Q1 ) When defining the problem your company solves, you should look at it through the

perspective of _____.

your customers

Q2 ) What is a profit pool?

 the profit dollars available in a given market

Correct

(explanation) The profit pool is the total potential profit you can compete for.

Q3) What does the "T" in SWOT stand for?

Threats

Q4) The threat of substitutes is the risk you face when _____.

 your customers can use a different product to solve their problem

Correct

(explanation) Your solution isn't the only solution. Always be aware of what can
replace you.

Q5) The product development roadmap describes _____.

how you'll build your product over time

Q6) When you describe your points of differentiation versus competitors, those differences
must be _____.

substantial and meaningful

Q7) What does the sales section of your business plan explain?

 your FOB delivery terms for each sale

Correct

FOB delivery terms refer to what costs the seller incurs during part of the
shipping process.

Q8) A brand is a _____.

 promise

Correct

Brands tell consumers what to expect and you have to live up to that promise
every day.
 Q9) What must your production plan explain?

 whether you'll insource or outsource production

Correct

Insourcing or outsourcing is a small topic relative to all the information this

section of your business plan should cover.

Q10) What is the most expensive form of compensation?

 equity

Correct

When you grant equity, you're giving away part of the company's future profits.

Q11) What is one way to exit your business?

 acquisition

Correct

Selling your company to someone else can be an attractive way to exit your
business.

Q12) Your financial forecast should be _____.

 built based on unit drivers

Correct

Build your forecast from the bottom up. Analyze unit drivers to create accurate
forecasts.

Q13) Which step of the process will cause you to iterate more than others?

 discuss and refine the story

Correct

Discussing the story with others can cause many iterations due to varied
opinions.

Q14) You should immediately start manipulating data at the beginning of this
process.

 FALSE

Correct
 Don't get into the data until you have a well-defined hypothesis.

Q15) Poor communication leads to lengthy, inefficient process. You end up

doing excess, irrelevant analysis and the result is weak, convoluted
communications. When this happens, there's a lack of _____ for your ideas. You'll
also lose _____ as a thought leader.

 support; credibility

Correct

Clear communication builds support for your ideas and improves your
credibility.

Q16) A hypothesis is something taken to be true for the sake of argument.

TRUE

Q17 ) You should choose your architecture based upon your audience.

TRUE

Q18) You can never combine a layer architecture with a column architecture.

 FALSE

Correct

Layer and column architectures can be combined depending upon the needs of
your audience.

Q19 ) A column architecture can have more than three columns

TRUE

Q20) You should spend a lot of time perfecting your story at this stage.

 FALSE

Correct

Time spent perfecting your story can be wasted effort because future analyses
might change your answer.

Q21) When discussing and refining your story, you should get input from many stakeholders

TRUE

You should never try to disprove your hypothesis.

  FALSE

Correct

Always be open to disproving your hypothesis. You can generate new insights
that way.

Q22) You should choose your communication vehicle based upon _____.

 your audience

Correct

Your audience should always influence your choice of communication vehicle.

MANAGING STRESS FOR POSITIVE CHANGE

Question 1 of 7
Stress can be chronic but also _

contagious
noticeable
passive
obtuse

contagious

Question 2 of 7
What happens when we feel like we are more connected with a team or an individual?

The brain’s perception of stress changes and our experience of stress turns negative.
The brain’s perception of stress changes and our experience of stress turns positive.
The brain’s perception and our experience of stress flat lines and no change occurs.
The brain’s perception of stress stays the same and our experience of stress increases.

The brain’s perception of stress changes and our experience of stress turns positive.

Question 3 of 7
If you are under stress, what is the best way to recharge and calm the brain?

have a consistent pattern of breathing (6 breaths per minute)

have a consistent pattern of breathing (12 breaths per minute)
have a consistent pattern of breathing (20 breaths per minute)
have a consistent pattern of breathing (16 breaths per minute)

have a consistent pattern of breathing (6 breaths per minute)

Question 4 of 7
What is the gap, at which something occurs, between demand and capacity?

stress
factors
impact
activity

stress

Question 5 of 7
Izabella’s team is feeling overwhelmed and stressed with their project. To better understand
what is driving this, what can Izabella do to proactively help?

conduct a planning session

take the team out to lunch
conduct an energy audit
give the team a week off from work

conduct an energy audit

Question 6 of 7
Mickey is applying a simple stress mastery formula to help himself manage stress. What are the
three main components of this formula?

analyze; appreciate; arrange

assess; analyze; apply
apply; appreciate; action
assess; appreciate; adjust

assess; appreciate; adjust

Question 7 of 7
Rather than approach stress from a mindset of judgment, you should switch to a mindset of _.

empathy
sensitivity
curiosity
openness

curiosity

Critical Thinking

1 month ago
3 minutes
Question 1 of 12
Vilfredo Pareto, the author of the 80/20 rule, observed this rule to be in effect in both _ and _.

fishing; the stock market

real estate; gardening
gardening; spelunking
eating; blinking

real estate; gardening

Question 2 of 12
You have a very efficient and reliable team member on your team, but they are infamous for
treating symptoms rather than root causes. What is the likely outcome of using their quick
assistance?

Their output will be undocumented and unreliable.

The team may be provoked into disagreement.
The project will be reliable for years to come.
Any fix provided will be short-lived.

Any fix provided will be short-lived.

Question 3 of 12
What’s the most productive way to apply the 80/20 principle to critical thinking?

Focus on the efforts that impact 20% of the results.

Spend 80% of your effort analyzing causes, and 20% analyzing consequences.
Focus on the 20% of efforts that impact 80% of the results.
20% of your efforts are unnecessary and should be cut.

Focus on the 20% of efforts that impact 80% of the results.

Question 4 of 12
You have a team member who is a bit inflexible; they are prone to doing their job without much
reflection and they do not like change. Which pitfalls likely impact their critical thinking?

being unwilling to change the problem space, and failing to consider implications
failing to consider similar situations in unrelated areas, and not understanding the fundamental
causes
focusing on things that do not matter, and not using the 80/20 rule
jumping to answers too quickly, and not teaching others their methods

being unwilling to change the problem space, and failing to consider implications

Question 5 of 12
Defining a clear problem statement can help you avoid this common pitfall.
focusing on the unimportant
jumping to answers too quickly
not thinking of future consequences
generating weak hypotheses

jumping to answers too quickly

Question 6 of 12
What does a problem statement define, overall?

what success for the project looks like

what role each stakeholder will take
the tasks involved in solving the problem
the symptoms of the problem

what success for the project looks like

Question 7 of 12
Three different lenses for thinking critically are to change your _, to change the context, or to
change the reality of the problem space.

point of view
objectives
project statement
feelings

point of view

Question 8 of 12
The “7 So What’s” are a critical tool for analyzing _.

consequences of recommendations
causes underlying problems
probability of milestones
roots of origin

consequences of recommendations

Question 9 of 12
If you want to improve your team’s critical thinking skills you’ll need to introduce them to the
tools, give them opportunities to practice, coach them along the way, and _.

encourage them to rate each other’s work

hold them accountable when they don’t apply the methods
teach them to believe in themselves
reward the best performing team member
hold them accountable when they don’t apply the methods

Question 10 of 12
You just completed your analysis for a project and have your initial recommendation
completed. After validating your results, what is the best next step you should take?

submit the results of the project to your manager for review

implement your ideas immediately
compare your results with other unrelated projects to see if new insights emerge
make sure your results are plausible

compare your results with other unrelated projects to see if new insights emerge

Question 11 of 12
Comparing the solutions from _ can improve your analysis and lead to the discovery of new
kinds of solutions.

high-level projects
successful projects
unauthorized projects
unrelated projects

unrelated projects

Question 12 of 12
What is the best tool for getting to a problem’s root cause?

the 7 So What’s
the 3 How’s
the 5 Forces
the 5 Why’s

the 5 Why’s

Developing a Learning Mindset

Question 1 of 3

Does a busy lifestyle distract from learning?

It does not allow enough space
It crowds out love
It competes with good ideas
It destroys the emotional environment

It does not allow enough space

Question 2 of 3
What factor most influences the need for lifelong learning?

conflict
improvement
illness
change

change

Question 3 of 3
What task is a primary element of creating a learning inventory?

Create an organized list of learning experiences of all kinds throughout your life.
Create a matrix of successes and failures and the reasons for them throughout your life.
Create a detailed account of new opportunities and how they relate to old successes.
List the honors and awards you have earned throughout your life.

Create an organized list of learning experiences of all kinds throughout your life.

Solving Business Problems

1 month ago
1 minute

Question 1 of 5
When you skip pinning the problem, you usually _.

waste time and effort coming up with wrong solutions

get to an answer much more quickly
make your boss happy because you’re saving time
build stakeholder buy-in because you’re being efficient

waste time and effort coming up with wrong solutions

Question 2 of 5
What are assertions?

something you assume

facts stated to persuade
negative proofs of a hypothesis
ideas you make up without proof

facts stated to persuade

Question 3 of 5
Ideas that are small in impact but easy to do are known as _.

low hanging fruit

low priority ideas
top priority ideas
fill-in initiatives

low hanging fruit

Question 4 of 5
A good logic map is _.

oral and written

distinct and complete
detailed and broad
logical and analytical

distinct and complete

Question 5 of 5
Which of the following is not a tool for pinning the problem?

asking your boss to define the problem

evaluating prior efforts
looking through new lenses
answering focusing questions

asking your boss to define the problem

Communication within Teams

1 month ago
3 minutes

Question 1 of 11
Research shows that effective _ produce better outcomes than _.

managers; individuals or uncoordinated groups

teams; individuals or uncoordinated groups
individuals; teams or uncoordinated groups

teams; individuals or uncoordinated groups

Question 2 of 11
Jamal tells Carla that something she said was hurtful to him. Now, it is Carla’s turn to respond.
What kind of response is best?

Carla should explain how Jamal’s actions fit into a larger pattern of hurtful behavior.
Carla should articulate her understanding of Jamal’s perspective.
Carla should agree with Jamal’s perspective.
Carla should defend what she said.

Carla should articulate her understanding of Jamal’s

Question 3 of 11
Which statement about conditions of satisfaction is FALSE?

Conditions of satisfaction define what is acceptable and what is the bare minimum of
achievement.
Conditions of satisfaction should be established before you start your project.
Conditions of satisfaction are different than goals.
Conditions of satisfaction should be established once team members confront their first
obstacle.

Conditions of satisfaction should be established once

Question 4 of 11
What does AAR stand for?

Anonymous author review

After-action review
Active assessment review
Anonymous assessment report

After-action review

Question 5 of 11
What tool can you use to ensure team members are accountable for their roles and meeting
minimum expectations?

the Say-Do matrix

the microleader tool
the five W’s
the consequence tool

the five W’s

Question 6 of 11
You manage a team that is geographically distributed. How can you encourage your team to
engage in conversations?

Ask open-ended questions.

Create virtual spaces for conversations.
Host virtual socials.
all of these answers

all of these answers

Question 7 of 11
You are in a meeting and your team’s discussion starts to stray off topic. You interrupt the
conversation and remind the group to stay focused on the key agenda items. In this scenario,
what role did you take on?

Convener
Coordinator
Recorder
Monitor

Monitor

Question 8 of 11
What is the C in LESCANT and why is it important?

Context. It is important to know whether the teammate is from high or low context culture.
Clarity. It is important to communicate simply and clearly when working in a multilingual
setting.
Culture. It is important to know the culture of the teammate.

Context. It is important to know whether the teammate is from high or low context
culture.

Question 9 of 11
What is NOT true about a team charter?

Team charters should be created with an HR representative present.

Team charters outline expectations for how your team will collaborate.
An important part of a team charter includes rules and norms for communicating.
Well-crafted team charters can help you avoid misunderstandings and conflict.

Team charters should be created with an HR representative present.

Question 10 of 11
Which of these questions might be included in a team charter?
What are your ground rules for communication?
all of these answers
How will you make decisions?
What will you do when a conflict arises?

all of these answers

Question 11 of 11
A RACI matrix tracks and assigns responsibilities to team members. Which of these items is
NOT a part of the RACI matrix?

Responsible
Informed
Consulted
Approval

Approval

Writing White Papers

Question 1 of 5
A stakeholder who is quoted in a paper should be given the opportunity to review _.

the section containing the quotation

the quotation only
the quotation and the executive summary
the entire white paper
a) the section containing the quotation

Question 2 of 5
How can you avoid discontinuities in style when incorporating outside materials?

Limit the outside material to footnotes or sidebars.

Present all graphics in an appendix.
Incorporate materials with explanatory text rather than just graphics.
Adapt the materials to your paper’s need, and avoid just copying content from outside
materials.
d) Adapt the materials to your paper’s need, and avoid just copying content from
outside materials.

Question 3 of 5
What should be the focus of the introductory part of a white paper?
Develop engagement with the reader.
Identify solutions for the reader.
Strive to make a sale with the reader.
Present background data to the reader.

a) Develop engagement with the reader.

Question 4 of 5
What graphics type should you use sparingly in white paper?

company-related graphics
informational graphics
graphical text elements
illustrational graphics
a) company-related graphics
Question 5 of 5
What is the main benefit of studying examples of white papers in your area of expertise?

You can learn how to format content listings and titles.

You can understand acceptable variations in paper length
You can find suitable examples that fit your purpose.
You can find the accepted format standard in your area.
c) You can find suitable examples that fit your purpose.

Technical Writing: Quick Start Guides

Question 1 of 7
What is the difference between a conceptual guide and a procedural guide?

A conceptual guide explains why it is necessary to accomplish a task, but a procedural guide
describes pitfalls.
A conceptual guide explains the order of steps, but a procedural guide lists the steps in no
particular order.
A conceptual guide outlines steps to accomplish a task, but a procedural guide explains the
main ideas of that task.
A conceptual guide introduces main ideas, but a procedural guide outlines steps to
accomplish a task.

d )A conceptual guide introduces main ideas, but a procedural guide outlines steps to
accomplish a task.

Question 2 of 7
Which of the following items best uses plain language to describe an idea?

Lyophilize the sample until its mass becomes constant.

Remove as much water as possible from the sample by lyophilization.
Freeze dry the sample until no more water sublimes.
Leave the sample in the lyophilizer until its mass does not change with time.

d) Leave the sample in the lyophilizer until its mass does not change with time.

Question 3 of 7
How are “Must” Quick Start Guides organized?

They give the user options for how to proceed.

They walk the user through a strict sequence to achieve a desired outcome.
They are presented non-sequentially.
They include helpful visual aids.

b) They walk the user through a strict sequence to achieve a desired outcome.

Question 4 of 7
It can be helpful to base your Quick Start Guide on _.

an online template
the user manual
previous Quick Start Guides you have
made your competitor’s Quick Start Guide

b) the user manual

Question 5 of 7
The most important aspect of formatting to remember is that _.

it should be conservative and decorative

it should be easy on the eye and consistent
it should convey meaning and be consistent
it should be decorative and flamboyant

c) it should convey meaning and be consistent

Question 6 of 7
How should you address the user when you are writing a Quickstart guide?

with the phrase “the user” throughout the guide

with second-person pronouns or the imperative mood
with a fictional user and giving that user a name
with third-person pronouns and the indicative mood

b) with second-person pronouns or the imperative mood

Question 7 of 7
How can you avoid including too many notes?

by writing a glossary of terms

by including notes in an appendix
by breaking up steps into smaller groups
by using footnotes instead of notes in the text

c) by breaking up steps into smaller groups

Business Writing Principles

Question 1 of 13
Which of the following is a grammatically correct sentence?

Please put the folders over their.

Your attitude affects your performance.
Everyone already knows what they’re supposed to do.
Kyle and myself would like to request Friday off.

b) Your attitude affects your performance.

Question 2 of 13
How much of your writing time should be spent planning and revising?

50%
80%
none
30%

b) 80%

Question 3 of 13
What question should you ask yourself to write in a conversational style?

What are the most important pieces of content to include in this email?
Would I say this to someone if I were speaking to them face to face?
By when do I need this correspondent to send her reply?
How can I make this email formal enough to sound impressive?

b) Would I say this to someone if I were speaking to them face to face?

Question 4 of 13
Revise to include all the necessary specifics: We will be having a meeting on Tuesday.

Next Tuesday we’ll meet to discuss some items in Room 101.

Our next staff meeting to discuss flextime and childcare will be Tuesday, November 12, in
Room 101 in our company annex.
We are writing you to tell you that our Tuesday meeting’s plan is to discuss flextime and
child care.
We will have a meeting next Tuesday at 10:00.

b) Our next staff meeting to discuss flextime and childcare will be Tuesday, November
12, in Room 101 in our company annex.

Question 5 of 13
You send an email to your coworkers telling them to meet at the hotel conference room at 9
a.m. for a meeting.
Considering the 10 Cs, what piece of information are you forgetting to tell them?

They should bring writing utensils to take notes.

The meeting’s purpose is to discuss a marketing plan for your new product.
The new hire, Janet, will also be there.
The hotel recently received national recognition.

b) The meeting’s purpose is to discuss a marketing plan for your new product.

Question 6 of 13
Which of the following is indicative of a typical memo?

a clear introduction
a single paragraph
a length over two pages
a signature block

a) a clear introduction

Question 7 of 13
Which of the following is an example of courteous writing?

The room is already booked on the 11th, but it is available on the 12th.
You didn’t remember to include the time.
I will grant you the extension.
No, that won’t work for us.

a) The room is already booked on the 11th, but it is available on the 12th.

Question 8 of 13
Which of these should be included in a report for a client unfamiliar with your company?

opinions
company-specific jargon
superlatives
specific company background information

d) specific company background information

Question 9 of 13
“Please complete the audit report by end of business day, Friday.”

What sort of request is this?

redundant request
considerate request
courteous request
concrete request

d) concrete request
Question 10 of 13
How can you ensure your recipient will read your email quickly when she receives it in her
inbox?

Mention the email when you speak to her face to face.

Forward messages as often as possible.
Use a one-word subject line.
Create a specific and compelling subject line.

d) Create a specific and compelling subject line.

Question 11 of 13
Which of these clues indicates that a source is credible?

The source includes answers collected from a few coworkers.

The source comes from an expert in the field.
The source uses materials collected several years ago.
The source was compiled using leading questions.

b) The source comes from an expert in the field.

Question 12 of 13
What is grammatically wrong with this sentence?

“Although I’ve already reviewed the slide deck I am still planning on attending the live
presentation.”

The sentence is grammatically correct.

The sentence needs a comma after
“deck.”
The sentence should be divided into two separate sentences.
The sentence has a spelling error.

b) The sentence needs a comma after “deck.”

Question 13 of 13
Your employee’s writing skills have improved. Because of this improvement, she is being put
on a new account.

Considering coherence, which of the following is the most effective way to inform her of
this?

Your writing skills have improved tremendously. Consequently, you are being assigned to the
Johnson account.
Your writing skills have improved tremendously. However, you are being assigned to the
Johnson account.
Your writing skills have improved tremendously; additionally, you are being assigned to the
Johnson account.
Your writing skills have improved tremendously. You are being assigned to the Johnson
account.

a) Your writing skills have improved tremendously. Consequently, you are being
assigned to the Johnson account.
Preparing for Successful Communication

Question 1 of 9
You are in a meeting with your boss and need to ask for a raise. Which tip would you
use to reinforce that you are worth it?

End sentences with downward inflection.

Project your voice to all four corners of the room.
Tower instead of cower.
Project a voice of authority.

a) End sentences with downward inflection.

Question 2 of 9
When interviewing for a job or selling an idea, what should you refrain from doing?

Talk about the various positions you have had in your career.
Share a unique credential.
Give a specific example of a problem you solved.
Relate relevant experience to benefits to your audience.

a) Talk about the various positions you have had in your career.

Question 3 of 9
Taylor is using a technique in her communication that will help her audience follow her
points. Which of these would confuse her audience?

Highlight your numbered points when you mention them and in your summary.
Preselect a precise number of ideas to cover in your allotted time.
Name your step-by-step process with an alliterative word.
Color code your process steps.

d) Color code your process steps.

Question 4 of 9
Chloe has created a communication she will give to her team. She has identified the goal
in one sentence. Which of the following is the next logical step in the process of creating
relevant communication?
You are right to show you understand their cares and concerns.
Share the good news of how you have already addressed their cares and concerns.
Address their cares and concerns.
Anticipate your decision maker’s cares and concerns.

d) Anticipate your decision maker’s cares and concerns.

Question 5 of 9
Amy is applying the technique called _ in her communication so that the audience will
picture what she is saying and feel they are part of her story.

SCENE
SEGMENT
SEQUENCE
SENSE

a) SCENE

Question 6 of 9
Kurt is fielding questions from an audience after his company just implemented some
recalls on a product. What would make the person complaining angrier?

Apologize.
Explain why it happened.
Agree.
Act.

b) Explain why it happened.

Question 7 of 9
The _ says we can identify with an individual, not an idea.

empathic medium
sympathy telescope
empathy telescope
social medium

c) empathy telescope

Question 8 of 9
If you are fielding questions from an audience and someone asks a question you do not
want to answer, what would be the best approach in this situation?

Tell them you cannot answer that

one. Say you don’t know.
Redirect the conversation.
Tell them that is a bad question.

c) Redirect the conversation.

Question 9 of 9
The goal of communication is to _.
tell people what to do
inspire action
sell an idea
sell a product

b) inspire action

Understanding Patents: A Deeper Dive

Question 1 of 7
“Patent prosecution” has what meaning in the process of submitting patent applications?

Patent prosecution is the process of appealing the refusal of a patent application to the federal
courts.
Patent prosecution is the process of moving an application through the patent office by
addressing refusals until a patent is issued.
Patent prosecution is the process of reviewing prior art noted by the examiner when refusing
an application.
Patent prosecution is the process of having a patent examiner expedite the review process.

b) Patent prosecution is the process of moving an application through the patent office
by addressing refusals until a patent is issued.

Question 2 of 7
Jane believes she has a patentable idea. What timeframe applies if Jane decides to apply for a
utility patent?

Jane must not have not disclosed her idea publicly within the year before filing her
application.
Jane must not have disclosed her idea publicly more than a year from filing her application.
Jane must have disclosed her idea publicly regardless of time limit before filing her
application.
Jane must have disclosed her idea publicly at some time more than a year before filing her
application.

b) Jane must not have disclosed her idea publicly more than a year from filing her
application.

Question 3 of 7
ABC Corp. copies XYZ Corp’s patented wheel-lock for its new trailer. The wheel-lock is
only $12 of the $3,000 dollars the trailer will sell for. ABC has not yet started selling its new
trailer. Has ABC infringed on XYZ’s patent?
ABC will infringe on XYZ’s patent once it begins selling trailers with the XYZ
patented wheel-lock.
ABC will only infringe on XYZ’s patent if it sells the wheel-locks separately from the
trailers.
ABC has not infringed because it did not use the wheel-locks sold by XYZ but made its own
locks.
ABC infringed on XYZ’s patent when it used XYZ’s patented idea for its own wheel-lock.

d) ABC infringed on XYZ’s patent when it used XYZ’s patented idea for its own wheel-
lock.

Question 4 of 7
While working for XYZ Corp. Carl patents a new process for painting sheet metal. XYZ
claims they are entitled to the benefits of the patent. What is the only legally accurate
scenario regarding patent rights and benefits?

XYZ Corp. licensed any rights to inventions to Carl when he was hired. XYZ Corp’s name
will be on the patent.
Carl assigned the rights to any inventions to XYZ when he was hired. His name remains on
the patent but the benefits are in the name of XYZ.
Carl licensed his patent rights to XYZ. When he licensed his rights, XYZ Corp’s name
replaces Carl’s on the patent.
XYZ Corp. is the named inventor because XYZ furnished the facilities in which Carl
developed the new painting process.

b) Carl assigned the rights to any inventions to XYZ when he was hired. His name
remains on the patent but the benefits are in the name of XYZ.

Question 5 of 7
Edgar has come up with a X-shaped steering wheel for cars. He knows the X-shape will be
popular with drivers who buy sports cars. What type of patent should he apply for?

a utility patent because utility patents protect the aesthetics of an invention rather than the
invention’s functionality
a design patent because once Edgar protects the X-design his patent will also protect the
function of turning the car’s front wheels
a utility patent because a utility patents protects both the design and the functionality of an
invention
Attempted correct option
a design patent because it protects the X-design which is more important to Edgar than the
function of a steering wheel that turns a car

d) a design patent because it protects the X-design which is more important to Edgar
than the function of a steering wheel that turns a car

Question 6 of 7
If a patent examiner refuses an application because the idea in the application is “obvious”,
that does this generally mean?

The examiner found there is no usefulness to the idea.

The examiner determined the idea is not novel.
The examiner identified similar products in the marketplace.
The examiner discovered there is prior art for the idea.

d) The examiner discovered there is prior art for the idea.

Question 7 of 7
When you are searching a database to determine if there is an existing patent for an idea,
where should you focus your search?

in abstracts, because abstracts contain the most complete information regarding novelty or
obviousness
in background, because a patent that satisfies a particular need bars other patents that satisfy
the same need
in drawings, to determine if your product’s utility and design is sufficient to be issued a
patent
in claims, to determine if your idea might infringe on an existing patent and be barred if the
claims are the same

d) in claims, to determine if your idea might infringe on an existing patent and be

barred if the claims are the same

Critical Roles Consultants Play

Question 1 of 9
Being a good “follower” is needed to show you can work within what aspects of your client’s
environment?

The pace and industry of your client.

You like the food in their cafeteria so you are happy to meet clients there.
The culture and expectations of your client.
The meeting structure and collaborative nature of your client.

c)The culture and expectations of your client.

Question 2 of 9
Switching between roles in a manner that doesn’t confuse your client is important. Which of
the following is NOT a good practice when switching between consulting roles?
Justify the role before you switch to it.
Use dialog to set up your role changes.
Move quickly from one role to the other so your client doesn’t lose patience with you.
Assess your effectiveness when switching roles.

c) Move quickly from one role to the other so your client doesn’t lose patience with
you.

Question 3 of 9
When executing change management, working backwards from your “change picture” and
determine what steps your client needs to take is sometimes called what?

solution verification
business analysis
painting the picture
outcomes mapping

d) outcomes mapping

Question 4 of 9
Which of the following is one of the elements to look for when determining the appropriate
roles that will satisfy your client?

The degree of process focus your client has in your technical area.
The length and detail included in your consulting contract.
The presence (or not) of potentially competing consultants on your client site.
The enthusiasm your client has for the technical products you are producing.

a) The degree of process focus your client has in your technical area.

Question 5 of 9
The best signal that you have support from your client is when your client management
team _ on the recommendations you make.

acts
meets
questions
debates

a) acts

Question 6 of 9
Which of the following is not recommended for setting yourself up for future consulting
engagements with your client?

Understanding your client’s business strategy.

Understanding what your client plans for their next major initiative.
Constantly learning more about your client.
Giving your client detailed plans for multiple new initiatives.

d) Giving your client detailed plans for multiple new initiatives.

Question 7 of 9
There are two critical characteristics to ensure success as a consultant. What are they?

Broad technical skill and mastery of tools.

A keen ability to listen and change the minds of your client.
Communication skills and contract management background.
Expertise and the right attitude.

d) Expertise and the right attitude.

Question 8 of 9
Before implementing your solution, your extended stakeholders need to understand _.

all the possible errors that might surface

your background so they know what to expect from your leadership
when you will leave so they know when to take over your role
the risks and benefits to expect

d) the risks and benefits to expect

Question 9 of 9
When playing the role of reviewer, you typically analyze a potential solution for which two
characteristics?

Reviews need to confirm how to integrate solutions with those of your client, and review
deliverables for suitability.
A review of personnel assigned to the project and the skills they bring to the initiative.
Reviews need to confirm the latest techniques are applied to derive a solution, and that the
senior leader understands the approach.
A review of planned deliverables, and to ensure the approach matches what you would do as
a consultant.

a) Reviews need to confirm how to integrate solutions with those of your client, and review
deliverables for suitability.

Consulting Foundations

Question 1 of 16
Which revenue model is one where you get paid based on the number of hours you work?
fee-for-service
unit pricing
project-based
ancillary fees

a) fee-for-service

Question 2 of 16
Which of these is a downside to staffing your team with contractors instead of employees?

your workforce could be less stable and predictable

you don’t have staffing flexibility to add or remove staff quickly
you carry a large fixed cost by doing so
you don’t have to pay employment taxes

a) your workforce could be less stable and predictable

Question 3 of 16
_ marketing is an approach where you share ideas and perspectives to interest your buyers.

Content-based
Interest-based
Buyer-focused
Digital

a) Content-based

Question 4 of 16
What is a major risk of having a few large clients?

sales efforts are easier

losing a big client can be very
damaging sales cycles are shorter
income is more stable

b) losing a big client can be very damaging

Question 5 of 16
A _ is when a client pays you a fixed fee for a time period regardless of how much or little
they use your services.

retainer
project fee
flat rate
fixed rate

a) retainer

Question 6 of 16
Why is the first deal you negotiate with a client so important?
it generates a lot of revenue
it sets precedent for future deals
it proves you have a real
business it keeps your
competitors away

b) it sets precedent for future deals

Question 7 of 16
When licensing your intellectual property to clients, which of these actions should you take?

define the license fees the client needs to pay

define whether or not they can modify your IP
specify how they can use the IP
all of these answers

d) all of these answers

Question 8 of 16
What are the five major phases of a consulting engagement?

kickoff, analysis, presentation, assessment, invoicing

proposal, kickoff, delivery, closure, archive
contracting, proposal, delivery, feedback, payment
selling, proposal, kickoff, delivery, report-out

b) proposal, kickoff, delivery, closure, archive

Question 9 of 16
When should you include clients as members of your team?

only when they demand it

when you need to save money
when the client seems bored
as often as possible

d) as often as possible

Question 10 of 16
The first step in a standard problem solving process is _.

presenting recommendations
pinning and defining the problem
conducting deep analysis
generating solutions

b) pinning and defining the problem

Question 11 of 16
What’s a possible risk of staying on with the client to implement the recommendation?

your colleagues might get jealous of you

you’ll increase the number of hours you bill the client
implementation might not go well and you’ll be blamed
the client might look smarter than you

c) implementation might not go well and you’ll be blamed

Question 12 of 16
Consider retaining an attorney once you’ve hired _.

5 employees
an accountant
10 contractors
a single employee

d) a single employee

Question 13 of 16
When using _ accounting you record the income or expense as it’s incurred.

accrual
economic
cash
algorithmic

a) accrual

Question 14 of 16
What do employees usually get that contractors don’t?

performance appraisals
pay
equipment
benefits

d) benefits

Question 15 of 16
Which of the following is a common certification you can get for your business?

fast-growing
profitable
multilingual
veteran-owned

d) veteran-owned

Question 16 of 16
Focusing too much on delivering services can cause what issue?

micromanagement and overtime

not spending enough time
selling completing projects too
quickly reduced employee
morale
b) not spending enough time selling

Getting Your Ideas Approved

When transforming a layer architecture to a story, you should _.

invert it
start with the core idea
wordsmith it
do an analysis

a) invert it

Question 2 of 17
A story based on a column architecture starts with a _.

what’s changed
background
core idea
hypothesis

c) core idea

Question 3 of 17
At what point should you wordsmith your story?

when finalizing the communication

when you build your architecture
when you write the core idea
when you first draft the story

a) when finalizing the communication

Question 4 of 17
A good architecture is both distinct and _.

complete
logical
interesting
short

a) complete

Question 5 of 17
When converting a column architecture to a story, what comes first in the story?
column 2
the core idea
column 3
column 1

b) the core idea

Question 6 of 17
How many analyses should you conduct to prove your case?

as many as you can possibly think of

as many as are required to prove the architecture
as few as you can get away with
six

b) as many as are required to prove the architecture

Question 7 of 17
What attributes should the elements of your architecture possess?

linked and nested

full and forthright
compelling and direct
distinct and complete

d) distinct and complete

Question 8 of 17
A well-defined question consists of a what” and a _.”

how
why
where
when

b) why

Question 9 of 17
What goes at the bottom of a layer architecture?

hypothesis
background
what’s changed
core idea

b) background

Question 10 of 17
What is the button?

the key analysis that your entire argument rests upon

the link between the layer and column architecture
the first element of your core idea
the objective function your stakeholder cares about most

d) the objective function your stakeholder cares about most

Question 11 of 17
What is the benefit of structuring your communications?

clearer communications
efficient fact gathering
less rework
all of these answers

d) all of these answers

Question 12 of 17
What tells you which facts to include or exclude from your recommendation?

architecture
analysis
background
stakeholders

a) architecture

Question 13 of 17
If you disprove your hypothesis, what should you do?

change the question you’re trying to

answer change the analysis to prove the
hypothesis go home and give up
evaluate your next-best hypothesis

d) evaluate your next-best hypothesis

Question 14 of 17
Which of these are benefits of a good architecture?

prevents rambling
communications avoid irrelevant
analysis
audience arrives at your conclusion
all of these answers

d) all of these answers

Question 15 of 17
Why should you get input from stakeholders when refining your story?

to get them to do the analysis

to know what concerns to avoid
to build support for your idea
to keep them from stealing your idea
c) to build support for your idea

Question 16 of 17
Which of the following is NOT part of the core idea?

why
question
button
what

b) question

Question 17 of 17
Your presentation title should be based upon _.

stakeholder preference
market research
your core idea
a column architecture

c) your core idea

Creating a Business Plan

Question 1 of 12
What is a moon chart?

only required if you’re in the aerospace industry

a measure of your financial performance
a way to compare your business to your competitors
a map of the moon

c) a way to compare your business to your competitors

Question 2 of 12
When choosing suppliers, you should select the one that is _.

the highest reliability

the best fit with your business model
the lowest cost
the highest quality

b) the best fit with your business model

Question 3 of 12
Your financial forecast should be _.

extremely precise
built top down
optimistic and exciting
built based on unit drivers

d) built based on unit drivers

Question 4 of 12
Which of the following is not a type of revenue model?

recurring
positive amortization
one time fee
cost plus margin

b) positive amortization

Question 5 of 12
Which of the following affects how you support your product?

how demanding your customers are

how often your product breaks down
how many product returns you
receive all of these answers

d) all of these answers

Question 6 of 12
What must your production plan explain?

all of these answers

what kind of staffing you need to make your product
whether you’ll insource or outsource production
how your production matches your strategy

a) all of these answers

Question 7 of 12
What is the most important thing your product delivery plan should focus on?

choosing between government and private shipping companies

speed of delivery
low cost shipping options
how you get your product into your customers’ hands

d) how you get your product into your customers’ hands

Question 8 of 12
What’s a warning sign that your financial plan isn’t accurate?
a hockey stick forecast
market research
inaccuracy capital
requirement ratios high-
level unit drivers

a) a hockey stick forecast

Question 9 of 12
What does your value proposition describe?

how your employees are paid

how your product benefits your
customer how much your company is
worth
the beliefs and values of your company

b) how your product benefits your

customer Question 10 of 12
What are two things you must know about your capital on hand?

your burn rate and runway

your FDIC protection and overdraft
limit your interest rate and yield
your equity value and book value

a) your burn rate

and runway Question

11 of 12
What does the sales section of your business plan explain?

the profit margin you earn on each sale

how you’ll sell your product to your
customer your FOB delivery terms for each
sale
how much revenue you’ll earn each year

b) how you’ll sell your product to

your customer Question 12 of 12

Why should you have expert advice when it comes to HR and legal issues?

so that you can impress investors

it’s less expensive than doing it yourself
to prevent major regulatory and legal issues from harming your business
because you don’t have time to do it on your own
 c) to prevent major regulatory and legal issues from harming your business
LinkedIn Course 14,15,16,17 Questions
Course 14:
1.Which of the following is NOT part of the core logic of innovation?

 creation of variety
 scaling up of the best ideas
 brutal selection from among the many options

repeating the word innovation again and again

2.Why do most organizations often stumble at innovation?


baggage of past success

fear of cannibalization

 all of these answers


an excessive focus on maximizing efficiency

3. Why is collaborative innovation becoming increasingly necessary?

 all of these answers


No company can master all of the necessary technologies and stay ahead.

Most products now require an integration of multiple technologies.

Rapid pace of technology development.

4. What is the core logic behind the “lean startup” process?


Conduct lots of experiments.

Think of the term “lean” as eliminating wasted time, effort, and resources.

Design each experiment to answer a specific question.

 all of these answers

5. Which of the following would be a BAD idea in a dramatic reimagining of the
target customer (e.g., when Apple launched the PC aimed at individual users)?


Analyze why these customers remain unserved.

Brainstorm business model changes to make them relevant customers.

 Identify currently unserved markets/customer segments.

 Ignore eventual profitability.

6. What’s the best approach to pursue collaborative innovation?


Cultivate trust while keeping a watchful eye.

Agree upfront about contributions, ownership, and decision-making.

Partner with people or organizations who bring complementary capabilities.

 all of these answers.

7. What is a key element of social innovation?

all of these answers
ensuring financial viability for the user as well as your organization

a novel solution to an important but underserved social problem

factoring in how the product or service would be used in real-life contexts

8. What does frugal innovation (think of Southwest Airlines) refer to?


offering copycat products or services at somewhat lower prices

creating products or services that are cheap and ignoring everything else

acting tough with suppliers and employees to drive the cost down

 designing an ultra-low-cost business model by eliminating “waste” across the

entire system.

9. What must you NOT do when figuring out how to dramatically re-engineer the industry’s
value chain?
 Ignore the impact of transforming some activities on other related activities.

 Focus especially on activities with the biggest impact on total cost or delivered
customer value.
  Examine how technology could dramatically transform the entire value chain (or a
part of it).
 Map out the entire value chain from one end to the other.
10. What must you NOT do when figuring out how to dramatically re-engineer the industry’s
value chain?
 Ignore the impact of transforming some activities on other related activities.

 Focus especially on activities with the biggest impact on total cost or delivered
customer value.
 Examine how technology could dramatically transform the entire value chain (or a
part of it).
 Map out the entire value chain from one end to the other.

11.How might you dramatically redefine the notion of customer value (e.g., when Microsoft
launched Office as an integrated bundle of key applications)?

 all of these answers


Look at products and services from the lens of end users.

Assess whether they would prefer a more complete solution.

Examine the possibility of tailoring your offering to each user’s unique needs.

12. Which of the following is NOT a sensible approach when driving for both consistency as
well as innovation?

 Create well-defined sandboxes for experimentation.


Much like a train station, think in terms of a stable platform coupled with dynamic
action.

 Switch randomly between consistency and innovation.


Set up simple rules for allocation of time between routine tasks and experimentation.

Course 15:
1.What is an advantage to learning to be creative?

 increased self-confidence

improved quality of health and life

 all of these answers


improved problem-solving skills
2. Fixedness is a cognitive bias that _____.

 limits your ability to see the world around you differently than you're
used to

really doesn't impact your creative abilities over time

helps you work better with those who see the world like you

enhances your creative abilities by limiting your mental processes

3. What is not a criteria for classifying a thought as creative?

 It's popular.

It's useful.

It's new.

It's surprising.

4. Task unification is defined as _____.

 the assignment of additional tasks to an existing resource

 bringing two product attributes into harmony with each other
 assigning only one function to a product

bringing simplicity to the world of innovation

5. When applying the multiplication technique, which product attribute should you consider
when creating a table?

 color

 all of these answers


weight

shape
6. When applying the division technique, after dividing a product or its components,
what should you do?


Seek consultation from an R&D specialist.

 Rearrange them back into the product.


Apply a second technique to the product.

Get a pricing quote from a potential manufacturer.

7. The subtraction technique is defined as the removal of an essential component

from a product.


FALSE

 TRUE

8. After virtually applying one of the SIT methods to a product, what is a good
question to ask?

 Does the concept help people in any way?

 Can this product bring in enough profit within the current fiscal year?
 Would I buy this product?

Will this product be popular enough with consumers?

9. What is a Systematic Inventive Thinking pattern?

subtraction

multiplication

 all of these answers


task unification

10. The hallmark of the attribute dependency technique is the unrelated nature of a
product's parts.

 FALSE

TRUE
Course 16:

1. What do good consultants do with their engagement contract?

 Create a summary which outlines the four contract components.

This is the recommended action provided in the course to help ensure interested
parties all understand the contract.

 Write a critique for the contract manager.

Writing a critique of a contract, unless specifically asked to do so, is not typically a

smart customer relationship minded action!


Uses the contract to determine how to construct consulting deliverables.

 Files it, as the real job description is not included in the contract.

The contract should be actively read, reviewed and referenced. Simply filing it would
be unwise.

2. What type of "shifts" do you need to look out for if your client doesn't support
your proposed solution?


strategy shifts

 power shifts

Power shifts between managers and their teams can be a substantial roadblock to
acceptance of your deliverables, and must be discussed.


shifty shifts

funding shifts

3. One of the primary purposes for using the managerial and technical roles is to
ensure your client _____.

 understands your deliverables

 This is a primary purpose for using the technical and managerial roles.

 listens to your exact approach for delivery

Having your client listen to your exact approach for delivery should not be a primary
objective. Listen to the client's needs and perceptions and develop trust first!


doesn't call another consultant

 understands the importance of your contract

Ideally, the contract is only referenced for clarification about the scope of your work,
rather than be an objective of applying a role in your consulting engagement.

4. What is NOT something that client's typically look for during the early stages of
your consulting engagement?

 Your social status within the client environment.

While you should get along with the client team, your "social status" amongst that
team isn't typically considered to be relevant.

 Evidence that you know what you are doing.

Evidence that you know what you are doing is probably the first thing a client looks
for in a consultant.


Your willingness to listen.

 Confidence in your abilities.

Clients want confidence that you, as a consultant, will deliver. They seek that
confidence to help them feel comfortable.

5. Which of these actions is not recommended when positioning your deliverables for
your client to provide “care and feeding" after your engagement is concluded?

 Define any operational risks that may surface for your client.

Understanding operational risks lessons the chance your client will say things like
"your solution is broken." They can also address those risks more readily without your
assistance.


Respond to and correct any issue your client may bring to your attention.

 Schedule checkpoints to measure progress.

 Checkpoints are good to keep you client focused on the reasons they implemented
your solution.

 Define phase 2 opportunities, if appropriate.

Defining phase 2 opportunities is a good way to increase your chances for working
with this client again.

6. What are the two types of potential "reviewer" you may be asked to fulfill during a
consulting engagement?

 validating and critical

Correct

This is the correct answer, as this represents the two objectives of a review you
may be asked to conduct.

Course 17:

Which of these is NOT a consulting business model?

 general contractor

A general contractor consulting model is when you hire other consultants and you run
the project for the client.

 project based

Project based consulting is where you provide services for a specific scope and
duration with a discrete set of deliverables.


S-corporation

 staff augmentation

Staff augmentation is when you are an independent contractor paid to be additional

staff on a client team.

2. How should you estimate and manage your costs?

 take a swag and monitor it

A swag won't be accurate enough to manage your business well.

  review your financials at the end of the year

Reviewing financials after the fact won't expose problems until it's too late.


use a bottoms-up pro forma P&L

 use only external benchmarks

External benchmarks could prove difficult to find and can be misleading.

3. Where should you market your services?

 on the cheapest marketing platform

Cheap marketing platforms are cheap for a reason. You have to spend money to make
money.

 on every available marketing platform

Marketing everywhere is usually ineffective. Why spend money on marketing that

won't reach your target buyer?

 only on your website

Your website won't have enough reach initially to have a meaningful impact on
reaching target buyers.


where your buyers are

4. _____ sales is where the principals of the firm build relationships with clients,
understand their needs, and sell services to meet those needs.

 Subcontractor

Subcontractor sales occur when a contractor makes a sale and brings your firm in to
do the work.


Direct

 Commissioned

Commissioned sales occur when you have a hired salesforce that gets paid based on
the sales they make.

 Partnership
 Partnership sales are sales made by a broad referral network you participate in.

5. Which type of contract governs your entire relationship with the client?

 Master Services Agreement

A master services agreement governs all aspects of your relationship with your client.

 Purchase Order

A purchase order covers the terms for a specific purchase of services.


Statement of Values

Task Order

6. Which of these is a challenge of "at risk" pricing models?

 regulators don't like these arrangements

Regulators rarely get involved in consulting pricing models unless you run a massive
firm.

 incentives are aligned with your client

Well-constructed risk pricing arrangements do align incentives between you and your
client.


measurement is difficult

 you can make more money

Making more money is a challenge worth overcoming.

7. What is true about "work made for hire" or "work product"?


it becomes your intellectual property

 the client owns it after the engagement

Work made for hire and work product almost always become the client's property.


it doesn't need to be defined in the contract
 
you get paid a higher rate for it

8. Which of these is NOT a downside to responding to an RFP?


they can take a lot of time

they can put pressure on your rates

they expose your true economics

 they can result in big contracts

RFPs can result in you landing a big contract which is a great outcome.

9. What drives the number of people you need to staff on your team?


employment law

 the amount of work to be done

The amount of work to be done should drive the number of people you need on the
team.


personalities

contract provisions

10. Which of the following is NOT a good technique for resolving conflict?

 act passive-aggressively and hope the client gets the point

Ignoring conflict and acting passive-aggressively will make the conflict worse.


incorporate a client's ideas into the project

 reduce the client's workload

Reducing client workload can get them to see you as a valuable partner.

 give the client a visible role on the project

 Giving clients a visible role can get them bought into the project.

11. When presenting your findings, be sure to present your ideas _____.

 in the right format

Choosing the right format makes it easier to understand and approve your
recommendation.

 after you leave the project

Present your findings before you complete the project. That's what the client is paying
you for.


with as much data as you can find

 like you're the expert

Clients already expect you to be the expert. Don't overplay that position.

12. Why should you consult an attorney when you draft a contract?


to protect your interests and reduce risk

 because the client has an attorney

Just because a client has an attorney doesn't mean you have to have one too.

 to lower your profits which reduces your taxes

Don't make bad decisions just to avoid paying taxes. Hire an attorney for the right
reasons.

 so your contracts sound intimidating in negotiations

Most clients won't be intimidated by you retaining an attorney since they likely have
attorneys of their own.

13. _____ tracks money coming into your business and going out of it.

 Balance sheets

A balance sheet is a financial statement that tracks your assets and liabilities.

 Cash flow
 Cash flow is the movement of money into your business as revenue and funding and
out of your business as expenses.

 Financing

Financing is when you borrow money or receive investment from outside sources.


Debt

14. A _____ agreement prevents your employees from pursuing your clients after
they've left your employment.


intellectual property

restriction

project

 noncompete

Noncompete agreements prevent your employees from going after your clients after
they leave your company.

15. What kind of insurance protects you when your work isn't up to standard and it
causes financial damages?

 disability

Disability insurance covers a person for lost income in the event they're injured or ill
and unable to work.

 workers' compensation

Workers' compensation insurance covers injuries to your employees.


Errors and omissions (E&O)

general liability

16. When you hire people to support you, you have to _____ work.


generate more
 avoid

Just because you hire someone to support you, it doesn't mean you can avoid doing
your work.


do more

 delegate

Delegate work to the people you hire to support you. That gives you more time to
work on higher value tasks.