. Usually, this is just momentary and the assessment returns to where it was in a second or two. If this happens to you, try to just keep calm and carry on. However, there are reports online of some candidates having the whole Solve assessment crash and being locked out as a result. If this happens, contact HR.
• Poor interface - Even where there are no explicit glitches, users note that several aspects of the interface are difficult to use and/or finicky, and that they generally seem poorly designed compared to the older Ecosystem Building game preceding it. For example, test takers have noted that navigation is difficult or unclear and the drag and drop feature for data points is temperamental - all of this costing precious time.
• Confusing language - Related to the above is that the English used is often rather convoluted and sometimes poorly phrased. This can be challenging even for native English speakers but is even worse for those sitting Solve in their second language. It can make the initial instructions difficult to understand - compounding the previous interface problem. It can also make questions difficult, requiring a few readings to comprehend.
• Insufficient time - Clearly, McKinsey intended for Redrock to be time pressured. Whilst the newest, Summer 2023 iteration of the Redrock case seems slightly more forgiving in this regard, time is still so scarce that many candidates don't get through all the questions. This is plainly sub-optimal for McKinsey - as well as being stressful and disheartening for candidates. We would expect further changes to be made to address this issue in future.

McKinsey are clearly aware of these issues, as even those sitting the new version of Redrock have been asked to complete substantial feedback surveys. Do note, then, that this raises the likelihood of further changes to the Redrock case study in the near term - meaning you should always be ready to tackle something new.

For the time being, though, we can take you through the fundamentals of the current version of the Redrock case study. For more detail, see our freshly updated PDF Guide .

The Scenario

Whilst changes to the details are likely in future, the current Redrock case study is set on the Island of Redrock. This island is a nature reserve with populations of various species, including wolves, elk and several varieties of plant.

In the original Redrock case, it is explained that the island's wolves are split into four packs, associated with four geographical locales. These packs predate the elk and depend upon them for food, such that there is a dynamic relationship between the population numbers of both species. Your job is to ensure ecological balance by optimising the numbers of wolves in the four packs, such that both wolves and elk can sustainably coexist.

In the newer iteration of the case, first observed in Summer 2023, you are asked to assess which, if any, of three possible strategies can successfully boost the island's plant biodiversity by a certain specified percentage. Plants here are segmented into grasses, trees and shrubs.

The Questions

The Redrock case study's questions were initially split into three sections, but a fourth was added later. These sections break down as follows:

• Investigation - Here, you have access to the full description of the case, with all the data on the various animal populations. Your task is to efficiently extract all the most salient data points and drag-and-drop them to your "Research Journal" workspace area. This is important, as you subsequently lose access to all the information you don't save at this stage.
• Analysis - You must answer three numerical questions using information you saved in the Investigation section. This can include you dragging and dropping values to and from an in-game calculator.
• Report - Formerly the final section, you must complete a pre-written report on the wolf populations or plant biodiversity levels, including calculating numerical values to fill in gaps and using an in-game interface to make a chart to illustrate your findings. You will leverage information saved in the Investigation section, as well as answers calculated in the Analysis section.
• Case Questions - This section adds a further ten individual case questions. These are wolf-themed, so are thematically similar to the original Redrock case, but are slightly incongruous with the newer, plant-themed version of Redrock. In both instances, though, these questions are entirely separable from the main case preceding them, not relying on any information from the previous sections. The ten questions are highly quantitative and extremely time pressured. Few test takers finish them before being timed out.

This is a very brief summary - more detail is available in our PDF Guide .

Other Games - Disease and Disaster Identification

There have been accounts of some test takers being given a third game as part of their Solve assessment. At time of writing, these third games have always been clearly introduced as non-scored beta tests for Imbellus to try out potential new additions to the assessment. However, the fact that these have been tested means that there is presumably a good chance we’ll see them as scored additions in future.

Notably, these alternative scenarios are generally variations on a fairly consistent theme and tend to share a good deal of the character of the Ecosystem Building game. Usually, candidates will be given a whole slew of information on how an animal population has changed over time. They will then have to wade through that information to figure out either which kind of natural disaster or which disease has been damaging that population - the commonality with the Ecosystem Building game being in the challenge of dealing with large volumes of information and figuring out which small fraction of it is actually relevant.

Join thousands of other candidates cracking cases like pros

What does the solve assessment test for.

Whilst information on the Solve assessment can be hard to come by, Imbellus and McKinsey have at least been explicit on what traits the test was designed to look for. These are:

• Critical Thinking : making judgements based on the objective analysis of information
• Decision Making : choosing the best course of action, especially under time pressure or with incomplete information
• Metacognition : deploying appropriate strategies to tackle problems efficiently
• Situational Awareness : the ability to interpret and subsequently predict an environment
• Systems Thinking : understanding the complex causal relationships between the elements of a system

Equally important to understanding the raw facts of the particular skillset being sought out, though, is understanding the very idiosyncratic ways in which the Solve assessment tests for these traits.

Let's dive deeper:

Process Scores

Perhaps the key difference between the Solve assessment and any other test you’ve taken before is Imbellus’s innovation around “process scores”.

To explain, when you work through each of the games, the software examines the solutions you generate to the various problems you are faced with. How well you do here is measured by your “product score”.

However, scoring does not end there. Rather, Solve's software also constantly monitors and assesses the method you used to arrive at that solution. The quality of the method you used is then captured in your “process score”.

To make things more concrete here, if you are playing the Ecosystem Building game, you will not only be judged on whether the ecosystem you put together is self-sustaining. You will also be judged on the way you have worked in figuring out that ecosystem - presumably, on how efficient and organised you were. The program tracks all your mouse clicks and other actions and will thus be able to capture things like how you navigate around the various groups of species, how you place the different options you select, whether you change your mind before you submit the solution and so on.

You can find more detail on these advanced aspects of the Solve assessment and the innovative work behind it in the presentation by Imbellus founder Rebecca Kantar in the first section of the following video:

Compared to other tests, this is far more like the level of assessment you face from an essay-based exam, where the full progression of your argument towards a conclusion is marked - or a maths exam, where you are scored on your working as well as the final answer (with, of course, the major advantage that there is no highly qualified person required to mark papers).

Clearly, the upshot of all this is that you will want to be very careful how you approach the Solve assessment. You should generally try to think before you act and to show yourself in a very rational, rigorous, ordered light.

We have some advice to help look after your process scores in our PDF Guide to the McKinsey Solve Assessment .

A Different Test for Every Candidate

Another remarkable and seriously innovative aspect of the Solve assessment is that no two candidates receive exactly the same test.

Imbellus automatically varies the parameters of their games to be different for each individual test taker, so that each will be given a meaningfully different game to everyone else’s.

Within a game, this might mean a different terrain setting, having a different number of species or different types of species to work with or more or fewer restrictions on which species will eat which others.

Consequently, even if your buddy takes the assessment for the same level role at the same office just the day before you do, whatever specific strategy they used in their games might very well not work for you.

This is an intentional feature designed to prevent test takers from sharing information with one another and thus advantaging some over others. At the extreme, this feature would also be a robust obstacle to any kind of serious cheating.

To manage to give every candidate a different test and still be able to generate a reliable ranking of those candidates across a fundamental skillset, without that test being very lengthy, is a considerable achievement from Imbellus. At high level, this would seem to be approximately equivalent to reliably extracting a faint signal from a very noisy background on the first attempt almost every time.

(Note that we are yet to confirm to what extent and how this also happens with the new Redrock case studies, but it seems to be set up to allow for easy changes to be made to the numerical values describing the case, so we assume there will be similar, widespread of variation.)

Preparation for the McKinsey Solve assessment

Understanding what the Solve assessment tests for immediately begs the question as to whether it is possible to usefully prepare and, if so, what that preparation should look like.

Is it Really Possible to Prepare for the McKinsey Solve Assessment?

In short, yes you can - and you should!

As noted previously, there has been a lot of disagreement over whether it is really possible to prep for the Solve assessment in a way that actually makes a difference.

Especially for the legacy version, there has been a widespread idea that the Solve assessment functions as something like an IQ test, so that preparation beyond very basic familiarisation to ensure you don’t panic on test day will not do anything to reliably boost your scores (nobody is going to build up to scoring an IQ of 200 just by doing practice tests, for example).

This rationale says that the best you can do is familiarise yourself with what you are up against to calm your nerves and avoid misunderstanding instructions on test day. However, this school of thought says there will be minimal benefit from practice and/or skill building.

The utility of preparation has become a clearer with the addition of the Redrock case study to the new version of Solve. Its heavily quantitative nature, strong time pressure and structure closely resembling a traditional business case make for a clearer route to improvement.

However, as we explain in more detail in our PDF guide to the Solve assessment, the idea that any aspect of either version of Solve can't be prepared for has been based on some fundamental misunderstandings about what kind of cognitive traits are being tested. Briefly put, the five key skills the Solve assessment explicitly examines are what are known as higher-order thinking skills.

Crucially, these are abilities that can be meaningfully built over time.

McKinsey and Imbellus have generally advised that you shouldn’t prepare. However, this is not the same as saying that there is no benefit in doing so. McKinsey benefits from ensuring as even a playing field as possible. To have the Solve test rank candidates based purely on their pre-existing ability, they would ideally wish for a completely unprepared population.

How to prep

We discuss how to prep for the Solve assessment in full detail in our PDF guide . Here, though, we can give you a few initial pointers to get you started. In particular, there are some great ways to simulate different games as well as build up the skills the Solve assessment tests for.

Playing video games is great prep for the legacy Solve assessment in particular, but remains highly relevant to the new Redrock version.

Contrary to what McKinsey and Imbellus have said - and pretty unfortunately for those of us with other hobbies - test takers have consistently said that they reckoned the Problem Solving Game, and now the Solve assessment, favours those with strong video gaming experience.

If you listened when your parents told you video games were a waste of time and really don’t have any experience, then putting in some hours on pretty much anything will be useful. However, the closer the games you play are to the Solve scenarios, the better. We give some great recommendations on specific games and what to look for more generally in our Solve guide - including one free-to-play game that our clients have found hugely useful as prep for the plant defence game!

PST-Style Questions

The inclusion of the Redrock case studies in the new version of Solve really represents a return to something like a modernised PST. Along with the similar new BCG Casey assessment, this seems to be the direction of travel for consulting recruitment in general.

Luckily, this means that you can leverage the wealth of existing PST-style resources to your advantage in preparation.

Our PST article - which links to some free PST questions and our full PST prep resources - is a great place to start. However, better than old-fashioned PDF question sets are the digital PST-style questions embedded in our Case Academy course . Conducted online with a strict timer running, these are a much closer approximation of the Solve assessment itself. These questions are indeed a subset of our Case Academy course, but are also available separately in our Course Exercises package .

Quick Mathematics With a Calculator and/or Excel

Again, specifically for the Redrock assessment, you will be expected to solve math problems very quickly. The conceptual level of mathematics required is not particularly high, but you need to know what you are doing and get through it fast using a calculator nand/or Excel, if you are already comfortable with that program.

Our article on consulting math is a great place to start to understand what is expected of you throughout the recruiting process, with our consulting math package (a subset of our Case Academy course) providing more in-depth lessons and practice material.

Learn to Solve Case Studies

With the Redrock case studies clearly being ecology-themed analogues to standard business case studies, it's pretty obvious that getting good at case studies will be useful.

However, the Solve assessment as a whole is developed and calibrated to be predictive of case interview performance, so you can expect that improving your case solving ability will indirectly bring up your performance across the board.

Of course, this overlaps with your prep for McKinsey's case interviews. For more on how to get started there, see the final section of this article.

Learning About Optimal Strategies for the Games

The first thing to do is to familiarise yourself with the common game scenarios from the Solve assessment and how you can best approach them to help boost your chances of success.

Now, one thing to understand is that, since the parameters for the games change for each test taker, there might not be a single definitive optimal strategy for every single possible iteration of a particular game. As such, you shouldn’t rely on just memorising one approach and hoping it matches up to what you get on test day.

Instead, it is far better to understand why a strategy is sensible in some circumstances and when it might be better to do something else instead if the version of the game you personally receive necessitates a different approach.

In this article, we have given you a useful overview of the games currently included in the Solve assessment. However, a full discussion with suggested strategies is provided in our comprehensive Solve guide .

With the limited space available here, this is only a very brief sketch of a subset of the ways you can prep.

As noted, what will help with all of these and more is reading the extensive prep guidance in our full PDF guide to the Solve assessment...

The MCC Solve Assessment Guide

Preparing for the Solve assessment doesn’t have to be a matter of stumbling around on your own. This article is a good introduction. From here, though our new, updated PDF guide to the McKinsey Solve assessment is your first stop to optimise your Solve preparation.

This guide is based on our own survey work and interviews with real test takers, as well as iterative follow-ups on how the advice in previous editions worked out in reality.

Does it make sense to invest in a guide?

Short answer: yes. If you just think about the financials, a job at McKinsey is worth millions in the long run. If you factor in experience, personal growth and exit opportunities, the investment is a no-brainer.

How our guide can help you ace the test

Don't expect some magic tricks to game the system (because you can't), but rather an in-depth analysis of key areas crucial to boost your scores. This helps you to:

As noted, the guide is based on interviews with real recent test takers and covers the current games in detail. Being familiar with the game rules, mechanics and potential strategies in advance will massively reduce the amount of new information you have to assimilate from scratch on test day, allowing you to focus on the actual problems at hand.

Despite the innovative environment, the Solve assessment tests candidates for the same skills evaluated in case interviews, albeit on a more abstract level. Our guide breaks these skills down and provides a clear route to develop them. You also benefit from the cumulative experience of our clients, as we have followed up to see which prep methods and game strategies were genuinely helpful.

A clear plan of how to prepare is instrumental for success. Our guide includes a detailed, flexible preparation strategy, leveraging a whole host of diverse prep activities to help you practice and build your skills as effectively as possible. Importantly, our guide helps you prioritise the most effective aspects of preparation to optimise for whatever timeframe you have to work in.

Overall, the MyConsultingCoach Solve guide is designed to be no-nonsense and straight to the point. It tells you what you need to know up front and - for those of you in a hurry - crucial sections are clearly marked to read first to help you prep ASAP.

For those of you starting early with more time to spare, there is also a fully detailed, more nuanced discussion of what the test is looking for and how you can design a more long-term prep to build up the skills you need - and how this can fit into your wider case interview prep.

Importantly, there is no fluff to bulk out the page count. The market is awash with guides at huge page counts, stuffed full of irrelevant material to boost overall document length. By contrast, we realise your time is better spent actually preparing than ploughing through a novel.

If this sounds right for you, you can purchase our PDF Solve guide here:

McKinsey Solve Assessment Guide

• Full guide to both the legacy version of the Solve assessment and the newer Redrock Case Study versions
• In-depth description of the different games and strategies to beat them
• Preparation strategies for the short, medium and long-term prep
• No fluff - straight to the point, with specific tips for those without much time
• Straight to your inbox
• 30 days money-back guarantee, no questions asked. Simply email us and we will refund the full amount.

The Next Step - Case Interviews

So, you pour in the hours to generate an amazing resume and cover letter. You prepare diligently for the Solve assessment, going through our PDF guide and implementing all the suggestions. On test day, you sit down and ace Solve. The result is an invitation to a live McKinsey case interview.

Now the real work begins…

Arduous as application writing and Solve prep might have seemed, preparing for McKinsey case interviews will easily be an order of magnitude more difficult.

Remember that McKinsey tells candidates not to prepare for Solve - but McKinsey explicitly expects applicants to have rigorously prepared for case interviews .

The volume of specific business knowledge and case-solving principles, as well as the sheer complexity of the cases you will be given, mean that there is no way around knuckling down, learning what you need to know and practicing on repeat.

If you want to get through your interviews and actually land that McKinsey offer, you are going to need to take things seriously, put in the time and learn how to properly solve case studies.

Unfortunately, the framework-based approach taught by many older resources is unlikely to cut it for you. These tend to falter when applied to difficult, idiosyncratic cases - precisely the kind of case you can expect from McKinsey!

The method MCC teaches is based specifically on the way McKinsey train incoming consultants. We throw out generic frameworks altogether and show you how to solve cases like a real management consultant on a real engagement.

You can start reading about the MCC method for case cracking here . To step your learning up a notch, you can move on to our Case Academy course .

To put things into practice in some mock interviews with real McKinsey consultants, take a look at our coaching packages .

And, if all this (rightfully) seems pretty daunting and you’d like to have an experienced consultant guide you through your whole prep from start to finish, you can apply for our comprehensive mentoring programme here .

Looking for an all-inclusive, peace of mind program?

Our comprehensive packages.

Get our Solve guide for free if you purchase any of the following packages. Just email us with your order number and we will send the guide straight to your inbox.

Access to our Case Academy and to coaching will help you prepare for Solve and for the following rounds!

The MCC bundle

• All Case Interview Course Videos
• All Case Interview Course Exercises
• All Fit Interview Course Videos
• All case interview self-assessment modules
• Available on all devices
• Premium support for questions
• Lifetime access

Bridge to Consulting

• 5 one-hour sessions with ex-MBB (McKinsey/Bain/BCG) coach of your choice
• Session personalisation (skill level and preparation stage)
• Choice of interview format (Fit, Case or Both)
• AI-powered performance benchmarking, skill-gap assessment and actionable feedback through your Dashboard
• Full Access to Case Academy (Course, Exercises, Self-Assessments, Fit and Math)
• McKinsey Digital Assessment Guide
• All our PST material

Case Interview Course

• 16+ hours of lectures  covering  all aspects of the case interview
• Introduction to the consulting interview
• Case Interview foundations section 
• Problem Driven Approach
• Building blocks 
• Efficiency tools
• Problem driven structure in action
• Roadmap for preparation planning

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McKinsey Solve Game: Newest Updates & Guide (2024)

Check out the only, fully-playable McKinsey Solve Test (Problem-Solving Game) Simulation in the entire market, with the new 2024 Redrock Study Task.

With that out of the way, let's continue to learn about the test, shall we?

What is McKinsey Solve (or Problem-Solving Game)?

Mckinsey solve is a gamified, pre-interview screening test .

McKinsey Solve (formerly called Problem-Solving Game, Digital Assessment, or colloquially the "Imbellus Game") is  a gamified test designed by Imbellus for the McKinsey & Company. 

In the McKinsey recruitment process, the Solve Game sits between the resume screening and the case interviews , serving the same purpose as the paper-based tests – ruling out the “unfit” candidates to save time and resources during the expensive case interview phase.

Solve has entered trial since 2017 (back then it was known as the Digital Assessment) and has been rolling out extensively in 2020. Since then, Solve had replaced the paper-based Problem Solving Test in every McKinsey office.

The test is mandatory for candidates applying in all practices: General, Operations & Implementation, Research & Analytics, Digital, etc.

Note: As this is a gamified test, in this article, the two terms “game” and “test” will be used interchangeably when referring to the McKinsey Solve.

McKinsey Solve Simulation (All-in-One)

The one and only existing platform to practice three mini-games of McKinsey Solve in a simulated setting

The new gamified test is supposedly crack-proof

Now, why did McKinsey change the test format from a paper-based test to a game? Keith McNulty, McKinsey’s Global Director of People Analytics and Measurement, put it this way:

“Recruiting only knows if candidates got the right answer, not how they approached the question. Plus, there’s a large amount of strategy, preparation, and luck involved in multiple-choice tests, and if you use them in the selection process, it reinforces the status quo—at a time when you are looking to widen the scope of candidates you’re hiring.”

So essentially, McKinsey is trying to create a test/game that is impossible to game (ironic, isn’t it?).

But in fact it can be broken down into bite-size pieces

With field reports from hundreds of real test takers, we have gathered enough insights to break down the McKinsey Solve into bite-size pieces, which are fairly consistent across candidates. Using those insights, we can derive working overall approaches to the game.

In this article, we will cover:

Technical details of the test : time limit, number of tasks and mini-games, assessment criteria

Break-down of each mini-game : description, underlying logic, and recommended strategy

Test-taking tips to maximize your chances

Similar games for practicing the McKinsey Solve Game

It is important to keep in mind that since neither Imbellus nor McKinsey publicizes the exact details of the criteria/mechanisms used in-game, the insights in this article – reported by our correspondents – may not reflect 100% of the in-game elements.

What is the McKinsey Solve like?

The McKinsey Solve Test or Digital Assessment has a time limit of 60-80 minutes . The candidate is asked to solve 2 out of 6 possible mini-games. Both the final results and the process are assessed , and if the candidate is found to possess similar skills and tendencies to a McKinsey consultant, they are offered an interview.

For a more detailed guide on the technical details of the game, please check out the McKinsey PSG Simulation (All-in-one) package.

Figure 1: Overview of McKinsey Solve / McKinsey PSG

Time limit is 71 minutes

As of April 2021, the reported time limit for the McKinsey Solve is exactly 70 or 71 minutes , with 35 minutes recommended for the first game (Ecosystem Building), and 35 minutes for the second game ( Redrock Study ), or 36 minutes (Plant Defense). Time spent on tutorials is not counted towards the limit.

Ever since the start of the game, there have been variations in time limit reports, however, these tend to stay between 60-80 minutes. This variation depends on the length of each mini-game.

Pre-2023, i.e. with Plant Defense mini-game : Actual time allocation depends entirely on the candidate’s decision – however since the first game is much more predictable, we recommend playing this quickly to allow more time for the second game. With a proper approach, the first game should take only 15-20 minutes, with time for a double-check taken into account.

Summer 2023 onward, i.e. with Redrock Study mini-game : The Ecosystem Building mini-game is now allocated a fixed 35-minutes, and the Redrock Study another 35. That means even if you finish the first game early, there is no additional time for the second game.

Candidates should also make the most out of the tutorial time – try to guess the objective of the mini-game, and think of an overall approach before beginning a mini-game. You can also use that time to make necessary preparations, such as pen and paper, or maybe a light snack to keep yourself energized.

Each candidate has to solve 2 out of 6 mini-games 

As of June 2023, 6 mini-games are confirmed for the McKinsey Solve Test: Ecosystem Building, Redrock Study, Plant Defense, Disaster Management, Disease Management, Migration Management . The 2 main mini-games that nearly all candidates will encounter are the Ecosystem Building Game and the Redrock Study Task. 

Our reports indicate that 100% of the McKinsey Solve Test will have Ecosystem Building in the first game slot. For the second game slot, right now, 80-90% of the candidates will have the Redrock Study Task , while 10-20% will have the Plant Defense game (before this, the ratio for the second game was reversed). This means McKinsey is gradually phasing out Plant Defense in favor of the Redrock Study Task .

The first one, Ecosystem Building, is similar to city building games - except with animals instead of buildings - where you have to build an ecosystem with a number of species.

In the Redrock Study Task, your mission is to solve ONE large study using on-screen tools then move on to answering 10 smaller cases with a similar topic.

Watch this video to gain more insight into the interface, functions, and contents of the Redrock Study Task (2024 latest version)! 

The other 3 games - Disaster Management, Disease Management, Migration Management - are alternatives that McKinsey previously used for beta testing. They no-longer appear in the McKinsey Solve test in 2023.

Disaster Management involves identifying the natural disaster occurring in an ecosystem and moving the whole system to another location to minimize damage. This mini-game appeared occasionally from 2020 to 2021.

Disease Management is about identifying an infectious disease, figuring out its rules of infection, and predicting its spread within an ecosystem. This mini-game appeared occasionally from 2020 to 2021.

Migration Management is about directing a group of animals from one point to another such that it loses the least amount of resources and animals. This mini-game appeared occasionally from 2021 to 2022.

If you are looking for a tool simulating exactly the McKinsey Solve to familiarize with the test, our McKinsey Solve Simulation can help you. Using the code “ SOLVEMCPYT ”, you can get a 10% off for any first purchase of this product. Check it now!

The next part will be about how candidates are assessed – if that’s not in your interest, you can skip straight to the mini-game and strategy guide using this link.

Every keystroke and mouse movement will be assessed

Each candidate will be assessed using both product scores (i.e. the final results) and process scores (i.e. how they get those results).

Product scores are determined by your level of success in achieving the objectives of the mini-games.

In the first mini-game, while there is no 100% right answer, some solutions will be better than others. You will be given this information through a report screen. For the second mini-game, the final results are definitive fact-based and data-based answers. There will be right and wrong answers, but McKinsey will not inform you how many correct answers/actions you get.

Mini-game 1: How many species survive? 

Mini-game 2: Did you pick the right data points? Are your calculations and reports correct? Did you choose a suitable graph to display the data?

Process scores, on the other hand, are dictated using data on your patterns during the whole problem-solving process – every keystroke, every click, and every mouse movement will be assessed.

The process and product scores are combined to form a profile of problem-solving skills and capabilities. And while there is no official statement from McKinsey about which candidates they select, it is likely that the more you resemble a high-performing consultant at McKinsey, the higher your chances will be.

Candidates are assessed on five core dimensions

Your problem-solving profile is drawn using the five following dimensions:

Critical thinking : the ability to form a rational judgment from a set of facts

Decision-making : the ability to select the best course of action among options

Meta-cognition : the ability to use strategies to make learning information and solving problems easier (e.g., testing hypothesis, taking notes)

Situational awareness : the ability to determine the relationships between different factors and to project the outcomes of a mini-game

Systems thinking : the ability to understand cause & effect relationships involving several factors and feedback loops (e.g., anticipating several orders of consequences)

The good news is that all the skills assessed are generally not evaluated by themselves, which means training one skill will probably also drive up your assessment scores in others . This is absolutely crucial because you won’t have to go into every nitty-gritty task just to squeeze out some extra score.

Furthermore, while all capabilities must be presented for success, some metrics are considered to be more impactful than others. From this Imbellus research paper , we could deduce that Critical thinking, Situational awareness, and Systems thinking are the fundamental skills that all successful candidates need to possess.

Meanwhile,  Decision-Making and Meta-Cognition skills mastery are the advanced skills that will transform candidates from good to great ones.

Figure 2: Median Construct Percentile through McKinsey Recruiting Pipeline (Source: Imbellus)

The test measures telemetry data to calculate the five dimensions

While it is hard to pinpoint exactly the telemetry data gathered since Imbellus does not fully disclose this information, one way of framing this is by each stage of the problem-solving process itself.

Based on our findings from real candidates, we believe the telemetry could be assorted into the following sets, each directly influencing the key activities during the stages from identifying the problem to delivering the next-step recommendation.

Problem Identification: your systematic thinking pattern

Methodological vs. abstract

Big-picture thinking vs. detail-oriented

Example telemetry: prioritization and focus tendency, clicking and decision pattern

Quantitative analysis & data synthesis: the ability to translate data into insights

Drawing relationship between data

Filter out correlated or irrelevant information

Example telemetry: data focus pattern, time spent on quantitative task

Hypothesis-crafting: bringing insights into actionable hypothesis

Putting emphasis on a certain approach / methodology from insights

Example telemetry: duration of the transition from analysis to decision-making, disrupted status quo period

Decision-making: coherence in actions and thinking

Random selection or well-thought out decisions based on analysis

Decisiveness in carrying out actions with the chosen tactics

Reaction under growing time pressure – panic clicking vs. calm and focus

Example telemetry: factors connecting each selection, time spent deciding between options

Next-step recommendation: learning and reflection

Ability to adjust existing strategy and preference for tried-and-true method in presence of new data set or shifting conditions

Progressive learning and reflection with failures and successes

Example telemetry: number of clicks, scrolling speed, time spent on certain data blocks

Breaking down the test –  Redrock Study Task

Mini-game overview & description.

The Redrock Study Task began appearing as early as July 2023. Then in March 2023, it received an update which divided the Task into 2 Parts which we will see below.

The first part of the mini-game, also the most important one, consists of ONE large study with a main objective and a set of supporting data . This part is divided into 3 main phases: INVESTIGATION, ANALYSIS, AND REPORT.

Phase 1 - INVESTIGATION : Your task is to skim through the case description, identify the objective and necessary data points, then collect them into an on-screen Research Journal.

Phase 2 - ANALYSIS : Using a provided calculator, you process the data points to answer 3 quantitative questions. These answers will be used to fill in the report in phase 3. Your calculation history will be recorded.

Phase 3 - REPORT : With the results calculated from phase 2, your main job is to complete the textual and graphical report (you have to choose which type of graph to use).

In the second part, you have to answer 10 cases with a similar topic to part one (i.g. If your part 1 case is about clothing sales, the mini cases will also be about clothing sales). Though, our user reports show that the topic is purely cosmetic and does not affect the final assessments.

As of July 2023, we have only received reports of  Single-select Multiple choice questions (that is, choose an answer out of A, B, or C) and Numerical-answer questions . There have been no signs of open-ended questions.

As for the time limit, the whole task is given a total of 35 minutes for both parts . While there are no official time constraints, we recommend spending 25 minutes on the first part , and 10 minutes on the second part to optimize your outcome.

We suggest you to watch this video in advance for better visualizing how the Redrock Study Task works.

Breaking down the study in Part 1

In the first part of the Redrock Study Task (we’ll refer to this as the study or case ), the study’s flow is designed to test candidates’ logical and reasoning skills. If you don’t follow the logic carefully, the algorithm may be unable to recognize your thinking process, and view you negatively. Here, we have broken the study down into 4 aspects.

Game aspect 1: understanding the study

This refers to the first phase of the Redrock Task, which is INVESTIGATION. To truly grasp what you need to do, you must first clearly identify the case's objectives . Then, your next task is to understand all the data points presented within the case, to identify which ones can be used to answer the objective.

In general, all information presented on the screen is needed towards understanding and solving the case. But some are less important than others. Background information and test instructions are usually text-based data that you can’t select or move around. They only serve to give you an overview of the case, like the case’s theme, and don’t need to be collected. 

By contrast, important data points are highlighted and presented in boxes on the screen. You can click and drag these boxes around to work inside the case. Among these movable data points , there are 3 types of crucial information that you need to find:

Case objectives : These are text based data, informing you about the goal that you must solve in the case. It usually sits at the top of the case, right after the instruction . 

Calculation instructions : These are data points telling you which math formula you must use and which numbers to choose. They are often long texts/sentences that describe the relationships (higher/lower/etc.) between subjects in the case .

Numbers : These make up the largest portion of the data points in the case. They usually appear in charts/diagrams (bar chart, pie chart,...), tables, or sometimes in-between texts. You have to collect these numbers into the journal to calculate in the next phase. Only a small percentage of these numbers (10-15%) are actually important to the case.

Figure 3: Data points in the study

In general, the rule of thumb is that once you have collected the case’s objectives, you must identify which math formula to use. Only then can you gather suitable numbers that the calculation requires. Also, only a handful of data points are necessary to solve the case, so pick wisely.

Game aspect 2: collecting data points

You can drag any movable data point in any phase of the Redrock test into the Journal to “collect” it. In the Research Journal, each collected “data point” will show up as a card, with its own label and description. Data in the Journal can be used to feed into the Calculator, or into “answer inputs” , (blank spaces under the questions).

Some data comes with appropriate labels for its contents, but some do not . All data labels can be manually changed – we recommend doing so if the default label does not adequately describe the contents. Appropriate labeling will speed up your analysis later, since it allows you to quickly identify the relevant data.

Once collected, each data point can also be highlighted by using the “I” button (presumably for “important”) on the left of its label. Toggling on this button will cover the whole data point in an orange tint. We recommend highlighting information that is needed during the ANALYSIS (or calculation) phase.

Inside the Research Journal, you can move these data points up and to organize them from top to bottom . It’s possible that McKinsey will look at how you organize the data. We’ll give some insights on that later. The specific sorting method is still receiving changes, so we’ll update it as we go.

Figure 4: The research journal, which is always present on the left of your screen

Game aspect 3: processing the data points for insights

During the second phase of the game, you will be provided with 3 quantitative questions that directly relate to the game’s objective. Each one has 2-3 sub-questions with an answer input gap requiring an answer from the calculator. To answer these questions, you have to feed the collected numerical data points into an on-screen calculator, then drag the results into the appropriate gap.

The calculator has a simple interface, similar to a phone’s digital calculator , with basic operators like *,+,-,/. It’s safe to assume that the math involved are usually simple calculations (similar to most candidates' reports). Though they lack the ‘%’ button for percentage calculation.

We recommend that you perform all calculations on the provided calculator, as all your operations are recorded in a history log. So, we assume that how you work towards the answers will also weigh on the final results.

A recommended workflow is to drag the data points from your research journal into the calculator’s input screen to perform the operation. Then you’ll need to drag the result and drop them into the blank space in the question. You should avoid typing the number on your keyboard as it may lead to unfortunate typos.

Here are a few confirmed question types and calculations during phase 2 of part 1:

Basic operations (add/subtract/multiply/divide): Basic operations don’t often sit alone. They usually have to be involved in complex questions.

Simple percentages and ratios: They require you to calculate simple ratio, percentages and fractions. For example: “What is the percentage of population growth between 2021-2022?” (Provided data: Population number in 2021, Population number in 2022)

Compound percentage questions: They require you to calculate multiple ratios and percentages in a row. For example: “What is the population number at the end of 2023?” (Provided data: Population number at the start of 2022, Population growth rate for 2022, Projected increase in population growth rate for 2023 compared to growth rate for 2022)

One important thing to note, as reported, the results that you get from these questions are almost always needed in the REPORT phase. There’ll be a review screen s o ALWAYS collect your answers into the journal.

Game aspect 4: completing the case report

The Report phase is the last part of the Redrock Study Task. It consists of two parts: Summary and Data Visualization.

Summary involves filling in the blanks of a text-format report, using numbers already given and produced in the previous phases, and expressions such as “higher”, “lower”, “equal to”, etc. The blanks in this phase will likely be somewhat like the answer inputs in the Analysis phase.

Data Visualization involves choosing the correct type of chart and filling in the numbers to produce a meaningful chart for the report. For this step, a difference between the Redrock Study and the old McKinsey PST is the lack of compound chart type. This drastically reduces the difficulty, as you only have to work with simple chart types like bar or pie charts.

Figure 5: Screenshots of questions for the report phase

Mastering the Redrock Study

From what we can see, the Redrock Study Task is more similar to its Problem-Solving Test predecessor than a game . That makes the tips to this task a bit different from the previously-popular Plant Defense game. There’s no instant formula that can guarantee the best chance of survival (maybe this is why Plant Defense got canceled), rather, you must act and think like a McKinsey consultant.

Watch more: Redrock walkthrough video

Tip 1: Show a top-down and structured approach while collecting data

A good McKinsey consultant always takes a top-down approach when analyzing a problem, and recruiter often favor candidates with this trait. During the Study, McKinsey can assess this trait when you collect and arrange data.

Always collect the objectives first . They are the central problems of the case, and represent the highest level of your issue tree. You must always collect them into the Research Journal. If they are too long, you can always note down a summary on a piece of scratch paper.

Figure 6: Study's objectives

The next step is to identify the math formula . This type of data governs which calculation formula you need to use, and in turns, which numbers to collect next. We’ll call this the relational data . The objectives will determine the relational data points you need.

Finally, collect the necessary numbers . These are the ones needed for calculating and filling in the final reports . Collect only the ones you need by analyzing the objectives and relational data. Don’t collect all data points erratically , as this showcases that you have no structured thinking.

Tip 2: Label and organize data

As stated before, once collected into the journal, each data point will have a label and description . Some data points already have good labels, some do not.

It’s possible that  McKinsey can recognize good labels , so we suggest always changing the label and description of a data point when necessary. Good label can seem good to an algorithm, and it can also help you analyze them more conveniently. We have a few suggestions as to what constitute a good label:

What is the timeframe? (“Is this data for 2020, or 2021?”)

Which subjects are concerned? (i.e., the things represented by rows and columns in a spreadsheet, or axes on a chart).

Is there anything else I need to keep in mind? (i.e., the footnotes or any auxiliary information that accompanies a chart/table) 

As for arranging data, try to keep it consistent and top-down . “Overview” data points should be placed above the “granular” ones.

For example, keep the objectives at the top of your research journal, and below them are relational data points. Numerical data points from the same table should be placed together, and beneath the relational data that refers to them. McKinsey MIGHT take this as a sign that you are a structured person, if not, it will help you solve the case easier.

Tip 3: Avoid going back and showing indecisiveness

The game allows you to go back and forth freely between each phase to collect more data points. While this is great for when you make a mistake or need to double check, we don’t recommend doing so.

This behavior signals that the candidate does not understand each section fully and is uncertain about the task. And in phase 1, McKinsey’s instruction clearly states that you should collect all and only relevant data before moving on. It’s possible that moving back and forth can be viewed negatively by the algorithm .

Tip 4: Choose the correct chart-type (bar/line/pie)

We have written an entire guide on how to chart like a McKinsey consultant, so be sure to check it out before attempting this task. But in short, you need to choose the correct type of chart that best describes a certain type of data , in the McKinsey way.

Part 2 cases tear down

Since this part of the test has only been introduced recently, we are still in the process of interviewing and synthesizing insights. More information will be updated later as things develop.

TEST FLOW, FORMAT AND DIFFICILTY

There are 10 cases in Part 2 , each has a question with directions, text information and data exhibits. Each case also has an onscreen tool to assist you. You must solve the cases sequentially, that means you can’t skip forward and must answer one case before the next.

All 10 cases will follow the same theme/topic with the Part 1 study. But from candidate reports, it’s safe to assume that the theme does not play any part in the answer, and each case is self-contained (which means you don’t need numbers of another case to get the answer).

The word count to the 10 cases can vary between 100 and 400 words . They only require a fundamental level of quantitative or reasoning skill to solve and don’t require advanced mathematical skills. But most of our candidates struggle to solve them within 10 minutes, so be careful. 

QUESTION TYPES

The questions types that we have seen from candidate reports generally mirror those in part 1. We categorize them into five main types : Word Problems, Formulae, Verbal Reasoning, Critical Reasoning, and Visualization. We also deduced the rate at which these questions appear part 2.

Word problems (50%) are math exercises that require candidates to read the text and exhibit data to solve

Formulae (20-30%) are a similar question type to word problems, but the candidate only needs to identify the formula used for calculation.

Verbal Reasoning (7-8%) and Critical Reasoning (7-8%) are single-select multiple choice questions requiring candidates to choose a “true” or “false” statement among 3-5 options.

Visualization (10%) requires the user to choose the correct type of chart to illustrate the given data.

Part 2 has a near identical format to a traditional Problem-Solving Test (except for the on-screen tool like a calculator similar to Part 1’s). Thus, to save time, we only recommend getting familiar with the interface and mastering fundamental knowledge for a McKinsey consultant (like the issue tree , MECE, etc.) which we covered many times before.

Watch more: McKinsey PSG Explained

Breaking down the test –  Ecosystem Building

In the Ecosystem Building mini-game, you have to create an ecosystem with 8 species from a list of 39. There are three key objectives:

(1) The ecosystem must form a continuous food chain

(2) T here must be a calorie surplus for every pair of predator and prey (that is, the prey’s production is higher than the predator’s consumption)

(3) The ecosystem must match the terrain specifications of the chosen location

Here’s a detailed description of data and metrics in the mini-game, and how they relate to the objectives.

Figure 7: "the Moutain" and "the Reef"

Objective 1: Terrain Match

There are two scenarios on which you must build the ecosystem: “the Mountain” and “the Reef”. 

Each location in the Mountain world has the 8 following specifications: Elevation, Temperature, Wind Speed, Humidity, Cloud Height, Soil pH, Precipitation, Air Pressure.

Each location in the Reef has the 7 following specifications: Depth, Water Current, Water Clarity, Temperature, Salt Content, Dissolved Oxygen, Wind Speed.

Terrain specifications have very little correlation.

Each species also has a few required terrain specifications – if these terrain requirements are not met, the species will die out . These requirements are often not exact numbers, but ranges (e.g: Temperature: 20-30 C). 

All 39 species are organized into 3 equal groups using their terrain specs – I call them “layers”. Species of the same layers have exactly the same terrain specs.

Objective 2: Food Chain Continuity

Each species has a few natural predators (Eaten By), and prey (Food Sources) – see below for exceptions.

The species are divided into producers (which are plants and corals, which consume no calories), and consumers. Consumers can be herbivores (plant-eating animal), carnivores (animal-eating animal), or omnivores (eats both plants and animals).

Producers always have the Food Sources as “sunlight” or other natural elements, i.e. they do not have prey. Some consumers are “apex animals”, meaning they do not have natural predators (can be recognized by empty the “Eaten By” specs). These have strategic implications in building the food chain. 

 Objective 3: Energy Balance

Each species has a “calorie needed” and a “calorie provided” figure . A species lives if its calorie needed is less than the sum calorie provided of the species it eats (so it has enough energy to survive) and its calories provided is higher than the sum calorie provided of the species that eat it (so it’s not eaten to extinction).

Two caveats apply here: a species often don't eat all of its prey and is not eaten by all of its predators. There are certain rules for priorities (see the “Feeding Overlap” issue) and more often than not, predators and prey will interact on a one-to-one basis.

In old versions of the game, each species will be placed on a group basis, with the number of individuals in each group ranging from 20 to 60. In these versions, calorie specs are “per individual”, so you have to perform the math to get the true consumption and production figures of the whole species.

New versions discarded this “per individual” feature, presenting the calorie specs for the whole species as one, but there is no guarantee the old feature won’t be re-introduced.

As of game-flow, the candidate is free to switch between choosing location and species during the mini-game . There is also a time bar on the top of the screen.

Old reports indicate that once you’ve submitted your proposed ecosystem, you would receive a scorecard in the end, showing how it actually plays out. Key measurements might include calories produced and consumed, and the number of species alive.

However, recent reports have indicated that results aren't displayed at the end. In either case, it is safe to assume that the underlying principles remain the same.

Cracking the mini-game

The biggest challenges in the Ecosystem Building mini-game are task prioritization and data processing – most test-takers report that they are overwhelmed by the amount of data given, and do not know how to approach the problem. However, the second problem can be mitigated by reading the rules very carefully, because McKinsey provides specific and detailed instructions in the tutorials.

To overcome both challenges at the same time, first, we need to know the “eating rules” (i.e. how species take turns to eat) and then we can develop a 3-step approach to meet those challenges.

Figure 8: Description of Ecosystem Building game interface

EATING RULES AND FEEDING OVERLAP

In the McKinsey PSG Ecosystem mini-game, species take turns to eat and get eaten, in accordance to very specific and comprehensive rules:

1. The species with the highest Calories Provided in the food chain eats first.

2. It eats the species with the highest Calories Provided among its prey (if the eating species is a producer, you can assume it automatically bypass this step, as well as steps 3-5).

3. The eating species then “consumes” from the eaten species an amount of Calories Provided that is equal to its Calories Needed, which is at the same time substracted an amount equal to the Calories Provided taken from the eaten species.

4. If there are two “top prey” species with the same Calories Provided, the eating species will eat from each of them an amount equal to 1/2 of its Calories Needed.

5. If the Calories Needed hasn’t been reduced to 0 (i.e.: satisfied), even if the eating species has consumed all the Calories Provided of the first prey the eating species will move on to the next prey with the second-highest Calories Provided, and repeat the above steps; the prey that has been exhausted its Calories Provided will be removed permanently from the food chain and considered extinct.

6. After the first species have finished eating, the cycle repeats for the species with the second-highest Calories Provided, then the third-highest, etc. until every species has already eaten. Note: in every step where species are sorted using Calories Provided, it always uses the most recent figure (i.e. the one after consumption by a predator).

7. At the end of this process, all species should have new Calories Provided and Calories Needed, both smaller than the original figures. A species survive when its end-game Calorie Needed is equal to 0, and Calorie Provided is higher than 0.

Let’s take a look at an example – try applying the rules above before reading the explanation, and see if you get it right:

Figure 9: Example of a food chain in Ecosystem Building minigame

Now, here’s how this food chain is resolved:

The three producers automatically have their Calories Needed satisfied and does not need to eat anything.

The first species to eat is an animal – the Mouse. It eats equally from Grass and Mushroom, which have equal Calories Provided, an amount of 2,000 each. The Mouse’s Calories Needed reduces to 0, while the Calories Provided for Grass and Mushroom reduce to 3,000 each (Grass and Mushroom survive).

The second species to eat is the Squirrel. It should have eaten Grass, but Grass’s new Calories Provided is only 3,000, so the Squirrel picks Nuts instead. Squirrel’s Calories Needed becomes 0, while Nuts’ Calories Needed becomes 500 (Nuts survive).

The third species to eat is the Snake. It eats the Mouse, reducing its own Calories Needed to 0 while taking 2,000 from the 3,000 of the Mouse’s Calories Provided. (Mouse survives).

The fourth species to eat is the Fox. It eats the Squirrel, reducing its own Calories Needed to 0 while taking 2,000 from the 2,500 of the Squirrel’s Calories Provided. (Squirrel survives).

The last species to eat is the Tiger. It eats the Snake first, taking away all of the Snake’s 1,500 Calories Provided, then proceeds to take 500 from the Fox’s 1,200, so that its Calories Needed can be reduced to 0 (Snake becomes extinct, Fox survives).

The Tiger is not eaten by any other animal (Tiger survives).

Figure 10: Solution of a food chain in Ecosystem Building minigame

With these rules in mind, let us go through a 3-step process to building a food chain:

Step 1: Select the location:

Use a spreadsheet or scratch paper to list the terrain specs and calories provided of the producers of the mini-game.

Skim through the data to see which terrain specs remain the same across all species, and which ones change. Only changing terrain specs are relevant (there should be 2 of them), the rest are merely “noise” intended to cause information overload.

Calculate the sum calories provided for the producers of each layer. The layer with the highest calories provided is likely to be the easiest to build the chain.

Step 2: Build the food chain:

Look through the data to list the consumers with compatible terrain requirements in your spreadsheet.

Pick the apex predator with the lowest calorie needed as the starting point of the food chain.

Build the food chain top-down like an issue tree, by listing the food sources of the top predators. Continue drilling down until you reach the “base” level of corals and plants. Ideally the food chain should contain 3-4 levels, and 8 species.

Alternatively, you can build the food chain in a bottom-up manner, by looking at the “Eaten By” specs of each species, until you reach the top predators. Our reports indicate that in real test conditions, this approach can be just as fast as the top-down one.

During the whole process, try to prioritize species with high calories provided, and low calories needed. This should maximize the chance of calorie surplus in the food chain, and leave room for new additions should the first chain not meet the required 8 species.

If you finish the chain short of the required 8 species, work bottom-up to find gaps (i.e unused surplus calories), and plug in those gaps with predators or plant-eating animals.

The whole process should be done on a spreadsheet/scratch paper to facilitate calculations.

Step 3: Triple-check and adjust:

Go back to the beginning of the process and check if every species of your food chain is compatible with the chosen location.

Make sure the food chain is continuous – that is, the food sources listed fit with the description of each species.

Check if each species in the food chain is supplied with enough calories and not eaten into extinction using the given eating rules.

Adjust the food chain if any of the three checks are not met.

Breaking down the test – Plant-Defense

*June 2023 Update: Though McKinsey is gradually phasing out this test, we are still receiving sporadic reports of it being used for candidates (about 10-20% in total). So for the sake of information sharing, this section will still remain on our article, and will be updated as changes happen.

The second mini-game of the McKinsey Solve Game – Plant-Defense – is a turn-based tower-defense game . The candidate is charged with defending a plant at the center of a grid-based map from invading pests, using obstacles and predators, for as long as possible, until the defenses are overwhelmed and the plant is destroyed.

Figure 11: Screenshot of Plant Defense minigame

Here’s a detailed description of the gameplay:

The visual map is divided by a square grid (size from 10×10 to 12×12), with natural obstacles (called Terrain, or Terrain Transformations) are scattered across the map.

The game has a recommended time allocation of 12 minutes per stage – which makes 36 minutes in total.

The game is divided into three maps, each with 2 phases – “planning phase” and “fast-forward phase”.

The “planning phase” is divided into 3 waves of 5 turns each. Every 3-5 turns, a new stack of Invader appears at the border of the map and starts travelling towards the center base – you have lay out defensive plans to tackle them. The phase lasts until you eliminated all the Invaders / you survive at the end of the 15th turn / your plant is destroyed.

The “fast-forward phase” comes after the 15th turn of the planning phase. All the remaining Invaders from the planning phase will continue attacking. Your defensive scheme remains unchanged, and unchangeable. Invaders will continuously spawn and attack until the base is destroyed.

After you’ve finished the game, the number of turns your plant survived will be used as the basis for the product scores.

Game aspect 1: Resources

At the beginning of each wave, you are allowed to choose and place 5 resources – divided into Defenders (such as Coyote, Snake, Falcon etc. which kill the Invaders) and Terrains (comprised of Cliff, Forest, and Rocky, which slow down or block the invaders). Each will be assigned to one turn of the current wave.

After each turn, the Defender/Terrain of that turn will be activated and locked – meaning you cannot change or remove its placement. The rest can be altered to adapt with the circumstances. The only exception is the Cliff, which activates right after its placement. 

Each Defender has a range/territory – once an invader steps into that range/territory, the Defender will damage them, reducing their population. The range vary between each Defender type – but in general the more powerful they are, the smaller their range is.

Each Terrain is effective towards different types of Invaders and in different ways, with some blocking the Invaders while others slowing them down.

Each Terrain and Defender will occupy one square. You cannot place Defender on top of an existing Defender, and if a Terrain is placed on top of an existing Terrain, it will replace the existing Terrain.

Defenders and Terrains form mutually compatible pairs which can exist on one same square. 

 Game aspect 2: Invaders

Invaders will appear from the map borders every 3-5 turns, in stacks of 100-200 population each, and move one step closer to your plant by each turn. The population of the stacks increase gradually.

Each Invader stack is accompanied by a path indicator – a long yellow arrow showing the direction it will take. The invader will always take this path unless blocked by Cliff.

Each Invader is countered by certain types of Terrain/Defender.

Figure 12: Description of Plant Defense minigame's interface

As the Plant Defense mini-game of the McKinsey Solve Game is essentially a tower-defense game, the basic tactics of that game genre can be applied – namely inside-out building and kill-zones. However, as the mini-game locks you from changing placement after a number of turns, contingency planning is also necessary.

I will elaborate each of those tactics:

INSIDE-OUT, MULTI-LAYERED DEFENSE

In this tactic, you build multiple layers of defenders outwards from the base, assisted by terrain.

Place your resources close to the plant first. As the inner rings of the map are smaller in circumference, and paths usually converge as you advance towards the center, this helps you maximize the coverage of each resource around the plant early on.

In the example below, the “inside-out” approach only takes 8 resources to protect the plant from all directions, while the “outside in” approach takes 24. With this approach, place your most powerful resources closest to the plant, and expand with the less powerful, but longer-range ones.

Figure 13: Visualization of the Inside-out, multi-layered defense tactic

BIG-PICTURE MINDSET

This isn’t so much of a “tactic”, but a reminder – after 15 turns, you won’t be able to change or place more resources, so try to identify the pattern of the invaders, and quickly adapt your strategy accordingly. It will take a few initial turns to experiment which works best for each type of invader.

Use your resources prudently, create an all-round protection for the plant – lopsided defenses (i.e heavy in one direction, but weak in others) won’t last long – and lasting long is the objective of this mini-game.

Alternative mini-games

In June 2023, we have received reports that these alternative mini-games have disappeared completely . When McKinsey decided that these games can’t accurately assess a candidate’s skills , they removed these tests. But in the future, as the McKinsey Solve evolves, there’s a chance they will re-adopt these games or develop new ones based on them. Thus, this section of the article exists only to provide a record, you can skip right to the next part.

Alternative 1: Disaster Management

In the Disaster Management mini-game of the Solve Game, the candidate is required to identify the type of natural disaster that has happened to an ecosystem, using limited given information and relocate that ecosystem to ensure/maximize its survivability.

With the two main objectives in mind, here’s how to deal with them:

Identify the disaster: this is a problem-diagnosis situation – the most effective approach would be to draw an issue tree with each in-game disaster as a branch, skim through data in a bottom-up manner to form a hypothesis, then test that hypothesis by mining all possible data in game (such as wind speed, temperature, etc.)

Relocate the ecosystem: this is a more complicated version of the location-selection step in the Ecosystem-Building mini-game, with the caveat that you will first have to rule out the locations with specs similar to the ongoing disaster. The rest can be done using a spreadsheet listing the terrain requirements of the species.

Like the Ecosystem Building mini-game, you will solve this mini-game only once, unlike the Plant Defense and the next Disease Management mini-games with multiple maps.

Alternative 2: Disease Management

In the Disease Management mini-game of the Solve Game, the candidate is required to identify the infection patterns of a disease within an ecosystem and predict the next individual to be infected.

The game gives you 3-5 factors for the species (increasing as the game progresses), including name, age, weight, and 3 snapshots of the disease spread (Time 1, Time 2, Time 3) to help you solve the problem.

There is one main objective here only: identify the rules of infection (the second is pretty much straightforward after you know the rules) – this is another problem-diagnosis situation. The issue tree for this mini-game should have specific factors as branches. Skim through the 3 snapshots to test each branch – once you’re sure which factor underlies and how it correlates with infection, simply choose the predicted individual.

Figure 14: Screenshot of Disease Management minigame

Alternative 3: Migration Management

The Migration Management mini-game is a turn-based puzzle game. The candidate is required to direct the migration of 50 animals. This group carries a certain amount of resources (such as water, food, etc.), often 4-5 resources, each with an amount of 10-30. Every turn, 5 animals die and 5 of each resource is consumed.

It takes 3-5 turns from start to finish for each stage Migration mini-game, and the candidates must place 15 stages in 37 minutes. The candidate must choose among different routes to drive the animals. In each stage, there are points where candidates can collect 3 additional animals or resources (1-3 for each type), and choose to multiply some of the collected resources (1x, 3x and 6x); the game tells the candidate in advance which resources/animals they will get at each point, but not the amount.

The objective is to help the animals arrive at the destination with minimal animal losses, and with specific amounts of resources.

With all of these limited insights in mind, here’s what I recommend for the strategy:

Nearly every necessary detail is given in advance, so use a scratch paper to draw a table, with the columns being the resources/animals, and the rows being the routes. Quickly calculate the possible ending amount for each resources, assuming you get 2 at every collection point (good mental math will come in handy).

Choose the route with the highest number of animals, and “just enough” resources to meet requirements.

Watch this video below for a detailed, visualized explanation of all frequently encountered McKinsey Solve games:

Test-taking tips for the McKinsey Solve 

Besides the usual test-taking tips of “eat, sleep and rest properly before the test”, “tell your friends and family to avoid disturbing”, etc. there are five tips specifically applicable to the McKinsey Solve Game I’ve compiled and derived from the reports of test takers:

Tip 1: Don’t think too much about criteria and telemetry measurements

You can’t know for sure which of your actions they are measuring, so don’t try so much to appear “good” before the software that it hurts your performance. One of our interviewers reported that he refrained from double-checking the species information in the Ecosystem Building mini-game for fear of appearing unsure and unplanned.

My advice is to train for yourself a methodical, analytic approach to every problem, so when you do come in for the test, you will naturally appear as such to the software. Once you’ve achieved that, you can forget about the measurements, and focus completely on problem-solving.

Tip 2: Don’t be erratic with in-game actions

While you don’t want to spend half your brain-power trying to “look good” to the software, do avoid erratic behaviors such as randomly selecting between the info panels, or swinging the mouse cursor around when brainstorming (yes, people do that – my Project Manager does the same thing when we do monthly planning for the website).

This kind of behavior might lead the software into thinking that you have unstable or unreliable qualities (again, we can never know for sure, but it’s best to try). One tip to minimize such “bad judgment” is to take your brainstorming outside of the game window, by using a paper, or a spreadsheet. 

Tip 3: Always strive for a better solution (Ecosystem Building)

Some of the interviewed test-takers seem to be under a wrong impression that “the end results do not matter as much as the process” – however, for the McKinsey Solve, you need good end results too. This is especially true in the Ecosystem Building, where a “right” answer with no species dying can be easily found with the right strategy.

Consulting culture is highly result-oriented, and this game/test has product scores to reflect that. Having a methodical and analytical approach is not enough – it’s no use being as such if you cannot produce good results (or, “exceptional” results, according to MBB work standards).

Tip 4: Showcase fundamental skills for a McKinsey consultant (Redrock Study)

McKinsey is always looking for candidates with the exact skill set for a model consultant: structured, logical, and professional. The McKinsey Solve Test is designed to do just that: to look for the right set of skills (with a lot of tracking and algorithms).

Through all parts of the Redrock Study Task , you must exhibit that you are a model McKinsey prospect. Here are a few things that they will value during the Redrock Study:

Strong mental math skills: A consultant MUST quickly pitch insights and calculations to clients and CEOs (elevator pitch). You’ll have to quickly choose a logical math formula and deliver results (not necessarily accurate). That’s why in all stages of the test involving math and a calculator, always do your calculations step-by-step on screen (if there’s an on-screen tool) . 

Structured, top-down thinking: A candidate has to demonstrate that they are  a hypothesis-driven, structured problem solver . In other parts of the interview process (like the case interview), it is shown through a MECE, top-down issue tree. In the Redrock Study Task, you can show off this skill via organizing data points in the Research Journal, which we discussed above.

Choosing the right charts: A McKinsey consultant will chart like a McKinsey consultant . Each type of data must go with a corresponding type of chart. We have included a guide on consulting charts in our product shop. So check it out 

We have also linked to relevant preparation resources below, to help you master these skills more easily. So be sure to check them out.

Tip 5: Prepare your hardware and Internet properly before the test

While the McKinsey Solve Test does not require powerful hardware, the system requirements are indeed more demanding than the usual recruitment games or tests. A decent computer is highly-advised – the smoother the experience, the more you can focus on problem-solving.

On the other hand, a fast Internet connection is a must – in fact, the faster, the better. You don’t want to be disconnected in the middle of the test – so tell other users on your network to avoid using at the same time as the test, and go somewhere with a fast and stable connection if it’s not available at your home.

How to practice for the McKinsey Solve Test

Hypothesis-driven problem-solving approach.

See this article: Issue Tree, MECE

You may have noticed a lot of the solutions for the mini-game involve an “issue tree” – the centerpiece of the hypothesis-driven problem-solving approach that real consultants use in real projects.

This problem-solving approach is a must for every candidate wishing to apply for consulting – so learn and try to master it by applying it into everyday problems and cases you read on business publications. Practicing case interviews also helps with the McKinsey Solve as well.

You can see the above articles for the important concepts of consulting problem-solving.

Mental math and fast reading skills

See this article: Consulting Math, Fast Reading

The McKinsey Solve Test – especially the 3 ecosystem-related mini-games – require good numerical and verbal aptitude to quickly absorb and analyze the huge amounts of data. Additionally, such skills are also vital to case interviews and real consulting work.

That means a crucial part of practice must include math and reading practice – see the above articles for more details on how to calculate and read 300% faster.

Practice with video games

*June 2023 update: As many games in the previous PSG have been eliminated, playing video games as part of practice has become less effective. But, we still recommend playing similar games to the Ecosystem Building (mainly) and Plant Defense mini-games.

Test-takers who regularly play video games, especially strategy games, report a significant advantage from their gaming experience. This is likely due to three main factors:

The McKinsey Solve Test’s games are in fact similar in logic and gameplay to a few popular video game genres. The more similar a game is to the McKinsey Solve, the better it is for practice.

Video games with data processing and system management also improve the necessary skills to pass the Solve.

Playing video games helps candidates understand how the interface as well as the objective system of a game works – improving their “game sense”.

I am not a fan of video games – in fact, after leaving McKinsey I founded an entertainment startup with the mission to fight the increasing popularity of video games. Yet now I have to tell you to spend a few hours each week playing them to get into McKinsey.

The question is, which games to play? Here’s a list of the games and game genres my team have found to possess many similarities with the McKinsey Solve Test:

City-building games

SimCity series

Caesar series (Zeus and Poseidon, Caesar III, Emperor ROTK)

Anno series (Anno 1404, Anno 2070, etc.)

Cities Skylines

These are very similar in logic to the Ecosystem Building mini-game – you need to balance the production and consumption of buildings and communities, which usually have specific requirements for their locations.

The difference between these and the PSG is that most games are real-time and continuous, meaning you have the opportunity to watch your city develop and correct the mistakes – in the Solve you need to nail it from the start! With that said, the amount of data you need to process in these games will make the McKinsey Solve a walk in the park; the learning curve is not too high either, making these games good practice grounds.

Figure 15: Screenshot from Cities Skylines

 Tower defense games

Kingdom Rush series

Plants vs Zombies series

Tower-defense games such as Kingdom Rush are near-perfect practices for the Plant Defense mini-game of the McKinsey PSG. Our basic “kill-zone” tactic in fact comes from these games.

Again, there is a caveat when practicing with games – both Plants vs Zombies and Kingdom Rush allow you to correct your mistakes by having the invaders attack the base multiple times before you lose. Both games also feature fixed and predictable paths of invasion. In the PSG, the path of the invaders changes with your actions, and if they reach your base, you’ll lose immediately.

Figure 16: Screenshot from Kingdom Rush

Grand strategy and 4X games

Civilization series

Europa Universalis series

Crusader Kings series 

Grand strategy and 4X games combine the logic of system-building and tower-defense games (with Civilization being the best example), making them good practice for both games of the Test . They also require players to manage the largest amount of data among popular game genres (sometimes multiple windows with dozens of stats each).

However, they are also the game with the steepest learning curves – so if you are not one for video games, and/or you don’t have much time before the Test, these games are not for you. They are also less similar to the PSG on the surface, compared to the two genres above.

Figure 17: Screenshot from Civilization VI

New release: Redrock Expansion (early access), an update of McKinsey PSG simulation

In 2023, we released a new product – Redrock Expansion to feature a new game of McKinsey. The Redrock Simulation can be purchased standalone or in Mckinsey Solve Simulation (All-in-one package) . Use the code “SOLVEMCPYT” and get a 10% discount for this tool if it is your first purchase. Practice now!

As the official game is still in Beta, we are constantly updating the product. The simulation is now providing a 90% accurate reconstruction of the Part 1 case. Part 2 will come later in a future update.

Scoring in the McKinsey PSG/Digital Assessment

The scoring mechanism in the McKinsey Digital Assessment

Related product

If you rank above the 75th percentile (i.e. top 25% of candidates), and has a good resume, you are likely to pass the McKinsey Solve Game / PSG.

You can increase your McKinsey Solve scores through: time management, data-scanning, noise-filtering, note-taking, and having a good computer and Internet.

Experienced hires are preferred for expert and implementation roles, while opportunities for freshers are available for positions requiring less expertise"

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Avoid These Common Mistakes in the McKinsey Problem-Solving Game (PSG)

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Mastering the McKinsey Ecosystem Building Game: Expert Tips for Success

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McKinsey Problem Solving Game: Full Practice Guide 2023

Unveiling the McKinsey Solve Game: Red Rock Study (latest update 2023)

McKinsey Problem Solving Game – Guide 2023

Games-based assessments  are being used by a number of the  top strategy consulting firms  now. BCG has partnered with  Pymetrics and launched a BCG Online Case, Arctic Shores is working with Strategy& (via PwC), and McKinsey launched their problem-solving game developed with Imbellus in 2019.​

The game (officially called Solve, but also referred to as the problem-solving game/PSG, the Imbellus game, or the digital assessment) replaces the in-person, pen-and-paper te­st that McKinsey has used for many years up until recently (the McKinsey Problem Solving Test). The game proved very effective in assessing candidates more holistically while reducing bias against those unfamiliar with standardized testing and helping scale recruitment during the era of pandemic-driven lockdowns. As of May 2020, it has been used to test 15,000 McKinsey applicants in more than 30 countries. These numbers have undoubtedly grown exponentially since then as more cohorts take the test and McKinsey rolls it out to the rest of its firm network.​

Overall games-based assessments are gaining popularity for the ability to  filter down the candidate pool  in an intuitive, unbiased way that tests both  numerical reasoning   and  logical reasoning skills . The McKinsey digital assessment is used for exactly that purpose.

• 1. Traits They Are Testing in the McKinsey Digital Assessment​
• 1.1 Critical Thinking
• 1.2 Decision-making
• 1.3 Metacognition
• 1.4 Situational Awareness
• 1.5 Systems Thinking
• 2. Look And Feel of the McKinsey Digital Assessment
• 3. Structure of the McKinsey Digital Assessment
• 4. Top Tips For the McKinsey Digital Assessment
• 5. About the Author

The McKinsey digital assessment provides a way of testing candidates'  thinking ability and personality traits  that are harder to revise for and therefore offers a way of testing that does not reward those that prepare more extensively. It also provides a safe environment to test how  comfortable candidates are making decisions with imperfect information , a skill particularly important for strategy consultants.​

McKinsey prides itself on being a firm with some of the leading thinkers in the world and has been described as the ‘ CEO factory ’ for its alumni list that includes Cheryl Sandberg (COO of Facebook), Sundar Pichai (CEO of Alphabet and Google), James Gorman (CEO of Morgan Stanley), and many more. For this reason, it is unsurprising that their games-based assessment focuses on  testing thinking over personality traits .​

The five skills that McKinsey specifically looks to test with their digital assessment are:​

Critical thinking  is the conceptualizing, analyzing, and synthesizing of information based on observation, experience, reflection, or reasoning. For strategy consultants such as McKinsey, this is an important skill as client problems are often  unique and complex . To reach clear and concise recommendations or conclusions, strategy consultants must  practice strong critical thinking skills  to reduce the noise down to the critical points only.​

Decision-making  based on fragmented, imperfect information is critical as McKinsey advises some of the world’s largest companies. The discipline of strategy consulting brings structure and logic to some of the most important decisions CEOs will make in their tenure and so McKinsey expects all their consultants to be  competent and comfortable making decisive decisions .​

Metacognition  is the ability to  assess your own thinking and learning . Throughout a client engagement, a consultant’s knowledge and information base will increase and perhaps change the previous opinions put forward. The ability to  critique and change thinking  and logical reasoning based on the emergence of new information is important to reach the best possible outcome for the client.​

Situational awareness  has historically been tested using situational judgment tests and is the decision-making of an individual in a social-based scenario, such as the workplace. As consulting is a project-based, client-facing profession, the ability to make sound,  appropriate decisions  is important to building and  maintaining working relationships .​

Systems thinking  is the holistic approach to analysis that considers the whole system, its individual parts, and how they interact with each other. Organizations and business models can all be conceptualized using systems thinking and it is also a strategy consultant's preferred way to  isolate issues and present recommendations  as it makes it easy for clients to understand their thinking and where it fits in the wider picture.

It is important to note that candidates are continuously assessed on these traits throughout the game and not just based on the outcomes at the end. Even something as minor as a keystroke, a click, or a movement of the mouse will be tracked and assessed. The traits will then be benchmarked against a benchmark to see if the candidates will be a good fit for the firm.

The McKinsey digital assessment is  played on a desktop  rather than a smartphone like other types of games. It looks and feels like a PC game similar to those that were popular 15 years ago such as SIMs and is  highly intuitive for the user to navigate .

In the McKinsey digital assessment, candidates have around  70 minutes  to complete two game scenarios (tutorial time is excluded), selected from a pool of six known ones.

The six  possible scenarios  in the digital assessment that have been published by McKinsey include:​

Scenario 1: Ecosystem Management

Scenario 2: plant defense, scenario 3: disaster management, scenario 4: disease management, scenario 5: migration management, scenario 6: redrock study.

Objective : To build a self-sustaining natural ecosystem in a coral reef or a mountain range.

The candidate is provided with a selection of different animals and plants, each requiring and providing varying amounts of nutrients, as well as needing different living conditions. The candidate must assess the benefits of each and  select an optimal combination  of species and location that will ensure a  sustainable ecosystem .​

The candidate needs to build a sustainable chain of 8 species in order to successfully pass this game.

Objective:  To protect an endangered species of plant from incoming invaders​.

The routes of invaders are shown on a grid that increases in size during the game. Using the combination of a limited number of defenders (i.e., predators that hunt the invaders) and terrain (which slows down or blocks the path of the invaders), the user must  prevent the plant in danger  from being reached by the invader for as long as possible.​

Objective : To identify an incoming natural disaster and take necessary evasive action for a group of animals.​

Symptoms of a natural disaster are presented to the candidate such as wind speed, precipitation, and air temperature. Using this information, the candidate has to identify a natural disaster . Each type of disaster has a different expected impact on the island, where a group of animals lives.​

Knowing this, the candidate must choose  where to relocate the group of animals  whilst ensuring they will be protected, sheltered, fed, and watered sustainably in the new location.

Objective : To identify a mysterious disease spreading through a population and the animals that could be affected by it.​

An animal population is showing  symptoms of a disease . Based on the symptoms detected, the candidate must conclude which animals will be affected next and the rules that will lead to the infection.

There are usually two maps in this game, with the second one being substantially more complex since the number of variables for each animal will increase.

Objective : To migrate a group of animals on a path from point A to point B while maximizing the number of animals surviving.

The candidate starts each map with a set of allocated resources (e.g., apples, water, nuts) and is presented with many branching paths to help their animal group reach the final destination. At each step, a certain number of resources will be consumed; the candidate will also be able to collect additional resources and animals at each step. If the candidate has insufficient resources for a specific step, a few animals will be lost.

With this in mind, the candidate must identify the resources needed for survival, plan the path to collect those resources and minimize movements to ultimately reach the final destination with as many animals as possible.  

Objective : To select relevant information out of text, graphs, and tables provided and answer a few numerical questions.

This is the new entry between the McKinsey games as it was first launched in 2022.

The candidate will see information related to a few animal species, including text paragraphs, graphs, and numbers, and will have to select relevant parts to use for his/her research. The information can be dragged and dropped into a separate part of the screen and collected in a research journal.

After the research phase, the candidate will have to use the information collected to answer three quantitative questions related to the animal species.

Here are some  key tips  to ensure you ace the McKinsey digital assessment:​

1. Use trusted prep material for the test – Guides like the Imbellus Solve Game Secrets guide  or the  Imbellus Solve Combo can help you to be ready for the game and learn tips and tricks to save precious time during the assessment. With 300+ 5-star reviews, you can be confident that these guides will deliver what they promise. 

2. Utilize an Excel template to speed up time during the Ecosystem Game  – During the common first game - the Ecosystem Management - you can greatly increase your speed with an Excel tool. The Imbellus Solve Combo includes an automated Excel that can help you to build a chain in as little as 16 minutes and complete the Ecosystem in less than 70% of the time required.

3. Take advantage of the tutorials to get ready  – Before each game, you will have a short tutorial during which time is not counted. You can use the tutorial to have a break, understand the rules of the game and get ready for the next part of the assessment. 

4. Take the assessment in a quiet environment  – The games take approximately 70 minutes. Ensuring you are taking the test in an environment without distractions will increase the chances of optimal performance in each game.​

5. Complete the assessment at the time of your peak performance – For most people, the cognitive ability is higher in the morning when they are most awake and alert. For tasks requiring focus and attention, this is particularly important, thus taking the games in the morning will likely increase your performance.

Make sure to check out the  Consulting Q&A threads  about the McKinsey Problem Solving Game   to receive  insights from former management consultants  as well as candidates who have  passed the Imbellus test !

By now you have learned a lot about how to master the  McKinsey Problem Solving Game . With all the information from the article and  further preparation material , you will be perfectly prepared to ace the Imbellus test and make it to the first round of the  McKinsey interview !

As soon as you receive the invitation to the interview, don't forget to read through the articles on the McKinsey Problem Solving Interview as well as those on how to master the  McKinsey Personal Experience Interview (PEI) . Those will give you guidance for your further case interview preparation and will help you  land the job you want at McKinsey!

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Francesco is an interview coach, former BCG consultant, and tech entrepreneur. He is the #1 coach on PrepLounge.com for meetings done, where he completed more than 3.000 expert sessions. As a coach for consulting interviews, Francesco helped hundreds of candidates to land offers from McKinsey, BCG, and Bain. Since 2016, he organizes consulting boot camps in some of the leading universities in Europe. As a consultant, Francesco joined BCG in the Milan office, where he worked on projects in the energy, industrial goods, and consumer goods sectors. After BCG, he worked in venture capital in Germany as an angel fund associate. As an entrepreneur, Francesco founded two companies in Europe and Asia in the entertainment and EdTech sectors. He is currently leading a Singapore-based company and supporting startups as a strategic advisor.

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I tried the McKinsey problem-solving game every candidate has to beat to land a 6-figure job at the firm. Here's what you need to know to prepare for the test and impress recruiters.

• McKinsey & Co. is a top management consulting firm with a grueling hiring process that includes standardized math tests and case interviews. 
• In effort to diversify its applicant pool, McKinsey designed a virtual game that measures applicants' problem-solving skills and adaptability. 
• I got the opportunity to test out the problem-solving game, which has challenges such as building ocean habitats and protecting ecosystems from invader species.
• Keith McNulty, the global director of people analytics and management at McKinsey, is on the team that designed the problem-solving g ame.
• McNulty told Business Insider that it mimics the rapidly changing environment consultants should expect at McKinsey. 
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories .

McKinsey is banking on an online problem-solving game to recruit more diverse talent.

Keith McNulty , the global director of people analytics and management at McKinsey, told Business Insider that the firm hoped the game, which was added to the recruitment process in January 2019, would help applicants from a variety of backgrounds land jobs. Recruiters at McKinsey traditionally evaluate candidates based on their résumés, the school they attended, and occasionally a standardized math test. But the firm is making more of an effort to review candidates based on factors beyond just their paper credentials, he said.

"We wanted to get an understanding of our candidates before physically meeting them, and that would let us invite a more diverse array of talents," McNulty said.

It's famously hard to land a job at McKinsey ( about 1% of applicants get an offer ). Those who do get jobs can expect to receive a competitive compensation package. MBA grads at the firm can make an estimated base salary of $165,000, in addition to a $30,000 signing bonus and $35,000 first-year performance bonus.

McNulty's team and Imbellus , a software company, designed the problem-solving assessment in 2016. The game has been used by recruiters for the past 18 months. McKinsey declined to share diversity data and said it was too early in the rollout process to calculate the game's overall influence on diversity hiring.

I got a chance to try out the game. The assessment begins with a prompt describing that you are the caretaker of an island facing threats to its ecosystem and wildlife. Throughout the game, you have to make decisions about how to preserve the island and its creatures.

"It reflects the complexity of the type of work that we do, and we also wanted to be futuristic with our approach," McNulty said.

McKinsey isn't the first company to leverage gamification and technology to increase diversity in hiring. The consumer-goods company Unilever, for example, started using artificial intelligence and neuroscience-based games to screen entry-level hires. Unilever previously told Business Insider that it saw a "significant" increase in hires of nonwhite applicants and an increase in universities represented to 2,600 from 840.

Here's what I learned from testing out McKinsey's problem-solving assessment. 

The game takes about one hour and applicants complete it before they have an interview.

The game is a timed one-hour assessment, and it can be taken on an applicant's personal computer. Candidates should expect to complete the digital assessment after they submit an application but before they're selected for interviews.

"Its purpose is to help us make more balanced decisions about who to invite in for face-to-face meetings," McNulty said.

In fact, McNulty and consultants on the analytics team are responsible for interpreting the results, generating data points, and converting the results into something that makes sense for recruiters, the director added. 

"We'd translate the meanings behind the results, put them side by side with other information we have, and say, 'If I can interview 100 people, which would have the highest potential to succeed?'" he said.

I had to build a sustainable marine habitat for ocean species like coral and fish.

The game consists of four challenges. These include tests where applicants are asked to build new ecosystems and respond to invasive species that threaten a particular area of land.

In one of the simulations, I was asked to build a sustainable marine habitat for a wide variety of ocean species. I analyzed an extensive list of coral, fish, and fungi that are most compatible with one another. Then I had to consider the best possible water temperature, depth, and location for all the species.  

I organized the marine species — like the royal blue tang, the acropora coral, and the giant sea turtle — into categories based on three ranging water temperatures and depth. I placed about 27 species into their designated categories to figure out the probability of them surviving with one another.

I selected a specific temperature and depth range to narrow down my list. The most challenging part of this exercise is figuring out a balanced group of predator animals and food sources. 

Consultants are expected to adjust quickly and understand a client problem without having much background information, and this simulation mimics that setting, McNulty said. 

"In the game, we're modeling that neutral environment," he said. "There's a lot of information. And you'll have to navigate that information and understand which of it is relevant and which isn't relevant. That's the actual type of thinking that's required in a consulting job." 

In one scenario I played the role of a plant protector from invader species. This simulation was high pressure since I couldn't predict when or how invaders would attack, and I had to make judgement calls based on limited information. I also had little time and a set number of resources.

"The work that we need to do can change a lot," McNulty said. "It's a bit about thinking ahead, anticipating what's going to come, and planning out the consequences of change."

Candidates aren't given a score, but their results are interpreted by McKinsey's consultants. McKinsey did not monitor my test and didn't provide a score.

You need to have good organizational and critical-thinking skills to be successful.

These are the four main skills I found helpful when taking the test. 

• Decision-making: Throughout all four simulations, I had to make the best possible decision despite limitations. At the beginning, I was too focused on achieving the perfect outcome, and I wasted too much time and resources as a consequence.
• Creativity: There is no one "right way" to approach and solve a problem. In fact, each simulation offered a variety of solutions. 
• Adaptability:  The worst thing you could do when taking the test is panic. It's easy to become overwhelmed by the complexity of each simulation. 
• Organization:  Drawing charts with a pen and paper helped me better understand the game — especially when I had to build a marine ecosystem.

I found it saved time to read the preparation materials ahead of time.

There are some small things candidates can do to prepare for the test. 

McNulty recommended that gamers be open-minded because the game most likely won't be what they expect. The director said candidates should plan to play the game in a setting where they'd be most focused and productive. 

"You don't want a place where you'd be easily distracted while there are other things going on around you," he added. "It might be a game, but being able to concentrate is very, very important as well." 

One of the biggest mistakes candidates can make is not reading the preparation materials that McKinsey sends before the game. Not reading about it doesn't mean you're going to fail the assessment, but it can take up an extra 10 to 15 minutes of your time. 

"For us, it's really about discovering talent in places where we were finding it difficult to discover people and opening up that aperture and letting a diverse range of people have that same opportunity," McNulty said.

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McKinsey Problem Solving Game (Solve)

Welcome to our market-leading interactive McKinsey Solve Game Simulation. You'll have the chance to experience the assessment firsthand with our proprietary software. Our simulation includes three games from the assessment: Ecosystem Creation, Redrock Study, and Plant Defense.

Watch our videos to learn key tips to excel in the game, and understand what you'll encounter in our simulation. We've also created a demo version of the game, allowing you a few minutes to experience it yourself before making a purchase.

Explore Our Interactive Demo Today

We invite you to dive into the first few minutes of the Ecosystem Creation: Coral Reef game through our free demo provided below. Experience the tutorial, browse the guidebook, select four monitors, and hover over the ecosystem to pick your starting location.

As you purchase the full game, you can browse the entire set of species and start building your ecosystem. Alternatively, you'll also get access to the other ecosystem creation game, Ecosystem Creation: Mountain Ridge, as well as Redrock Study and Plant Defense games.

Video Guide: Tips and Game Walkthrough

Dive into the McKinsey Solve (Problem Solving Game) with our detailed guide, featuring exclusive in-game footage from Prepmatter's interactive simulation. Our video offers a comprehensive look into the game's structure, covering the Ecosystem Creation (including both Mountain Ridge and Coral Reef scenarios), the Redrock Study, and the Plant Defense game. 

For the Ecosystem Creation game, we break down the general layout and share key eating rules and strategic tips on selecting the optimal location to establish a sustainable ecosystem, supplemented with practical examples. This segment is designed to equip you with the knowledge needed to navigate through the complexities of ecosystem management.

The Redrock Study, a newer addition to the Solve game, receives an in-depth analysis across its Study and Cases sections. We dissect the Investigation, Analysis, and Report phases, providing in-game visuals to demystify the game's setup. Our guide includes best practices for gathering relevant data points, performing accurate calculations, and effectively summarizing findings in both written and graphical forms. Additionally, we delve into the Cases section, where you'll encounter 6 mini-cases, offering insights into what to expect and how to approach each scenario.

Although the Plant Defense game has been largely replaced by the Redrock Study, we haven't overlooked it. Our guide presents the game setup, detailing essential strategies for terrain transformation and the deployment of animals to defend the native plant. Through strategic advice, we aim to help you extend the plant's defense for as long as possible.

Full Game Reveal: Master McKinsey's Problem Solving Game

Dive into the comprehensive gameplay experience with our brand-new video guide! We're excited to unveil the first complete walkthrough of the McKinsey Problem Solving Game in the market, providing an unmatched practical learning opportunity. Follow along as we navigate through the intricacies of Ecosystem Creation, Redrock Study, and Plant Defense.

In the Ecosystem Creation section, discover how to identify the optimal habitat, select a balanced group of species, and employ strategies that pave the way for a thriving ecosystem. Progressing to the Redrock Study, we dissect the study and case phases of the intriguing Nolotiles scenario, exclusively provided through Prepmatter. Concluding with Plant Defense, our guide imparts tactics for positioning animals and barriers to safeguard the native plant.

How else can I prepare?

McKinsey Solve Game: 12 Tips to Ace this Test

• Last Updated February, 2024

If you plan to interview with McKinsey, you will find yourself playing a video game as part of your recruiting process. The McKinsey Solve Game is a “digital gamified assessment” designed to test your problem-solving skills in a fun & intuitive way.

This game goes by different names, including the McKinsey problem solving game and the McKinsey digital assessment. Whatever you call it, you need to know what this game is and how to prepare for it.

In this article, we discuss recent updates to the McKinsey Solve Game and also provide tips from our coaches, who are former MBB recruiters, consultants, and interviewers. We’ll cover:

• An overview of the McKinsey Solve Game
• Detail on the new Redrock Study Scenario
• The skills the game measures
• 12 tips on beating the McKinsey Solve Game

Let’s get started!

What Does the McKinsey Solve Game Look Like?

Candidates have 60-70 minutes to play the game on a computer browser (not an iPad or phone). You can play the McKinsey Solve Game in one of 4 languages: English, Spanish, Portuguese, or Japanese.

The assessment begins with this prompt:

“Imagine yourself in a beautiful, serene forest populated by many kinds of wildlife. As you take in the flora and fauna, you learn about an urgent matter demanding your attention.”

The McKinsey Solve Game has 6 possible scenarios. Each candidate plays 2 of the 6, but 2 scenarios come up most frequently:

• Ecosystem Building Game. Create a stable ecosystem and populate it with plants and animals.
• Redrock Study. An ecological field study. There are 10 multiple-choice questions at the end of the game.

We’ll walk you through the 2 common scenarios first, then tell you about the other scenarios so you can be prepared just in case.

The 4 less common scenarios are:

• Plant Defense Game. Protect a native plant from an invasive species.
• Disaster Management Game. Identify a natural disaster based on environmental symptoms and protect the animal population.
• Disease Management Game. Identify a disease affecting an ecosystem based on symptoms affecting the animals and recommend a treatment plan.
• Migration Management Game. Direct a group of animals from one point to another while minimizing resources used along the way.

Working through each of these scenarios takes the candidate through the life-cycle of a consulting case, from understanding the problem to be solved, to collecting then analyzing data, to making a decision with limited time and imperfect information, and then recommending a solution.

Common McKinsey Solve Game Scenarios

Ecosystem building game.

  Photo credit: McKinsey & Company

Task: Create a stable ecosystem. It could be marine-based or terrestrial.

Choose a location on the map based on its conditions (humidity, temperature, and soil acidity for terrestrial environments; temperature, depth, currents, and salinity for marine environments.)

• Select 8 plant and animal species out of the 20+ provided to place in the ecosystem to form a viable food chain. Match the profiles of the species with the conditions in the location. Also, match the prey each species likes.
• Optimize the chance of the ecosystem’s survival by balancing the food chain and ensuring the ecosystem doesn’t collapse. The calories required by each species (how many it needs to eat) and calories provided to predator species are given. For instance, you need to ensure your apex predator (such as a bear) doesn’t consume so many calories that it wipes out the smaller creatures from your ecosystem.
• This scenario takes 35 minutes to complete.
• Play the game on one device with another device open to do some quick calculations.
• Develop and follow a structured process, creating your food chain from the top down (starting with the apex predator) or the bottom up (starting from plants/fungi/coral).
• Choose producers (plants/fungi/coral) with high calories provided and which are eaten by many animal species. Choose small animals/herbivores with low calories needed and high calories provided, when possible.
• Narrow your choice of species down from 20 to 10-12, then run the math to ensure your ecosystem is in balance.

NEW McKinsey Solve Game Scenario: RedRock Study

Task: Create an ecological field study investigating wolf packs on an island. The goal is to relocate the pack(s) so they will best balance with the species around them and survive. Study the wolf pack’s hunting behavior and balance it with other species, such as deer.

• Research the wolf packs. You’ll be given an article with past data on the wolf packs. You’ll need to read through a lot of information and drag the most significant data points into a notebook, then use it as a basis for calculations.
• Analyze the data. You’ll be asked to make 3 calculations based on your original research objective. Good news! You’ll get a virtual calculator as well as the option to go back to the article if you need more data.
• Report your findings. Create a summary and graphics to help readers visualize what you found in your analysis.
• Keep your research objective in mind. That’s your North Star in identify what data is most relevant and how to present your analysis.
• Use the  Pyramid Principle to structure your summary. Start with your main point and then list the key points underneath it.

Multiple-choice Questions

After the game, you’ll be asked 10 multiple-choice questions based on the data you received  and your calculations. Questions include the best graphic format to visualize specific types of information or the percentage change in wolf population under hypothetical scenarios. Plan your time accordingly.

McKinsey Solve Game Instructions, Timing, & Preparation

Your performance in the game is assessed based on 2 criteria: your product score and your process score.

Product score: This is your success in each of the individual game scenarios. How well did you accomplish the game tasks?

Process score: This is an assessment of your process for achieving that score. Did you come up with a good strategy for addressing the scenario? Did you consistently follow your strategy (rather than making random guesses)? McKinsey assesses your strategy by reviewing your mouse movements, keystrokes, and decisions.

You’ll find out your results on the McKinsey Solve Game within 2 weeks of taking it. The results will be a simple pass/fail without more detail.

A tutorial is provided before each scenario. The time you spend on the tutorials is not timed, so spend as long as you need to ensure you understand your task and the data provided.

The tutorial suggests how long to spend on each task, but you have the flexibility to manage your own time. Tasks in the 1st scenario typically take longer than tasks in the 2nd scenario, so consider that as you plan your time.

Imbellus, the company McKinsey worked with to create the Solve game, says they didn’t design the test to create a time constraint. Some people report having time left over at the end of the 70 minutes. Others feel pressed for time at the end.

No advanced preparation for the test is required. Neither business knowledge nor gaming experience is required. The game provides all the information candidates need.

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How 800+ candidates have landed consulting offers at mckinsey, bain and bcg, less common mckinsey solve game scenarios.

McKinsey likes to mix things up. They change the scenarios given to one candidate versus another and the parameters within scenarios so you can’t just get the right answer from your pal who aced the McKinsey Solve Game yesterday. 

Because of this, you need to understand how the game works and be prepared for something a bit different, just in case. So let’s walk through the 4 less common scenarios. They are:

1. Plant Defense Game

Task:  Protect a native plant against an invader species for 15 turns using predators and barriers. The difficulty increases with each turn.

• This game is played on a square grid (10 x 10 or 12 x 12). A pack of predators (such as foxes or gerbils) will invade from the edge of the grid. Their route is indicated so you can plan your defense.
• Your goal is to choose and deploy terrain barriers (such as mountains or rocks) and another predator species (such as owls and snakes) to slow and eliminate the invading species before it reaches the native plant. You should try to last 15 turns or more.
• Choose predators to attack the invader species based on the amount of damage they do and their range of attack. Optimize the placement of 5 predators along the invaders’ path.
• You have time to consider your strategy. When you’re ready, press “execute,” and the predators will move one square. You can revise your strategy, if you want to, before pressing execute again and giving the invaders their next move.
• Geographic barriers can slow invaders or divert them into “kill zones,” bottlenecks in the range of your predator species.
• The defenses you place after each turn remain in place, so if you place your defenses poorly in turn 1, that will negatively affect you for the rest of that game.
• The kill zones from multiple defenders can overlap. Set up strong overlapping defenses around the native plant.
• Plan for the long-term, at least 15 turns, not just the invaders currently on the screen.
• Terrain can multiply the damage of your defenders. Set up terrain barriers early and put defenders on top of them.
• The invader species will disappear when its health reaches zero.
• There are 3 rounds of this game. With each new round, there’s a new pack of predators. The grid resets between rounds, repositioning the native plant you need to save. Together, the rounds last 35 minutes.
• You win by ensuring the native species survives as long as possible.

2. Disaster Management

Task:   Identify the natural disaster, such as a tsunami or volcanic eruption, which has hit the ecosystem. Help the animals survive the disaster.

• Use environmental data (temperature, atmospheric pressure, rain, etc.) to identify the type of disaster that has occurred.
• Find an alternative location for the animals where they are most likely to survive based on the characteristics of the species and the site.
• Move the animals to the selected location.

To win: Quickly identify the disaster and react to it.

3. Disease Management

Task:   Identify a disease affecting the animals and recommend a course of treatment.

• Identify the disease based on symptoms affecting the animals.
• Select a treatment based on the characteristics of the disease, the animal population, and treatment options.
• Optimize for the animals’ survival.

To win: Quickly identify the type of disease and react to it.

4. Migration Management

Task: Migrate the group of animals from one point to another utilizing minimum resources and ensuring maximum animals survive.

• From the start point, select the best route out of the various alternatives.
• For each route, a fixed number of animals will die, and the resources will be reduced by a fixed amount.
• At each touch point, continue to select the best route forward, taking into account additional animals and resources you can collect at points on the route.

To win:   Keep track of the resources and surviving animals as you navigate various routes. Use quick math to guide your decisions.

What Does the McKinsey Solve Game Measure?

The video game assessment tool tests 5 cognitive skills:

• Critical thinking : the ability to make thoughtful decisions based on data .
• Decision making : the ability to make the best possible decision with limited time and imperfect information.
• Metacognition : The abi l ity to use strategies such as hypothesis-testing to problem-solve effectively.
• Situational awareness : the ability to perceive what’s going on in a complex environment, what it means, and to make projections.
• Systems thinking : the ability to understand multi-factor cause-and-effect relationships.

12 Tips on Excelling at the McKinsey Solve Game

• Understand the 5 cognitive skills being tested (listed above). Solve is not a mindless game. Understanding these skills will help you focus on the right things during the assessment, such as having and following a strategy and keeping track of the big picture.
• Complete the technical check and select a starting window for taking the test as soon as possible. The technical check won’t start the game, and if you have a technical problem, you want to know about it and solve it before taking the test. Also, there’s a limit on the number of people who can play the McKinsey Solve Game simultaneously, and openings can fill up.
• Take time to understand the instructions. The Solve Game is not simple. The amount of data you’ll be given may feel overwhelming. But the 70-minute time limit for the game doesn’t start until after you finish the tutorial , so make sure you understand the instructions before you begin the game.
• Make sure you understand the objectives of each task. You need to plan for how to “win” at each task before you start it to make effective choices. For example, in the ecosystem game, you need to know the eating rules/calorie requirements. 
• Take good notes . Keep track of important information and use the data to make decisions.
• Prioritize and don’t get lost in the details. There is a lot of data provided in the assessment. Focus on the big picture to ensure you don’t get lost in the details.
• Do the easy math.  Pause early in each game to see if you can figure out the simple equations driving the relationships between variables (e.g., 1 of X resource = 3 of Y resource). Use these equations to guide your decision-making. But don’t spend too long on this. Instead. . .
• Test your ideas and note outcomes. Some questions ask you to assess different strategies. Testing ideas and adapting will help you answer these questions and develop a fact base for making good decisions.
• Make decisions with limited or too much information. In some cases, you won’t have every piece of information you’d like or the time to make perfect decisions. Make the best decisions with the time and information you have. In other cases, you’ll be overwhelmed with data and need to sift quickly through to what is important. This reflects trade-offs consultants need to make on the job.
• Don’t replicate the solutions of other test-takers. The McKinsey Solve Game creates unique scenarios for each test taker so that no one can cheat the test.
• Keep track of your time. It is more important to complete all the tasks in the allotted 70 minutes than to do marginally better on the first tasks but not complete the last ones. The first task is meant to take longer than the others, but make sure you know how much time you have remaining so you don’t run out.
• Don’t rush into actions that can’t be undone. People report feeling rushed and making hasty decisions they later regret. Take a moment to think before committing resources or finalizing a strategy.

How Should Candidates Prepare for the McKinsey Problem Solving Game?

McKinsey says that no additional preparation is required to take the assessment. There’s a tutorial at the beginning of each of the prompts that will tell you what you need to know.

With that said, having a general sense of what to expect will help candidates perform their best. Take a look at the resources provided below.

When you take the assessment, relax and let yourself absorb the game world, the information provided, and the problem you’re asked to solve. You are allowed to take notes during the assessment, and the notes will not be used for evaluation purposes, so bring a pen and paper.

Links to Additional Resources

You can watch McKinsey’s video for an introduction to the digital assessment .

For more information about the test, read this article .

And if you really want to geek out, there’s this abstract .

Still have questions about the McKinsey Solve Game?

If you have further questions on the McKinsey Problem Solving Game, leave them in the comments below. We’ll have one of  My Consulting Offer’s   coaches provide more information.

Also, let us know if you’re asked to take the digital assessment. We’d love to know what you think of it! 

People who are interested in the McKinsey Solve Game typically find the following other My Consulting Offer pages helpful:

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• Online Consulting Tests: A Roundup
• BCG Pymetrics Test
• Oliver Wyman Online Test

Help with the McKinsey Problem Solving Game

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If you want a step-by-step solution to land more offers from consulting firms, then  grab the free video training series below.  It’s been created by former Bain, BCG, and McKinsey Consultants, Managers and Recruiters.

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McKinsey Solve Game (2024): How to Prepare and Ace the Imbellus

Last Updated on March 26, 2024

The McKinsey Solve Game, previously known as the McKinsey Problem Solving Game, Digital Assessment, or informally as ‘the Imbellus’, serves as a pivotal tool for the renowned consulting firm in evaluating prospective candidates. This assessment is utilized in tandem with the infamous case interviews and personal experience interviews (PEI) .

For those wondering how to prepare for McKinsey’s digital problem-solving game, this article breaks down the key areas to focus on for enhanced performance. In this comprehensive guide, we delve into the nuances of McKinsey Solve Game preparation, providing you with the latest strategies to ace the assessment.

It’s important to mention that we consistently update this article with the latest and most relevant information. Initially published in May 2019, our coverage was a pioneering global insight into the Solve Game, even during its beta testing phase. Our most recent update to this article was in mid-February 2024, ensuring you have the most current insights at your fingertips.

History of the McKinsey Imbellus Solve Game

Developed in collaboration with Imbellus and psychologists from UCLA Cresst, the McKinsey Solve Game invites candidates to engage in a series of stimulating scenarios. This immersive experience is a precursor to embarking on a career with McKinsey, demanding a well-thought-out Imbellus Game strategy.

The game challenges players to create sustainable ecosystem simulations within diverse environments such as reefs, mountain ridges, or jungles. Additionally, participants assume the role of a researcher, analyzing animal populations. In an earlier version of the game, your focus was on protecting plant species from invaders in a tower-defense-like game. This immersive experience is a precursor to embarking on a career with McKinsey.

When this game-based assessment was introduced by the world’s leading consulting firms four years ago, it created a significant buzz in the consulting industry for two primary reasons. Firstly, the Solve Game marked a departure from traditional recruitment methods by incorporating an actual computer game. This represented a shift from the conventional Problem Solving Test (PST), a pen-and-paper test designed to gauge candidates’ abilities to solve business problems under time constraints. Secondly, McKinsey’s stance that the game’s nature makes it impervious to specific preparation strategies initially left applicants feeling uncertain about how to best approach the assessment. This was a notable change for applicants accustomed to preparing for weeks or sometimes even months to tackle their case interviews.

Quick reality check…

However, it soon became evident that the consulting firm recruitment game was not impervious to preparation and strategy. McKinsey’s claim was more of a strategic marketing move. Our interviews with some of the first candidates who participated in the initial Imbellus Test in London in November 2019 revealed insightful feedback. This was the first instance where the Solve Game was employed as a formal part of the recruitment process beyond its beta testing phase. These early test-takers made it clear that with a better understanding of the game’s format and the skills it assessed, they could have performed more effectively. Several candidates had even prepared for the PST, not anticipating any changes in the assessment approach. They were informed about the switch to the Solve Game merely a week in advance.

Leveraging this feedback and using their dissatisfaction as a starting point, we collaborated with experts in the field and continued to gather insights from test-takers across various countries. This collective input allowed us to develop effective preparation strategies and gameplay techniques to play the games successfully.

What we found is that – in contrast to McKinsey’s initial messaging – it’s indeed possible to prepare effectively for this assessment. Adopting the right strategies for each game segment can quickly enhance relevant skills, as evidenced by our candidates’ significant performance improvements compared to their peers, thanks to these McKinsey digital assessment tips. Adopting the right strategies for each game segment can quickly enhance relevant skills, as evidenced by our candidates’ significant performance improvements

This article aims to provide a comprehensive guide to mastering the Solve Game. We’ll cover five key areas:

• Understanding McKinsey’s motivation for transitioning from the traditional Problem Solving Test to a gamified assessment, and what this means for you.
• Introducing and examining all six games included in the assessment, along with variations reported by test-takers.
• Clarifying the actual skills assessed, extending beyond the official communications.
• Detailing preparation methods, exercises, and tools to elevate your performance.
• Offering insights into effective test-taking strategies to facilitate Imbellus game skills development and maximize results

For those seeking thorough preparation, we offer a detailed preparation package including (with instant access):

• 147-page Problem Solving Game Guide
• Excel Solver tool for the Ecosystem Game with ecosystem game strategies
• 14 videos that dissect every aspect of the games, including game-winning strategies.
• Complimentary 14-page primer for McKinsey case and PEI interviews
• McKinsey game practice tests

StrategyCase.com was the pioneer in providing detailed analysis of this new assessment type, backed by authentic firsthand information. This has allowed us to continuously refine our insights based on feedback from our extensive customer base. The program has gone through 20 iterations, last updated in February 2024, and incorporates feedback from over 500 test-takers and several game designers.

We launched our original program at the end of November 2019 and have since been updating it regularly to maintain its relevance and accuracy, distinguishing ourselves from others who have merely replicated our content. To date, more than 8500 applicants  from over 70 nations have used the guide to prepare for their Imbellus. 

Our McKinsey Solve Game Preparation Package

Elevate your Solve Game score with the original game guide, a 14-part video course, an Excel Solver tool, and Red Rock practice tests. Trusted by more than 8,500 customers from 70+ countries since November 2019.

Introduction of the McKinsey Solve Game

“Imagine yourself in a beautiful, serene forest populated by many kinds of wildlife. As you take in the flora and fauna, you learn about an urgent matter demanding your attention: the animals are quickly succumbing to an unknown illness. It’s up to you to figure out what to do—and then act quickly to protect what you can.” McKinsey & Company

Sounds exciting? Well,…you be the judge.

As a consultant with McKinsey or any other top-tier consulting firm, you often find yourself in situations where you must save the day. On an abstract level, the game simulates exactly this reality. While your consulting career mostly relates to strategy engagements with Fortune 500 companies, McKinsey chooses the environmental scenarios deliberately. More on that in a second.

Traditionally, the McKinsey way of hiring candidates was through the following funnel:

• Screening: Your consulting resume and cover letter are screened based on a number of filters
• Problem Solving Test: A 60-minute pen-and-paper test, covering 26 business-related questions
• Consulting Interview Round 1 : 2 to 3 business case and personal experience interviews
• Consulting Interview Round 2: another 1 to 3 interviews depending on the region (Rounds 1 and 2 can be on the same day in some offices)

With the introduction of the Problem Solving Game (PSG), the Problem Solving Test (PST) was on its way out.

So, why would McKinsey replace a time-tested screening tool, which has evaluated hundreds of thousands of applicants, with a computer game? The reasons are threefold, reflecting McKinsey’s typical approach:

The answer is quite simple and – as ever so often in the McKinsey world – threefold:

• To  attract new talent  and new types of consultants.
• To have an assessment  tool that is agnostic  (in theory)  of people’s backgrounds .
• To have a lower-cost program (in the long run) to  assess a greater amount of candidates .

The Firm is employing the Solve Game to take into account the changes that every consulting firm faces: Changes in its client base, new types of problems the clients face, and its evolution through organic growth and acquisitions. New problems of clients require a new type of consulting workforce. The typical McKinsey career has changed. Hence, McKinsey is investing heavily in the recruitment of new types of talent, including data scientists, implementation practitioners, IT experts, product and digital designers, as well as software developers in addition to their generalist consulting roles. A digital test is only logical when hiring digital natives.

Above, we teased the environmental abstraction of the game tasks. What is that all about? McKinsey stresses that to perform well in the different games, no prior knowledge and preparation is needed or beneficial (contrary to the PST). The natural context should be easily accessible for every possible candidate, regardless of their background. The PST was geared more towards business majors and quant-heavy degrees, evaluating candidates with a simple pen-and-paper test. With the Solve Game, McKinsey has created a much more complex assessment tool to avoid any biases related to a candidate’s culture, experience, or background. Why this is a fallacy and just introduces new types of biases, a bit further down on this page…

Lastly, McKinsey is receiving several hundred thousand applications every year. Can you imagine going through all of them and dedicating proper resources to every single one of them? No? Right, because neither can McKinsey. High-level screening algorithms decide what consulting cover letter and resume gets screened by a human and even then, many candidates are quickly sorted out. As a result, many potentially talented individuals do not make the cut. The Solve Game attacks this issue from two ends.

Administering the Imbellus Game to one additional candidate comes with almost zero additional cost for the Firm. The assessment can be taken from home (in most cases) and does not block many recruitment resources from the local office. It is part of a streamlined and automated process ( sounds exactly like what a top-tier management consulting firm would do, eh? ). For the PST, on the other hand, candidates had to go to the office to take the test, blocking many resources in the process. Second, with a negligible marginal cost for one additional test-taker, more people can be evaluated and potentially deemed ‘worthy’ of moving on to the interview rounds, even if their resume lacked some important metric that was relevant to the old screening algorithm.

To hit those three points, McKinsey hired Imbellus (which has since been acquired by Roblox ) to develop the different games of the Solve Game, a company that claims to reinvent how we measure human potential. A bold claim.

Does the Solve Game live up to this claim and fill its new role as a screening device for applicants?

If you want to learn more about McKinsey’s rationale for the Solve Game, Fortune spoke with Katy George, McKinsey & Company’s chief people officer, regarding the impact of prevailing labor market trends on the consulting firm’s talent strategy.

The Firm wanted to change its talent recruitment strategy to align with current labor market trends. Shifting its focus from prestigious educational backgrounds to the potential and diverse skill sets of candidates, McKinsey now recruits from a broader range of educational institutions, increasing its outreach from 700 to about 1,500 schools, with plans to expand to 5,000. This approach supports the “paper ceiling” movement, valuing talent over formal qualifications.

To support this move, McKinsey developed the video game ‘Solve’ to attract a wider pool of applicants, including tech talent. This evaluation has reached over 150,000 candidates in the first two years of the game’s introduction, highlighting the game’s role in identifying talent with varied backgrounds, particularly in technology.

The Role of the McKinsey Solve Game

As a candidate, the Solve Game immerses you in several digital, scenario-based assessments, designed to understand and measure how you approach and solve problems, basically putting you in situations that McKinsey consultants face every day. This approach diverts significantly from other well-known testing formats such as the PST or the BCG Online Case , which test problem-solving skills in a business context.

A Digital Case Interview with Twists and Turns

The Imbellus replaces the McKinsey Problem Solving Test (which has been discontinued in several offices such as Germany and Austria years ago due to the bias it introduced –   business majors usually got much higher scores).

While the PST is useful when gathering information about a candidate’s problem-solving skills, it introduces a bias toward candidates who are familiar with business problems. Since it favors business major backgrounds, it is not in line with McKinsey looking to expand its hiring base. Also, the PST does not allow for understanding how the candidates arrived at a solution. The Imbellus Assessment allows McKinsey to get both a product score, evaluating how good your solution is, and a process score, providing insights into your problem-solving prowess and approach.

By changing this part of the recruiting process and introducing an abstracted digital assessment, McKinsey hopes to gauge applicants’ cognitive abilities in a bias-free environment while at the same time collecting way more data points on them.

The Format of McKinsey Solve Game

The Imbellus Solve Game has evolved to a format where candidates engage in two out of six available mini-games within a 70-minute timeframe. This represents a change from previous versions, which allotted up to 81 minutes for gameplay. According to our data and surveys, every candidate since March 2023 has participated in a version of the Ecosystem Creation game and the Red Rock Study game. Notably, since the end of February 2023, the Plant Defense game, previously a consistent element of the assessment, has not been featured.

This setup emphasizes effective time management, as candidates must ensure completion of both games within the allocated time, 35 minutes for each.

In the following sections, we will provide an in-depth analysis of each game, outlining various strategies and techniques to efficiently manage time and maximize performance.

The Scoring of the Solve Game

The essence of the Imbellus test aligns closely with the conventional approach of consulting cases and interviews. It demands the identification of a problem, gathering and analyzing data, making informed decisions under time constraints and with incomplete information, and then crafting actionable recommendations. Essentially, the test is designed to assess problem-solving skills, but it does so in an online format, leveraging sophisticated algorithms.

Data on the test’s efficacy indicates that a candidate’s performance in the Imbellus problem-solving simulation is a reliable predictor of their likelihood to receive an offer following the case interviews. This predictive accuracy is reportedly superior to that of the traditional Problem Solving Test (PST). Further details and specific data on these outcomes will be discussed in subsequent sections.

The McKinsey Solve Game is tailored to evaluate candidates’ skills in scenarios that mimic real-life situations, going beyond what can be inferred from a consulting cover letter or resume. It scrutinizes candidates’ problem-solving approaches, their creativity in tackling tasks, and their overall thought processes. Specifically, the game is designed to assess:

• Problem identification : The ability to accurately discern the core problem that needs resolution.
• Analysis of information : Skill in sourcing and scrutinizing information from diverse channels.
• Strategic solution development : Competence in formulating and methodically testing hypotheses to solve the problem.
• Conclusion and decision making : Aptitude for drawing appropriate conclusions and making informed decisions.
• Adaptability : Agility in responding to evolving situations or changing parameters.
• Quantitative reasoning: With the introduction of the Red Rock game, McKinsey now also evaluates how effectively candidates can comprehend, process, and apply quantitative data in problem-solving scenarios.

To effectively measure these attributes, McKinsey and Imbellus use a dual-scoring system:

• Product Score:  This evaluates the quality of the outcome achieved. Did you complete the game objectives, like creating a sustainable ecosystem, providing the correct outcomes for your analyses, or protecting the plant?
• Process Score:  This score reflects the method and strategy used to achieve the outcome. It tracks every interaction, including over 100 different variables during gameplay. Factors like apparent nervousness or the execution of a logical plan are considered.

The implications of this sophisticated scoring system for new candidates are multifaceted:

For candidates, the McKinsey Solve Game’s scoring system has significant implications. It means that the assessment isn’t just about reaching the correct outcome, but also about how you get there. This dual focus on both product and process offers a more holistic evaluation of a candidate’s abilities.

• Holistic assessment : Candidates are evaluated on their results and the strategies they employ. This approach rewards not only correct outcomes but also thoughtful, strategic processes.
• Behavior under pressure : The game assesses how candidates perform under pressure, including decision-making speed, adaptability, and handling incomplete information.
• Broader accessibility : Since the game is less reliant on specific business knowledge and more on general problem-solving skills, it potentially opens the door for candidates from diverse academic and professional backgrounds.
• Increased stress : The knowledge that every action is being recorded and analyzed might increase stress levels for some candidates, possibly affecting their performance.

You might think that with such an assessment and with a focus on process, it’s harder for candidates to ‘game’ the system by preparing for specific outcomes. Yet, what we found out over time is that the range of potential outcomes for the Ecosystem game and the types of questions for the Red Rock Study game is very narrow. We have developed strategies and step-by-step approaches to navigate this challenge very well.

Overall, the McKinsey Solve Game represents a shift in how candidates are assessed, placing equal importance on the journey and the destination. For candidates, this means preparing for the game requires a focus on developing the right approach and the ability to remain calm and effective under pressure.

Current Roll-out and Scope of the McKinsey Solve Game

It’s all fun and games until your score actually determines your future McKinsey career.

A frequently asked question from candidates is about the necessity of participating in the Solve Game during their application process. The straightforward answer is that in almost all cases, yes, it’s required.

Initially, the game underwent testing with 5,000 candidates across 20 countries between May 2018 and October 2019, alongside the PST. This phase wasn’t about evaluating candidates; rather, it focused on gathering data, beta testing, and fine-tuning the games. Additionally, McKinsey’s active consultants were invited to play in trial runs, contributing further to the data collection.

As of now, McKinsey has globally implemented the Solve Game for a vast majority of applicant types, aiming to evaluate a larger pool of individuals with more refined metrics. Our internal data indicates that the game has been adopted in virtually every country with a McKinsey office. The comprehensive global deployment was finalized during the 2020 recruiting season, with many key markets initiating the rollout from January to June of that year.

Since 2022, the use of the Solve Game has extended beyond office applications. Candidates are also required to complete the game as a prerequisite for certain recruiting events, such as the McKinsey Women’s Leadership Summit.

In terms of the roles it applies to, the game is obligatory for all practice areas, including Generalist Consulting, Operations and Implementation, Research & Analytics, Digital, among others. The only exception, as of now, appears to be Orphoz , a McKinsey subsidiary specializing in transformations, which has not yet incorporated the Imbellus games.

Additionally, it’s noteworthy that senior and professional hires are often exempt from this requirement.

Timing of the Imbellus in the McKinsey Recruiting Process

Upon successful screening of your consulting cover letter and resume, you’ll be sent an email with a link to the Imbellus assessment. You have the flexibility to choose when to take the test, provided it’s within 7 calendar days of receiving the link, for most candidates.

However, in some offices and regions, you might be notified earlier (up to a month in advance) about your deadline for the test. In certain cases, you might even be required to visit the office for the test, which could coincide with your case interviews.

It’s advisable to begin preparing for the Imbellus as early as possible to develop and refine the skills evaluated in the assessment.

Post-Game Process: Waiting for Results

If you take the test remotely, the notification period to learn if you’ve passed and can proceed to the interview stage typically ranges from 1 to 14 days, though this can vary based on the office and the volume of candidates. The longest wait reported by one of our candidates was two months, an outlier, with the average wait time usually under a week. Some offices in Asia recruit continuously but only finalize decisions on Solve Game results on specific dates, potentially extending wait times. If you need a quicker response due to another job offer, contacting HR can often expedite the process.

If the Imbellus is taken in conjunction with the first round of interviews, such as in Germany, your game performance will be evaluated alongside your interview results. Different offices place varying levels of emphasis on the assessment’s outcome. For some, it’s an additional factor in the initial interview round, while for others, it acts as a crucial gateway to the interviews. Some offices may also weigh the Solve Game results in conjunction with your application and documents, where a strong resume or referral could potentially compensate for an average game performance.

Requirements to Pass the McKinsey Solve Game

After completing the McKinsey Solve Game, you can gauge your performance even before the official notification.

How to assess your performance?

• Ecosystem Game : The key is to know whether the ecosystem you created will survive. A quick completion time can be a positive indicator. Creating a sustainable ecosystem in less than 25 minutes generally suggests a good chance of success. Tools like our Excel Solver in combination with the right strategy can assist in predicting ecosystem survival, enabling you to craft a viable solution in under 20 minutes.
• Red Rock Game : While there’s no explicit benchmark for what constitutes a passing score, drawing parallels from the previous Problem Solving Test’s approximate 70% cutoff, a similar threshold might apply.
• Plant Defense Game : A strong performance typically involves surviving at least 15 turns per round, with higher numbers like 25 or 30 being ideal. We delve into the implications of these benchmarks in more detail later.

The pass rate for the Solve Game is expected to be similar to or slightly lower than that of the PST. Unofficial pass rates circulating for the Solve Game suggest that only around 20% of candidates successfully pass. With thorough preparation and a clear strategy, this success rate can be increased to over 80%.

McKinsey has conducted extensive beta testing with a large pool of applicants and internal staff to fine-tune the Imbellus assessment. Over time, as more candidates become familiar with the test and preparation efforts intensify, we see a trend of score inflation due to better-prepared candidates. In response, Imbellus frequently updates and introduces new games to maintain a level of unpredictability and mitigate the effects of overpreparation.

There is a reason why our current preparation package is already version 20 in just 4 years.

The Skills Assessed by the McKinsey Solve Game

The McKinsey Solve Game, while not requiring specific business knowledge like the traditional pen-and-paper assessments, focuses on evaluating similar cognitive abilities and problem-solving skills in a gamified context. To excel in the game, candidates need to:

• Understand the skills tested : Gain a deep understanding of what each game assesses.
• Learn effective preparation methods : Master the right techniques and strategies to win.

The 8 Core Skills Assessed by Imbellus Games

The games aim to create a comprehensive profile of your skills across various domains. Every keystroke and mouse movement is captured and analyzed to evaluate your performance, which is reflected in both a product score and a process score. The assessment goes beyond just the outcomes; it also focuses on the cognitive dynamics behind your decisions, your adaptability to changing scenarios, and your approach to error correction.

To score well, it’s crucial to optimize both scores and understand the diverse factors influencing the outcomes in each game scenario.

The key skills assessed, which are not officially communicated by either McKinsey or Imbellus, include:

• Critical thinking : Ability to form logical judgments from a set of facts both in the qualitative and quantitative realm.
• Decision making : Skill in choosing the most effective course of action from multiple options.
• Meta-cognition : Using strategies to simplify learning and problem-solving (e.g., hypothesis testing, note-taking).
• Situational awareness : Understanding the interrelationships between various factors and predicting scenario outcomes.
• Systems thinking : Grasping cause-and-effect relationships involving multiple factors and feedback loops, including foreseeing multiple layers of consequences.
• Cognition : The capacity to memorize, process, store, and integrate new information with existing knowledge for later retrieval.
• Adaptability : Flexibility in altering actions and strategies to accommodate new situations or changing conditions.
• Creativity : Inventiveness in developing unique solutions, approaches, and ideas for various problems.

The McKinsey Solve Game employs advanced data science techniques to meticulously track and analyze each candidate’s actions, offering a comprehensive assessment of their abilities. This digital format provides a wealth of insights into candidates’ skills, leveraging the vast amount of data collected and calibrated from thousands of applicants over time.

This digital assessment method enables McKinsey to observe candidates’ thought processes in a manner akin to traditional consulting interviews but with greater efficiency and depth. It’s a sophisticated approach that goes beyond just the outcomes, focusing on understanding how candidates think, analyze, and solve problems in real-time scenarios.

Demonstrating Key Skills in the McKinsey Solve Game

Maximizing your performance in the McKinsey Solve Game involves showcasing a range of skills through your actions and decision-making processes within the game. Here’s how you can demonstrate these essential skills:

• Critical thinking : Exhibit your ability to sift through large datasets, discard irrelevant information, analyze crucial data, and synthesize your findings to devise optimal solutions. This should be done systematically and methodically both for qualitative decisions and quantitative problems.
• Decision making : The game analyzes your decision-making process by tracking the time spent in each game menu and section, and how you form recommendations based on this data.
• Metacognition : While not directly trackable, your choice of paths and tools in navigating the game can reveal your metacognitive strategies – how you process and approach the games.
• Situational awareness : Demonstrate your understanding of the game’s elements, objectives, available options, and time constraints.
• Systems thinking : Show your ability to recognize interdependencies within the game’s parameters, such as aligning the food chain characteristics with the appropriate location in the ecosystem game.
• Adaptability : Particularly important in games like the plant defense game, where you need to adjust to changing scenarios and strategies.
• Cognition : Utilize your skills in memorizing, storing, integrating, and retrieving information as needed throughout the game.
• Creativity : McKinsey values innovative approaches. Display your ability to deviate from conventional methods and find unique solutions to the challenges.

To optimize both your product and process scores, it’s also crucial to have a clear understanding of the various games included in the assessment and their specific requirements. This knowledge allows you to tailor your strategies and approaches effectively to each unique scenario, thereby enhancing your overall performance.

Combine your Solve Game preparation with our McKinsey Interview Academy.

The Current Games of the McKinsey Solve Game

The McKinsey Solve Game typically allocates a total of 70 minutes for completion, dividing this time equally with 35 minutes dedicated to each of the two games. This standard timing, however, has not always been the case. In the past, the duration varied among candidates, ranging from 60 to 81 minutes, depending on the specific requirements of the tasks at hand.

An integral part of the McKinsey Solve Game experience is the inclusion of untimed tutorial sessions before each game. These tutorials are invaluable for candidates, as they provide a detailed introduction to the games, explaining their mechanics and objectives. The length of these tutorials is flexible, allowing candidates to take as much time as needed to fully grasp the concepts and strategies required for the games. This flexibility is particularly beneficial for ensuring a comprehensive understanding of the game’s intricacies.

Once the actual timed games commence, candidates need to be aware that these cannot be paused. This aspect of the game adds a layer of complexity, emphasizing the importance of effective time management. Candidates need to be well-prepared and focused from the start, as the non-pausable nature of the games demands continuous engagement and strategic thinking throughout the allotted time. This dynamic is crucial in testing candidates’ ability to efficiently navigate and solve problems under time constraints.

Focus on Environmental Topics with Many Evolutions

The McKinsey Problem Solving Game, known for its focus on environmental themes, has seen a series of evolutions and variations since its introduction. Originally, the game included two distinct scenarios: Ecosystem Creation and Plant Defense. However, feedback starting from August 2020 suggested changes in these scenarios. Some candidates encountered a variation of the Ecosystem Creation along with the Disease identification game, instead of the usual Plant Defense game. It’s important to note that in these cases, the Disease Identification was not used for scoring but rather for future calibration of the Imbellus test.

In 2021, a new scenario focused on Migration Planning was introduced to the game. Yet, by the end of 2022, indications emerged that this scenario had been discontinued. McKinsey’s approach to introducing new games and variations appears strategic and careful. Over the last three years, six different games have been featured in the assessment. However, consistent with McKinsey’s methodology in their consulting interviews, the introduction of new scenarios or variations of existing games is primarily for beta testing and calibration. These new elements are not immediately used to evaluate candidates but to ensure consistency in results and skill assessments over time.

As of March 2023, the two scenarios that candidates face are the Ecosystem Creation and the Red Rock Study Game. Every candidate since then has encountered these games, making them the current standard in the Problem Solving Game.

Watch this space as we always update the article and our preparation package as soon as the next evolution is launched by McKinsey.

Let’s take a deeper look at the different games.

Ecosystem Creation

The Ecosystem game, often referred to as the Ecosystem Building or Ecosystem Creation game, has been a cornerstone of the McKinsey Problem Solving Game. It is the only game that is still part of the Solve Game lineup since the very beginning, albeit with a couple of minor variations.

We’ll explore proven strategies to succeed in the Imbellus Ecosystem Simulation, highlighting how to effectively balance your ecosystem.

In this game, you are placed on an island (either in the reef, the jungle, or on a mountain ridge) and tasked with establishing a sustainable ecosystem in a chosen location. The primary objectives are twofold:

• Create a sustainable chain : You need to select 8 species out of 39 that together form a sustainable ecosystem.
• Find a suitable location : Determine the best location for this ecosystem on a map.

These tasks must be completed within a 35-minute timeframe.

The game begins with a tutorial that is untimed, providing an opportunity to understand the game mechanics.

At the core, the game is an optimization problem. You will be confronted with an overload of different data points (similar to the McKinsey Problem Solving Test, yet not business-related). You match the location to the species as well as the species with each other based on many different characteristics such as calorie need or provision and environmental requirements such as temperature, sun exposure, etc. All requirements need to be fulfilled at the same time to create and sustainable ecosystem and to successfully pass this game.

There are 2 parts:

First, you need to pick 8 species, either animal or plant, to inhabit the mountain, reef, or jungle location. Selecting a suitable, heterogeneous sample for the food chain relationship out of the numerous species is crucial. You need to account for the interaction effects between the species (e.g., coral, aquatic animals, algae, etc. in the reef) and several individual characteristics such as the required environment, place in the food chain, how many calories they need to survive, or how much energy they need, how many calories or energy they provide when consumed, etc.

Second, you need to decide on the location of the ecosystem to create good living conditions for several species. You need to consider several characteristics of the location such as altitude, cloud height, ph-level of the soil, wind speeds, precipitation, etc. for the mountain ridge or depth, temperature, salinity, etc. for the coral reef.

The catch in this game is that you are presented with information overload and need to show proper systems thinking. The food chain must not collapse, and the ecosystem must sustain itself. You will know if you have provided a good answer before submitting it since you can test your hypotheses to see if the ecosystem can actually sustain itself.

In the summer of 2020, McKinsey started to introduce new boundary conditions to make the game more challenging. For instance, you not only need to create the food chain with several levels and match it with a location but also adhere to certain new rules related to the hierarchy of the food chain. This twist adds another dimension you need to consider when drafting your solution.

There are several ways how to approach this scenario, which we worked on with our candidates and created an Excel sheet that helps you solve the eco-system puzzle. Below is a high-level approach you can use when going into the game.

What you need to know when approaching the species selection

• Selecting 8 species : From a set of 39 animals, you must choose 8. These species include 9 producers (like corals and algae) and 30 animals (such as sharks, tuna, etc.). Producers consume natural resources and do not require calories, while animals consume other organisms and require calories for survival.
• Environmental conditions : Species are divided into three environmental ranges, each with specific environmental characteristics like depth and temperature. For instance, depth may be categorized into ranges such as 11-15m, 16-21m, and 22-27m.
• Distribution of species : In each environmental range, you’ll find 3 producers and 10 animals. Your final ecosystem should consist of species all from the same range.

Having this key insight into the food chain mechanics in the McKinsey Ecosystem Game can be a significant advantage. As this information isn’t explicitly communicated by McKinsey, most candidates would typically need to deduce these details during the game, consuming valuable time within the 35-minute limit. However, being aware of this beforehand allows you to approach the game with a more informed strategy.

• Start with producers : Knowing the calorie dynamics, you can begin by selecting a set of producers that not only share the same location characteristics but also provide the right amount of calories for enough animals. This understanding narrows down your options significantly, reducing the initial choice of 39 animals to a more manageable 10.
• Focus on the right producers : Identifying the correct set of producers is crucial, as they form the foundation of your food chain. Choosing the right producers simplifies the subsequent steps in creating a sustainable ecosystem.

In our McKinsey Solve Game Guide , we delve deeper into these strategies, offering a step-by-step approach to solve the Ecosystem Creation game efficiently – in less than 20 minutes. Our guide is designed to streamline your process, ensuring you can focus on building a viable ecosystem without getting bogged down by the multitude of options.

We also provide an Excel Solver tool as part of the guide. This tool is immensely helpful in assessing the sustainability of your ecosystem. It aids in determining whether the food chain you’ve created can sustain itself, saving you the trial-and-error time during the game. Additionally, the Excel Solver can suggest instantly which set of producers is most likely to support a survivable food chain, further enhancing your ability to make quick and effective decisions in the game.

The game intricately simulates a natural food chain, requiring you to strategically link species as either food sources or predators to create a sustainable ecosystem. Here’s a breakdown of how this works and how you can effectively create a sustainable chain:

1. Species interactions:

Each species in the game has relationships with others – as either a predator or a food source. For instance, a Blue Jay might be preyed upon by a Shark, while it feeds on Yellow Fish.

2. Caloric dynamics:

Every species is assigned specific caloric values: calories provided and calories needed.These caloric values are crucial in determining which species from the available 13 you should select to form your final ecosystem of 8. The moment you select your 3 producers, you are only left with choosing 5 animals out of 10. A much easier task than before.

3. Eating rules and algorithm to test your sustainability:

The game outlines essential rules about the feeding mechanism. The key rules include:

• The species with the highest ‘calories provided’ value eats first.
• It consumes the species offering the highest caloric value as a food source. In the case of ties, it splits its consumption 50/50.
• Consumption reduces the ‘calories provided’ by the prey by the amount of ‘calories needed’ by the predator. A species needs non-zero ‘calories provided’ to survive, and all its ‘calories needed’ should be zero after feeding.
• After the first species feeds, the next one with the highest ‘calories provided’ follows suit, and the process repeats.

4. Ensuring chain sustainability:

It’s crucial to ensure each animal receives adequate calories from its food source and that no species depletes its ‘calories provided’ to zero. If a species either doesn’t receive enough calories or depletes its own, the chain becomes unsustainable, leading to failure in the game.

To quickly and efficiently establish a sustainable chain, you must:

• Carefully analyze caloric values : Assess the ‘calories provided’ and ‘calories needed’ for each species to determine the feeding order and the sustainability of the chain.
• Ensure continuity : Verify that every animal in your chain is connected and that there’s continuity in the food chain.
• Balance the ecosystem : Maintain a balance where no species runs out of calories while ensuring each one’s dietary needs are met.

By following these steps and paying close attention to the caloric requirements and relationships between species as well as the eating rules algorithm about who eats first, second, third, etc., you can successfully create a sustainable food chain within way less than the allotted time in the McKinsey Ecosystem Game.

Once you have successfully identified the 8 species for your ecosystem, the next critical step is to choose an appropriate location for this ecosystem on the island.

What you need to know when approaching the location selection

How to Approach the Location Selection:

• Navigating the map : The game presents you with a map where you can use your cursor to explore different potential locations for your ecosystem.
• Analyzing location conditions : Each location on the map comes with seven different environmental conditions. However, not all of these conditions are relevant to your task. Your focus should be on the variables that you identified as important in the previous step while choosing your species, usually just 2 to 4 variables.
• Identifying relevant variables : Recall the parameters you noted earlier for each species. These are the variables you need to match in the location selection process.
• Utilizing the interface for matching : As you hover your cursor over different locations on the map, you can refer to the top-right menu on your screen. This menu displays the environmental variables at the current cursor position. You need to check if they are all within the required range for your selected species. If you approach this effectively, you can do this in less than 1 minute.

By methodically checking these variables and finding a location that aligns with the environmental requirements of your 8 species, you can complete this task efficiently. Proper selection of species in the first task significantly simplifies this process, allowing you to quickly identify a suitable location without getting distracted by irrelevant data.

This streamlined approach helps ensure that your ecosystem is not only sustainable in terms of species interdependence but also well-suited to the chosen location’s environmental conditions.

Red Rock Study Simulation

The Red Rock Study game has become a staple in the McKinsey Solve Game lineup, replacing the Plant Defense game for all candidates since March 2023. This game marks a shift towards a more conventional analysis and problem-solving context, reminiscent of the approach used in older BCG Online Cases. Despite the game casting you in the role of a researcher, the tasks closely resemble those undertaken by a typical consultant. The game is designed to assess abilities like information processing, data collection, mathematical calculations (involving growth rates, averages, and percentages), and the interpretation of exhibits.

The game is divided into two main sections, the Study Section and the Case Section, each with distinct tasks and objectives, and you have a total of 35 minutes to navigate through them.

The Study Section

The Study Section consists of a three-step process:

Investigation Stage : Here, you are presented with an objective for your research, accompanied by data in various formats such as text, tables, and charts. Your primary task in this stage is to identify and gather insightful, relevant data, which you then record in your on-screen research journal.

• Objective and data collection : You start by receiving text, graphs, and tables, along with a specific objective for your research. Your task is to sift through this information.
• Selective data gathering : Key information can be dragged and dropped into your Research Journal, located on the right-hand side of the screen. It’s important to discern which data is relevant and avoid unnecessary information.
• Preparation for analysis : Once you’ve collected all the relevant information, you proceed to the Analysis phase.

Analysis Stage : This stage involves answering three mathematical questions related to your research objective. You have access to an on-screen calculator for computations, but the main challenge lies in developing the correct approach and filtering the right data. There’s flexibility to move back and forth between the Investigation and Analysis stages, allowing you to retrieve any additional information you might need.

• Mathematical questions : This phase presents 3 to 5 math questions, usually pertaining to different groups of animals.
• Using tools : An embedded calculator is provided for calculations. The tricky part is setting up the right calculations and equations. You’ll also refer back to the data collected in your Research Journal to answer these questions.
• Drag-and-drop feature: Also here, you need to drag and drop information to create your calculations and move your answers around.

Report Stage : The final stage requires you to synthesize your findings by filling in the blanks of a report and presenting them effectively. This latter involves summarizing your research and choosing an appropriate chart to visually represent your supporting data.

• Combination of Written and Visual Tasks : This phase includes a written section and a visual representation task.
• Written part : Answer questions based on your findings from the Analysis phase by filling in the blanks of a report text.
• Visual part : Select and create a graph to effectively represent your analysis results.

After completing the Report, you transition to the final section of the Red Rock Study game, known as the Cases Phase.

The Case Section

In March 2023, McKinsey introduced a significant update to the Red Rock Study assessment, adding a new mini-case component. This new section includes 6 to 10 quantitative reasoning questions, each associated with the context of the study segment, yet distinct in terms of data and information.

The introduction of the mini-case has notably increased the assessment’s complexity. Candidates now face the dual challenge of completing both the study part and the case questions within a consolidated time frame of 35 minutes. This is a marked change from the previous format, where the time limit was solely allocated to the study segment. The recommended approach is to divide the time equally between the two parts, emphasizing efficient time management.

The quantitative reasoning questions in the mini case require strong quantitative and analytical skills. Candidates must swiftly interpret information presented in various charts and textual sources, perform calculations accurately, and derive correct answers. The added time pressure necessitates not only quick thinking but also precision in analysis and calculations.

Given these heightened demands, thorough preparation and practice become even more crucial. Familiarizing oneself with quick data interpretation and ways to set up calculations under time constraints is highly advantageous. Such preparation mirrors the real-world demands of consulting, where professionals are often required to process complex information rapidly and make informed decisions under pressure.

We cover this game and 6 practice tests in more detail in our McKinsey Solve Game Guide .

Each phase of the Red Rock game is designed to mimic real-world consulting tasks, testing your ability to process information, perform quantitative analysis, and present findings coherently. The game challenges you to filter through data, apply mathematical concepts, and communicate results clearly, skills that are essential in a consulting environment. By understanding the structure and requirements of each phase, you can better prepare and strategically navigate through this component of the McKinsey Solve Game.

The Red Rock game, with its business-like analysis and structured approach to problem-solving, tests a range of skills that are directly applicable to the world of consulting. It challenges candidates to not only understand and interpret data but also to apply it effectively in a simulated research context. The game’s emphasis on analytical thinking, data interpretation, and effective communication of findings mirrors the skills required for a successful career in consulting.

The integration of the Red Rock Study game into the McKinsey Solve Game lineup signifies a notable shift in McKinsey’s approach to candidate assessment. This change not only diverges from McKinsey’s previous game-based assessment strategies but also aligns more closely with the types of evaluations commonly used by other consulting firms.

In that sense, it is much more a problem-solving test rather than a game.

The demand for information for this game was so big, that we dedicated a full-length article to it here.

Creating a Strategy for the Red Rock

Developing an effective strategy for the Red Rock Study game is essential to successfully navigate its complexities. We have crafted a four-step approach to optimize your performance in the game:

1. Understanding the Objective (Investigation Stage)

• Interpretation is key : Begin by carefully reading and interpreting the objective of the game. Understanding what is expected of you is crucial in setting the right direction for your investigation.
• Clarity of goals : Ensure you have a clear grasp of what the game is asking you to accomplish. This understanding will guide your decisions and actions throughout the different stages of the game.

2. Identifying Relevant Data (Investigation Stage)

• Data selection : Amidst the plethora of information provided, focus on identifying and prioritizing data that is directly relevant to the game’s objective.
• Efficient data gathering : Aim to distinguish between essential information and potential distractors. Collecting the right data in your Research Journal will streamline your analysis process.

3. Conducting the Analysis (Analysis Stage)

• Strategic analysis : Set up and execute your analysis and calculations. This step involves applying the data you’ve gathered to solve the problems posed in the game.
• Accuracy in calculations : Use the provided tools, such as the on-screen calculator, efficiently to ensure your calculations are accurate and relevant to the task at hand.

4. Visualizing the Findings (Report Stage)

• Effective presentation : Once your analysis is complete, the next step is to report your findings and visualize your data effectively in the Report Stage.
• Choosing the right format : Select a graph or chart that best represents your findings, making sure it aligns with the narrative of your analysis.

By following these steps, you can create a focused approach to the Red Rock Study game. This strategy helps in navigating the game’s challenges methodically, ensuring that each stage is tackled with precision and clarity. Preparation, practice, and a clear understanding of each stage’s requirements are key to mastering this McKinsey assessment.

For the Red Rock Case Section (and the Study section actually as well), developing a strong proficiency in quantitative reasoning is crucial. This part of the assessment requires you to not only understand and analyze numerical data but also to set up and solve equations swiftly and effectively.

Enhancing Quantitative Reasoning Skills for the Red Rock

• Practice with quantitative questions : Regularly engage with various types of quantitative reasoning questions. This practice will help you become familiar with different question formats and data interpretation challenges.
• Efficient equation setup : Focus on setting up equations quickly. This skill is crucial for solving the mathematical problems presented in the game efficiently. Read up on percentages, growth rates, averages – the 3 most common operations found in the game,
• Speed and accuracy : Balance speed with accuracy. It’s essential to work through questions rapidly, but not at the expense of making careless errors. If you get stuck on one question for too long, move on!
• Utilize tools effectively : Make the most of the on-screen calculator provided in the game. Familiarize yourself with its functionality to enhance your efficiency during the test.
• Analytical thinking : Develop your ability to think analytically, particularly in interpreting charts, graphs, and tables, and in drawing conclusions from complex sets of data.
• Mock tests and timed practice : Engage in timed practice sessions. These simulate the pressure of the actual test and help improve your time management skills.

By honing these skills, you can approach the Red Rock Case Section with greater confidence, speed, and accuracy.

The skills that are needed in this game are much closer to an actual case interview and we would recommend that you also take a look at our articles on

• Case Interview Math
• Case Interview Exhibit Interpretation

Be aware that the game is still relatively new and we have seen many iterative changes to new games in the past. As a result, be prepared to encounter minor variations or adaptations when you face the Red Rock simulation.

The Former Games of the McKinsey Solve Game

If you are pressed for time, you can skip this section. If anything changes in the Solve Game lineup, we will adjust this article and our preparation package accordingly.

Plant Defense

In this scenario, which was active until March 2023, you need to defend a plant species from invaders using several tools at your disposal in a static, round-based tower defense-style game. The tools consist of barriers that slow down invaders and predators that damage and eradicate them.

In this game, which, for the majority of candidates, is a bit more challenging than the first, you need to defend a plant at the center of a map from an invasive species for as long as possible. This scenario is broken down into 3 rounds. Each round lasts between 8 to 12 minutes, presenting a slight variation of the game with increasing complexity and an increase in the map size. For each round, invaders spawn in several turns per map.

Each round is divided into two parts.

In the first part, you can actively manage your defense strategy in order to react to new invaders that spawn every 3 to 5 turns. You can manage 15 turns by initially placing your defense units on the map, adjusting their positioning after every turn, and selecting new defense units every 5 turns.

Your goal is to have the plants survive each of these increasingly difficult turns. You can slow the invaders down so that they do not arrive at your plant within the number of turns or eliminate them fully before they do so.

In the second part, the endgame, you are no longer able to change your strategy and the placement of your defense units. The game fast-forwards until your plant is defeated. Depending on the quality of your last placement strategy it might take the invaders many turns to kill the plant, ideally more than 30.

Your goal is to optimize for the plant to survive as many turns as possible. Your product score is the direct result of the turns survived, while your process score focuses on how well you adjust to the changing behaviors of attackers and how much you can learn and adapt over the course of the turns and over the course of the 3 rounds.

In order to do this, you need to choose certain animals that eat the invasive species and natural barriers/ terrain to slow them down and block them, in a static and turn-based environment, contrary to most other tower defense games that are dynamic.

You are presented with information about what each tool such as animals or geographical/terrain barriers can do, e.g., how many invasive species an animal can kill in a given time or how much a forest can slow the invaders down. These animals have different stats in terms of their reach/sphere of influence (shown as squares) as well as the damage that they are able to inflict on the invaders.

For instance, there could be a dog and an eagle as animals. The eagle has a large radius and inflicts less damage whereas the dog has high damage but a smaller range of effectiveness (e.g., one square only). Some animals have a large radius and high damage (usually during the last game). The damage inflicted might also differ depending on the type of invader. The barriers are elements such as mountains, rocks, and forests. Mountains block invaders and make them change their pathway toward the plant (ideally make the pathway longer). Rocks and forests slow invaders down (different effectiveness for different invaders)

The invaders will start attacking the plants once they reach it in the middle and the game ends.

While initially, you will be able to kill the invaders, they will show up in greater numbers in each consecutive wave and it is possible that you will be defeated. This is not, per se, a bad thing since it will die eventually in the fast-forward mode of the game. Keep the plant alive for as long as possible.

The aim is to defend the plant in the center for as long as possible, hence, to kill all invaders before they reach the plant. It is very important to make use of both defending animals and barriers to unlock their synergistic effects and keep the invaders as long as possible in the sphere of influence of the animals.

Use the untimed tutorial to think about the most effective combinations and layouts of the tools before starting the game. Prepare using video games in the tower defense niche to train yourself for this scenario. The key in this game is to show adaptability by being able to learn quickly and improve your strategies and reactions with each turn and with each game.

Creating a strategy

Let’s again break down your approach into several steps.

• Familiarize yourself with the map
• Create your initial strategy
• Focus on new invaders first
• Secure the plant from future attacks
• Adjust your strategy as the game evolves

We discuss each step, variation, and successful start-to-finish strategy in full in our McKinsey Solve Game Guide , which has been co-created with the help of tower defense game designers, who developed games for iOS and Android.

Disease Identification

It seems that McKinsey reintroduced a game briefly that was already present in the beta testing stages of the PSG, with a slight variation. It replaced the tower defense game for roughly 5% of the candidates over the course of late 2020 and early 2021. By June 2021, it appears that the game never really made it out of the testing stage and we have not heard about any reappearance in 2022. Nonetheless, let’s look into them since we cannot guarantee that they won’t come back in one form or another.

As a player, you are tasked with  identifying which animals on the map will be infected by a given disease . The nature of the disease is not important. What is important is to identify patterns of the disease and ultimately identify which animals would be infected in the next turn.

The game has many animals on the map. There are also three time periods, which they call Time 1, Time 2, and Time 3. In Time 1, a small subset of animals is already infected. When you click on Time 2, that same map will show which additional animals got infected. Your goal is to identify which animals will get infected in Time 3. The approach to this game is relatively simple:

• Figure out what the key variables are that could give a hint about the disease progression.
• Create an array of different filters and look at them through different points in time to see the changes in the animal population.
• Move to time 3 and select the next animals that will be affected by the disease based on your tested hypotheses from step 2 (e.g., if you know that all animals above 6 years are affected by the disease and in time 3 there are 20 new animals that are above 6 years of age, select them)

Contrary to the old version which was used in beta tests before the game was actually launched, you do not need to provide a remedy or a treatment plan.

Disaster Identification

Another game has not made a new appearance since 2021. In this game, candidates had to figure out the nature of a natural disaster impacting an animal population and then place the animals on another area of the map so that the most number of animals survive. The mechanics are similar to the ecosystem game.

In this game, you can display three things, a map, species, and a list of events. You can tackle the game in 4 steps:

• Identify what event has happened in an area (a natural disaster such as a tornado or a flood) by combining information from an event description with variables on the screen.
• Identify dominant ranges to move the animals to an area that is best suited for their survival.
• Select the location by clicking on it and check for the relevant ranges you identified before. Prioritize characteristics that allow for the greatest number of animals to survive.
• Sanity check your selection in a similar manner as for the ecosystem game.

Migration Planning

A new game was briefly tested in 2022. We call it the Migration Planning game.

Your task is to plan the migration of 30 to 50 animals from a starting position to an endpoint on a map by selecting the best route out of several alternatives.

You have to solve up to 15 different scenarios within 35 to 40 minutes. Each scenario consists of 3 to 5 turns that have you decide on the next step of your route. In turn 1 you select the first step on your route, in turn, 2, the second leg, and so on until you reach the desired endpoint.

You start with a given number of animals and a specific set of resources (consumables such as food or water). With each turn of the game, a predetermined number of animals will die, and resources will be reduced by a specific amount, depending on your selected route. Alternatively, you can also select intermediate points on your route that will replenish and multiply existing resources as well as collect additional animals along the way.

The objective of the game is two-fold: First, you need to ensure that the highest number of animals survive until you reach the destination. Second, you need to arrive at the endpoint with some of the resources preserved as well. As said before, there are up to 15 different scenarios with 3 to 5 turns each, which leads to 45 to 75 unique decisions you must make along the way.

Organize the migration of 30 to 50 animals from one spot to the next by managing resources and animals from start to finish in 3 to 5 turns. Select the most optimal route to preserve resources and animals along the way and pass 15 rounds in total.

Map the routes on a piece of paper or in an Excel sheet.

• Write down each available route
• Calculate the outcome variables for resources and animals for every route
• Select the route where most animals survive and resource requirements are met

We provide you with a specific table and approach that you can use to create your strategy for each route in our McKinsey Solve Game Guide .

Preparing for the McKinsey Solve Game

Addressing the critical question: Is it beneficial to prepare for the Imbellus test, despite official advisories suggesting otherwise? The answer is a resounding yes.

Why preparation is crucial:

• Significant impact on outcomes : Our data indicates that preparation can dramatically increase your chances of success, from a 20% to an 80% success rate. This is even more pronounced than with the old PST, as the games in the Imbellus are more predictable than a traditional pen-and-paper test.
• Consequences of failure : Failing the Imbellus test results in a 2-year ban from reapplying to McKinsey (1 year for internships). Post-ban, you must demonstrate substantial improvements in your consulting cover letter and resume .
• Learnable skills : While McKinsey suggests that the games can’t be prepared for, Imbellus emphasizes that their games assess higher-order thinking skills, which are typically acquired through education, training, and experience.
• Gaming experience matters : Familiarity with computer games and digital environments can provide an advantage in a video game-based assessment. This introduces a different kind of bias in candidate evaluation, which can be mitigated by employing effective strategies.

Understanding the games and their objectives is key to effective preparation. Knowing what each game assesses, and the skills it targets, allows you to focus your preparation on enhancing those specific abilities. Additionally, familiarizing yourself with the gaming environment and practicing similar types of games can improve your comfort level and performance during the assessment.

While McKinsey advises candidates that preparation for the Imbellus game is neither necessary nor feasible, our extensive feedback collection from over 500 candidates we talked to suggests otherwise. In fact, thorough preparation can significantly enhance performance in the game’s various scenarios.

To aid candidates, we have meticulously analyzed the test, consulted with game design experts, and applied science-backed methods to develop a comprehensive guide detailing the game’s mechanics. Here are some overarching strategies to lay the groundwork for your preparation:

Imbellus Game Practice

Train the key skills that are being assessed  by Imbellus. Playing logic games, mobile games, and tower defense games with similar themes can be beneficial to training these areas specifically. While these games will differ somewhat in their user interface, objectives, and mechanics they still train your skills, make you think about potential strategies, and just get you in the habit of interacting with a gamified environment. If you have sufficient time before taking the Imbellus, try out some of the games below to practice the Imbellus gameplay.

Games for the Ecosystem and Migration Planning

• Plague Inc. – if you have limited time, focus on this game
• Cities: Skylines

Games for the Plant Defense

• Tower Duel – if you have limited time, focus on this game
• Kingdom Rush
• Plants vs. Zombies

Preparation for the Red Rock

Focusing on quantitative reasoning tests is an excellent way to prepare for the McKinsey Solve Game, particularly for the Red Rock Study section. Here are some effective ways to enhance your quantitative reasoning skills:

• GMAT Quantitative Reasoning : The quantitative reasoning sections of the GMAT are a great resource to start with. They offer a wide range of problems that can improve your ability to analyze data, perform calculations, and make logical deductions under time constraints.
• Red Rock Practice Tests : We have developed specialized practice tests specifically designed to mirror the challenges you will face in the Red Rock Study game. These tests are tailored to give you a realistic experience of what to expect during the actual game.
• Additional Quantitative Reasoning Resources : For those seeking more extensive practice in quantitative reasoning, we provide a comprehensive question bank in our Bain SOVA Guide . This bank contains hundreds of questions similar to those you might encounter in the game.
• Case Math Mastery Package : This package is another valuable resource that focuses on developing your case math skills. It is particularly useful for candidates who want to strengthen their ability to handle numerical data and complex calculations efficiently.

By incorporating these resources into your preparation plan, you can significantly improve your quantitative reasoning abilities. This will not only aid you in the Red Rock Study game but also enhance your overall problem-solving skills, which are crucial for a successful case interview performance.

General Preparation Advice

Enhancing your performance in the McKinsey Imbellus Game involves more than just playing similar games. It requires a multifaceted approach that focuses on developing key skills and strategies.

Approach each decision methodically and develop a plan for tackling each decision. A step-by-step decision-making process helps in making more deliberate and thoughtful choices, increasing the likelihood of selecting the most effective solution.

• Identify the decision : Clearly define what you need to decide. Understand the primary goal and any additional objectives.
• Gather information : Collect relevant information needed for the decision. Identify the best sources and methods for acquiring this data.
• Identify alternatives : As you gather information, recognize various possible courses of action.
• Weigh the evidence : Consider the potential outcomes of each alternative based on the information you have.
• Choose among alternatives : Select the option that seems best after weighing all the evidence.
• Review your decision : Reflect on the decision’s outcome and assess if it addressed your initial goal.

Learn to take proper notes and document your observations about each scenario’s mechanics. Using tools like Excel templates can help structure your thoughts and find solutions more efficiently.

Develop skills in structuring, analyzing, and synthesizing complex issues. Combine logical thinking with creativity to formulate effective recommendations.

Adopt a hypothesis-driven mindset. Start each game with one or more hypotheses, then test and refine them as you progress. This approach helps in focusing your analysis and quickly deriving recommendations.

Visualize processes and relationships. Practice creating quick sketches to visualize situations, processes, and relationships. This skill is particularly useful in unfamiliar scenarios and helps in breaking down complex issues.

Practice estimations and setting up equations. Engage in exercises that improve your quick math skills. These are essential in all games, from calculating calorie budgets in the ecosystem game to determining damage points and optimal routes in others. Become familiar again with basic equations, ratios, growth rates, and averages.

Test-taking Tips and Advice

To excel in the McKinsey Imbellus Game and enhance your test performance, consider the following insights into McKinsey’s innovative recruitment game. These guidelines are designed to help you navigate the unique challenges of the game effectively:

Avoid replicating solutions : Each test taker encounters unique scenarios and numbers in the Imbellus game. The games are set in ecological contexts, making them accessible to all backgrounds, but with thousands of possible variations, no two experiences are identical. Focus on your strategy and process rather than trying to replicate specific results.

Make decisions with incomplete information and practice 80/20 decision-making : Often, you won’t have time to reach the perfect answer in the ecosystem game. Aim for a good answer that demonstrates a sound problem-solving strategy and fulfills the objectives. Avoid getting lost in excessive details and consider writing down various outcomes to test your ideas.

Read instructions thoroughly and understand the tasks : Overcoming challenges in the McKinsey Solve Game requires a deep understanding of the game’s objectives. With the increasing variety of game scenarios, it’s crucial to read and comprehend all instructions. A missed detail can make your approach invalid. Ensure clarity on your objectives before proceeding.

Ensure a stable test environment and check your setup : If taking the test from home, ensure a reliable internet connection and a fully charged computer. Some candidates have reported high CPU usage; consider using a more powerful system if needed. Remember, you can always contact the 24/7 Imbellus service center for any issues during the test.

Monitor time closely and manage it well : The complexity and depth of the games can make it easy to lose track of time. Keep a close eye on the time, aiming to allocate the right amount of time for each step of the way (e.g., 15 minutes for the ecosystem species and 2 minutes). The progress bar will help you monitor the remaining time. Have pre-determined time goals that you execute if they are met (e.g., only taking 2 minutes to think about a quantitative reasoning question in the Red Rock).

Elevate Your Score with Our Comprehensive Preparation Package

Preparing for McKinsey’s recruitment game: Tips and strategies included in this comprehensive guide to mastering the Imbellus game are designed to give applicants a competitive edge. Unlock your potential to ace the Imbellus game with our comprehensive Solve Game preparation package. It comes with

• a 147-page guidebook with best practices for McKinsey digital assessment preparation
• an Excel Solver for the Ecosystem Creation
• a 14-part video series
• 6 Red Rock full-length practice tests
• a McKinsey case interview and PEI interview primer

The package gives you the definite edge in your preparation and test-taking, detailing winning strategies for the Ecosystem in less than 20 minutes and ample practice opportunities for the Red Rock Game. Gain immediate access to PDFs, Excel tools, templates, and video content, ensuring you’re up-to-date with McKinsey’s evolving assessment criteria.

Since November 2019, we’ve led with first-hand information, starting with interviews with early test-takers and experts. Our ongoing customer interviews have built a vast database, aiding over 8500 candidates in 70+ countries. We regularly update our guide, offering you the latest insights. On top of that, our team, comprised of ex-McKinsey consultants and interviewers, brings deep insights into McKinsey’s evaluation criteria, surpassing the generic advice found elsewhere.

Six pillars of our strategy:

• Understanding McKinsey’s criteria : As former McKinsey consultants and interviewers, we grasp what McKinsey seeks in their next-gen consultants.
• In-depth scenario analysis : Learn the nuances of user interfaces and gameplay mechanics.
• Skill development : We cover the core skills with actionable advice and practice resources.
• Effective test strategies and shortcuts : Benefit from proven strategies and tools, derived from successful candidate experiences, meticulously refined over 4 years.
• Efficient preparation hacks : Accelerate your readiness with our targeted tips and techniques.
• Low-cost and accessibility: We are a small team and sell directly to consumers without an intermediary. Hence, we can offer this product at a much lower price than every competitor.

Additional benefits:

• Exclusive support : Join our McKinsey applicants’ inner circle for 24-hour support on all consulting interview questions. Get access to the world’s leading McKinsey interview coach, who has helped generate almost 200 McKinsey offers for coaching clients in 3 years.
• Regular updates : Stay ahead with our constant updates and a free 1-year access guarantee.
• Free McKinsey interview primer : Get a 14-page primer with essential case and PEI preparation tips.
• FREE BONUS: A 10% discount on the Solve Game Simulation by MConsultingPrep.

Our credentials:

• Extensive reach : Assisted 8500+ students from 70+ countries over the last 4 years.
• Rich experience : Built on 500+ test-taker interviews, expert inputs, and McKinsey know-how, 100% proprietary information
• Comprehensive materials : Includes a 147-page guide, automated Excel Solver, 14 concise videos to get you up to speed quickly, and 6 full-length Red Rock practice tests.

Currently, the package leads to an 87% success rate with our clients ( based on customer feedback from Nov 23 – Jan 24 )

Latest update: February 2024 (includes the new Red Rock Simulation variation and 6 practice tests)

McKinsey Solve Game Guide (Imbellus) 20th Edition

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McKinsey Solve Game FAQ

Navigating the McKinsey Solve Game can be a challenging part of your journey towards joining a top-tier consulting firm. To help demystify the process and enhance your preparation, we’ve compiled a list of frequently asked questions. Whether you’re wondering about the skills assessed or looking for the best preparation resources, you’ll find the answers here.

What specific skills does the McKinsey Solve Game assess?

• The game evaluates problem identification, strategic solution development, decision-making under pressure, adaptability, and quantitative reasoning.

Can you really prepare for the McKinsey digital assessment, and how?

• Yes, preparation is possible and beneficial. Focusing on having the right tools at your disposal such as an Excel Solver, playing similar simulation games, and developing a strategic approach to problem-solving and quantitative questions can enhance your readiness.

What are the key strategies for succeeding in the ecosystem simulation?

• Success involves understanding ecosystem balance, prioritizing tasks, managing time effectively, and applying logic to predict the outcomes of different actions.

Are there any official practice tests available for the Imbellus Game?

• McKinsey does not provide official practice tests, but various online resources and guidebooks offer simulations and strategies that mimic the game scenarios.

How does the Imbellus Game differ from traditional consulting firm recruitment tests?

• Unlike traditional pen-and-paper tests or computer-based case assessments that focus on business scenarios, the Imbellus Game uses gamified simulations to assess a wider range of problem-solving and strategic thinking skills in diverse contexts.

What resources are recommended for McKinsey Solve Game preparation?

• Comprehensive guidebooks and videos, strategic game-playing, online forums for candidate experiences, and practicing with games that require similar skill sets are highly recommended.

How important is game familiarity in succeeding in McKinsey’s digital assessment?

• Familiarity with the game’s format and the types of challenges presented can significantly improve performance by reducing the learning curve and anxiety during the actual assessment.

Can playing similar digital games improve my performance in the Solve Game?

• Yes, engaging in similar strategy and simulation games can enhance relevant skills such as critical thinking, strategic planning, and decision-making under time constraints.

What is the most challenging aspect of the McKinsey Solve Game, according to past participants?

• Many participants find the time pressure and the requirement to make strategic decisions with incomplete information to be the most challenging aspects.

How does McKinsey use the Solve Game results in the recruitment process?

• The results are used alongside resume screenings to provide a holistic view of a candidate’s problem-solving abilities and potential as a consultant, influencing the decision on whether to proceed with the candidate.

We value your feedback and experiences with the McKinsey Solve Game! If you have additional questions, insights, or tips that weren’t covered in this article, please share them in the comments section below.

15 Responses

Hello, thank you for this introduction. I would like to ask about one thing. In the ecosystem… From all 8 species – they have to survive? Or they can be eaten by predators? I understand how to create the food chain, but still…if you create a food chain and the species do not replicate, they will be eaten by predators…

Dear Lenka, All species in the food chain (animals and plants) need to survive. The sum of the calories provided by a species – the sum of calories needed for the predator species should always be positive. Cheers, Florian

hi Florian,

I only have 3 hours before the PSG is due, is it possible or useful to buy the guide given such a short time limit? Thank you

Dear Angelina, 3 hours would be enough to read through the strategy section, watch the videos and familiarize yourself with the Excel. While not ideal and we receommend more time to practice, it would still make sense. Cheers, Florian

[…] using digital badges to recognise learning and, for example, the consultant company McKinsey uses a game during its recruitment process,” adds Nikoletta-Zampeta […]

Hello Florian Daniel or Colleague, I am very pleasantly surprised to see this guide that you have masterfully complied. Having tips from insiders is such a confidence boost! I purchased this pack without hesitation and am hoping to try it out before investing in the comprehensive 6h coaching program. Nonetheless, I wonder if you can email me back by helping me with downloading the actual guide? I encountered a technical issue whereby I completed my payment on my phone, but it became impossible to download it via my laptop. I am very worried as the deadline of the test is approaching so could you please get back to me asap?

Many Thanks Aspiring Consultant

I have just sent you your documents, which also contain access to the video program.

Please let me know if I can assist further.

Kind regards, Florian

Hi, how long would you suggest I prepare for the McKinsey digital assessment test after purchasing the digital assessment guide? 2 weeks? 4 weeks?

Hi Emmanuel,

We have candidates that prepare between 2 days and 1 month. The shorter your preparation time, the more your focus should be on learning the proven strategies we outline in our guide (so that you can implement them properly on the game day) and go through and practice the most effective and important tools we provide you with to quickly raise your skill levels.

Obviously, when you have more time on your hands, you can prepare in a much more relaxed way and go deeper with all our exercises and tools. Generally, I would say that 2 weeks is the sweet spot we have seen with our candidates and it is rare for them to fail after they have gone through all exercises and tools, practiced the preparation tips, and have our game-plan and strategies internalized over this time period.

4 weeks would give you enough time to prepare without a rush, and in parallel to the case interview practice. In any case, should something change in the game between your purchase and the testing date, we will send you a new version of the guide and the videos free of charge!

Let me know if you have any further questions!

All the best for your preparation and your application.

I heard that there are also other games that could be part of the PSG like predicting and preventing an environmental disaster. Are you sure that there are ‘only’ the 2 two games you describe?

Hi Luiz, we talk briefly about these potential other scenarios in our Problem Solving Game Guide. Be aware that they were used during the trial stages in 2018/19 only and none of our more than 700 customers has reported on them pro-actively. From the 80+ customers we interviewed since November 2019, all went solely through the ecosystem game and the tower defense-like game. In the ecosystem game, recent candidates report having done the mountain ridge scenario and not the reef (even though this has no impact on the actual gameplay).

Hi, how do I know if I passed the ecosystem simulation task?

Hi Patricia, on an aggregate level the game looks at both your product score (did you produce a good outcome?) and your process score (did you perform well under stress while working towards the outcome?).

In order to pass the ecosystem simulation, ideally, you reach the threshold McKinsey set for both scores (which is unknown). For the product score, you should be able to test your hypotheses during the game and see if your food chain is actually sustainable and works out. However, for the process score, you can only take a guess. McKinsey and Imbellus record every movement of your mouse, every click, as well as how long you pause, go back and forth in the menus, etc. In short, the more you have worked in a calm and collected manner towards selecting your food chain, the higher the chances to reach a solid process score.

Hi, I have one question, Is McKinsey problem-solving game material included in Mc Kinsey program?

Hi Federico, do you mean the Video Academy or the Interview coaching?

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Florian spent 5 years with McKinsey as a senior consultant. He is an experienced consulting interviewer and problem-solving coach, having interviewed 100s of candidates in real and mock interviews. He started StrategyCase.com to make top-tier consulting firms more accessible for top talent, using tailored and up-to-date know-how about their recruiting. He ranks as the most successful consulting case and fit interview coach, generating more than 500 offers with MBB, tier-2 firms, Big 4 consulting divisions, in-house consultancies, and boutique firms through direct coaching of his clients over the last 3.5 years. His books “The 1%: Conquer Your Consulting Case Interview” and “Consulting Career Secrets” are available via Amazon.

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McKinsey Problem Solving Game: the ultimate guide

McKinsey's Problem Solving Game (PSG), also known as the Imbellus test or Digital Assessment, is a virtual "test" used to evaluate McKinsey candidates during the application process.

McKinsey says that no specific preparation is needed for the new assessment. However, in our experience you can (and should) prepare for the test. In the guide below we've compiled key information about the McKinsey Problem Solving Game and some tips to help you get ready. Let's get started!

Click here to practise 1-on-1 with McKinsey ex-interviewers

1. background, 1.1 what is the mckinsey problem solving game (psg).

Let's start high-level. The McKinsey Problem Solving Game is an assessment that the firm is using in order to evaluate their applicants during the early stages of the interview process. 

If you're familiar with the McKinsey PST (Problem Solving Test), then it will be helpful to know that the Problem Solving Game is intended to serve a similar function (i.e. screen candidates early in the process) but in a very different way.

McKinsey's Problem Solving Game is really the first assessment of it's kind in the consulting industry. For a brief overview of the assessment that comes straight from McKinsey, check out this video .

1.2 Purpose

At the end of the day, McKinsey's business is dependent on hiring exceptional problem-solvers to serve their clients. The purpose of the Problem Solving Game is to help McKinsey do a better job of finding the best talent among their vast pool of annual applicants. 

Now, to be more specific, the Problem Solving Game is intended to help the firm do a few things in particular:

• Hire the candidates who will perform best on-the-job, not just the candidates who can do well on a test
• Evaluate the thought process of candidates, rather than just their final answers
• Increase diversity by reducing the biases of other methods of standardised testing (like the McKinsey PST)

McKinsey's global director of people analytics and measurement, Keith McNulty , alluded to the above priorities when he made this comment about standardised multiple-choice tests: " [T] here’s a large amount of strategy, preparation, and luck involved in multiple-choice tests, and if you use them in the selection process, it reinforces the status quo—at a time when you are looking to widen the scope of candidates you’re hiring.”

1.3 Imbellus (acquired by Roblox)

The McKinsey Problem Solving Game was not built in-house by the firm. Instead, they worked directly with a start-up called Imbellus, in order to develop the assessment. In 2020 Imbellus was acquired by Roblox but McKinsey has continued using the digital assessment.

The core idea of the Problem Solving Game is to evaluate how people think, not just what they know. McKinsey believes that standardised testing is a poor predictor of real-world performance, and so they aim to evaluate candidates in a more robust and less biased way with this test.

1.4 Pilot and roll-out

The Problem Solving Game was tested with an initial group of 527 McKinsey candidates  at the London office in November of 2017. Then in late 2018 , the test was given to additional candidates from additional McKinsey offices. During these tests, the assessment could only be given on McKinsey-owned computers at a local McKinsey office. 

But then, a new version of the assessment was developed that allowed it to be taken online. The online version of the assessment was rolled out in late 2019, and as of the writing of this article, the Problem Solving Game has been played by over 15,000 people in at least 30 countries. 

Today McKinsey uses the PSG as its default initial assessment in the interview process.

2. Game structure

Now let's dig into more details about the Problem Solving Game and what you can expect on the assessment. Let's start with an overview.

2.1  Overview

Here is a brief summary of the way the PSG is structured:

• A computer-based assessment
• An experience similar to a video game
• About 70 minutes of total run time
• 2 scenarios
• 2-4 tasks within each scenario

Although the above elements are fairly consistent, the game is actually different for every candidate.

2.2 Different for every player

When you are invited to take the PSG, you will be given a unique link which will allow you to do three things:

• Run a tech diagnostic programme to ensure your computer and network meet the requirements needed to complete the assessment
• Schedule a specific time slot for you to take the assessment
• Take the assessment during your scheduled time slot

Here's where it gets interesting. When you begin the assessment during your scheduled time slot, the system will load a unique version of the game just for you. That means that the iteration of the game that you face will be different than every past or future iteration of the game.

With that said, all versions of the game contain something called "scenarios". 

2.3 Scenarios

The assessment is divided into two primary components: scenarios and tasks. A scenario is the digital world and situation where you find yourself. Each scenario has an over-arching objective and contains several tasks, which are smaller "bite-sized" objectives. When you take the Problem Solving Game, you should expect to face 2 different scenarios .

One is called Ecosystem, and the other Redrock. These are the only two scenarios currently being used. There are other scenarios which you might have heard of (Plant protection, Disaster management, Disease management, Migration management) but these aren't used anymore.

So to summarize, as of writing this article, here is what you need to know about the scenarios:

• Ecosystem creation - Currently used
• Redrock study - Currently used
• Plant protection - Not used anymore
• Disater management - Not used anymore
• Disease management - Not used anymore
• Migration management - Not used anymore

Let's dig deeper into the two scenarios currently being used.

Ecosystem management

The McKinsey Ecosystem game is a crucial part of McKinsey's recruitment process. In this game, candidates are tasked with creating a sustainable ecosystem on an island and selecting an appropriate location for it, all within a strict 35-minute time limit. To succeed, candidates must choose 8 species out of a pool of 13, considering factors such as whether they are producers or animals and their environmental requirements.

The game challenges candidates to create a balanced food chain within the chosen environment, ensuring that each species receives enough calories from its food source. To simplify the process, an Excel Solver tool is available to quickly identify if a selection can lead to a sustainable chain. This tool can be a valuable resource during the game.

Ultimately, the Ecosystem game assesses candidates' ability to make rapid and strategic decisions under pressure, demonstrating their problem-solving skills in creating a sustainable ecosystem.

Redrock study

The Redrock is a new addition to the McKinsey game, introduced in 2022 in the United States and replacing the previous second game, Imbellus – Plant Defense, as of February '23. This change brought a different format to the Problem Solving Game (PSG), focusing more on calculations, especially percentages, similar to the older McKinsey PSTs.

In the Redrock game, players are sent to an island to analyze the population of animals, specifically wolves and elks, and make predictions based on the data. The game consists of four phases: Investigation, Analysis, Report, and Cases, with a total time limit of 35 minutes, including short breaks before each phase.

The Investigation Phase involves gathering information from provided text, graphs, and tables, which can be used in later phases. The Analysis Phase requires answering math questions related to different animal groups, with access to a calculator and the Research Journal. The Report Phase includes both written and visual components, where you answer questions and choose a graph to represent analysis results. Lastly, the Cases Phase, introduced in 2023, involves answering up to 10 unrelated questions, typically taking around 2 minutes each.

Overall, the Redrock game represents a significant shift in the McKinsey recruitment process, focusing on analytical skills and calculations, and it may be challenging for candidates to complete within the time limit.

3. Skills tested

McKinsey is using the Problem Solving Game for a reason. They want to make sure that the candidates they hire, have what it takes to succeed on the job as consultants. 

So, what exactly is McKinsey evaluating when you play the game? You could call them skills, but skills isn't quite the right term to use here.  This abstract describes the areas upon which candidates are assessed during the PSG as "cognitive constructs".

This makes it sound complicated, but you can simply think of these "cognitive constructs" as the areas of your thinking that McKinsey wants to measure. There are 5 of these areas, and we've covered them in more detail below:

3.1 Critical thinking

As you may be aware, consultancies (and other employers) place a high value on their candidates' critical thinking abilities. Just so we're working off of the same definition, here is how Stanford defines critical thinking: "critical thinking is careful goal-directed thinking".

When a consultant begins on a project, they will typically have (or form) a set of objectives that the client wants to accomplish. At the same time, they will likely encounter competing priorities and a combination of relevant and irrelevant data.

The best consultants will have a knack for focusing on objectives, and systematically identifying the most relevant information to form an approach and recommendation. That's why critical thinking is one of the primary areas that McKinsey wants to evaluate with the assessment.

3.2 Decision making

The Problem Solving Game also evaluates your decision making. And one of the elements of the test that distinguishes it from more traditional standardised tests is that it evaluates both your end result and HOW you came to that decision. Whereas a multiple-choice test (like the McKinsey PST) is only capable of assessing candidates based on their end results.

For example, as you progress through a scenario within the Problem Solving Game, you'll gather information, do some analysis, and then take action to implement your approach. During each interaction you have with the game, the software is gathering data. It's measuring details like the amount of time you spend on each task, what information you are looking at onscreen, as well as the actions you ultimately take.

In the real world, McKinsey would rather have candidates who can make decisions strategically, even if they are wrong occasionally, rather than candidates who are good at guessing on standardised tests. Some people can do both, but you get the point.

3.3 Metacognition

Candidates are also evaluated on their metacognition. As described by Nancy Chick of Vanderbilt University , metacognition can be summarised as "thinking about one's thinking". 

You could also characterise metacognition as a person's ability to take a step back and recognise their own understanding and knowledge gaps for a particular topic. 

Having strong metacognition can make a significant difference in a person's ability to learn and adapt to new situations. McKinsey consultants often work on complex projects, and it's important for the firm to hire people that can learn quickly and excel in changing circumstances.

3.4 Situational awareness

When a candidate interacts with the scenarios within the PSG, their  situational awareness  is also put to the test. Situational awareness is a person's ability to understand their environment as well as it's likely future outcomes. To illustrate this point, situational awareness is an important ability for firefighters.

Imagine a home catches on fire and the fire department is called. When they arrive on the scene, the firefighters need to quickly assess the situation and understand key pieces of information (e.g. are any people inside? Where are the nearest fire hydrants? Etc.). At the same time, the firefighters will also understand the likely future outcomes of a particular fire, and they can use this insight to help them prepare their approach for extinguishing the flames.

In a similar way, McKinsey wants to hire candidates who are able to understand the key elements of a new situation, anticipate the likely outcomes, and use their situational awareness to prepare a strategic approach.

3.5 Systems thinking

Finally, the Problem Solving Game is meant to test candidates' systems thinking . Systems thinking is a person's ability to understand and work with the complexities of an interconnected system. To test this ability, the Imbellus test uses the natural world, which provides some excellent examples of complex systems. 

For example, a coral reef is a system with a variety of interdependent parts, including plants, animals, water, the water temperature, and more. If you change one element of the system, it can impact the system as a whole.

Likewise, the clients that McKinsey serves are deeply impacted by systems (e.g. the global economy, data processing, and more). As a result, hiring candidates that can understand and work within a systems-context, will be an advantage for McKinsey.

4. How to prepare

Now let's talk about beating the game. 

First, we want to remind you that every candidate who plays the Problem Solving Game is encountering a completely unique game. You can't memorise a set pattern or sequence that will consistently get you a high score.

Also, remember that the game is measuring HOW you approach the problem and not just your outcomes. So, even if you have good results, if you got there using a strange or illogical approach, that could pull down your overall score.

Due to these factors, you can't prepare for McKinsey's Problem Solving Game in the same way that you would prepare for other tests (like the PST). In fact, according to McKinsey you DON'T even need the following for the Problem Solving Game:

• Any specific preparation
• Experience with video games
• Specific business knowledge

That's what they say, but if you have the opportunity to interview with McKinsey, we know that you'll want to be as prepared as possible! So, we've compiled the below tips, which we recommend you use to get ready for the assessment.

 4.1 Play video games, seriously

Even though no video game experience is required to play the Problem Solving Game, it was designed (at least in part) by game designers. And if you play the right kind of video games, there are elements of the strategy and mechanics that will be similar to what you may encounter on McKinsey's assessment.

We recommend that you specifically play two types of video games to help you prepare: 

• A "world builder" simulation game like SimCity
• A "tower defense" game like Kingdom Rush

To be clear, the graphics and experience of the games above will likely look quite different than what you'll find within the Problem Solving Game. BUT, by playing games like these, you'll pick up helpful strategies and a better understanding of the game mechanics and flow. 

We would also recommend that you practise these video games on the same device that you would use to take the Problem Solving Game (likely your primary laptop or desktop computer). That way you will be replicating the style of play as closely as possible.

The two games we've mentioned above are most closely aligned with the ecosystem creation and plant protection scenarios of the Problem Solving Game that we mentioned in section two of this article.

Similar to the ecosystem creation scenario on the Problem Solving Game, in SimCity you have to build a system (in this case a city) with a variety of interdependent parts. And in both games, you have to achieve a level of balance between different parts of the system. 

Similar to the plant protection scenario on the Problem Solving Game, in Kingdom Rush, you have a variety of elements that you can build to slow or stop invaders. And although the elements that you'll have will be different (e.g. predators vs. archers) the basic strategies involved in most tower defense games are similar.

Now, as you may have already noticed, these games are useful for two of the scenarios we mentioned in section two above. For the other scenarios, we have not found any video game that is clearly relevant. So, for those scenarios, you'll need to rely more on the other preparation steps below.

4.2 Study the known scenarios

As we mentioned previously, there are four publicly known scenarios that have been used on the Problem Solving Game. As a recap, here's what they are:

• Ecosystem creation
• Plant protection
• Disease management
• Disaster management

We'd encourage you to carefully review the information that we've summarised for each scenario in section two of this article. This will help you to start getting comfortable with the situations you'll encounter (note: McKinsey could add new scenarios not listed above).

As you learn the basic details of each scenario, you could also outline potential strategies for each one, as a mental exercise.

For example, in disease management, you'll need to identify the disease you're dealing with, and then take action to contain and treat it. Until you play the PSG, you won't have all the data, but you do know the basic objective of the game. So, make-up a hypothetical disease situation, and then outline a few potential strategies that you could take to help local wildlife.

A mental exercise like this obviously won't match the exact way the Problem Solving Game operates. However, it will get you to start thinking strategically, within the context of the specific scenarios that you will face. This alone will likely make you feel more confident when you take the assessment, and you may find that some of your ideas will come in handy on game day.

4.3 Prepare your workstation

This is a bit more logistical, but it's very important.

The McKinsey Problem Solving Game is somewhat demanding from a hardware perspective. You'll need a computer that runs pretty quickly and has at least 8GB of RAM. If you have an old or slow computer, then we would recommend that you either borrow or purchase a new one prior to taking the test. 

You'll also want to make sure you have a fast and stable internet connection before taking the assessment. If your wifi is spotty, you could try connecting to the internet through a direct ethernet connection. Or, you could ask a friend or relative with a good connection if you can take the assessment at their place.

Prior to taking the test, you will need to run McKinsey's "tech diagnostic" to ensure you have the processing power to run the Problem Solving Game. When McKinsey invites you to take the assessment, they'll send you more details on how to access this tech test. 

As much as possible, you'll also want to carve out a time and space to take the assessment with no distractions. It's important to plan this in advance, and it also helps if you can do your preparation in the same environment.

4.4 Start practicing case interviews

The McKinsey Problem Solving Game is very different than a case interview. However, if you get good at solving case interviews, some of those skills will also be helpful on the Problem Solving Game. 

For example, in the game, you'll need to develop a strategy with incomplete or inconclusive information. You also have to do this when you're solving a case interview. 

This is also a great strategy because it will help you get a head start on your preparation for the case interviews that you'll encounter later in the McKinsey interview process.

After getting some practice on your own, you should find someone who can do a mock interview with you, such as a friend or family member.

We’d also recommend that you do mock interviews with ex-interviewers from McKinsey. This is the best way to replicate the conditions of a real interview, and to get feedback from someone who understands the process extremely well. You may not have the connections to do this on your own, but we’ve made the connections for you. Book your McKinsey mock interview now .