selection criteria for problem solving

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Selection Criteria Examples: 13+ Good Selection Criteria Responses

In this post, what are selection criteria, how to address selection criteria, the star model in selection criteria, what are the different types of selection criteria, selection criteria examples and templates, selection criteria faqs.

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Selection criteria have the power to decide the fate of your job application. Imagine: you’ve been on the edge of your seat for two weeks, waiting to hear back from your dream employer . And now — unbeknownst to you — the moment of truth has arrived.

With a double click, Gary the hiring manager brings your application up onscreen. He rubs his eyes, takes a gulp of coffee and a deep breath, and starts skimming through your resume and cover letter .

If you’re applying for a position where the job advertisement included selection criteria (for example, a job in the Australian Public Service , or a large company), things can go one of two ways from this point:

“Wow, this applicant’s experience could make them a great fit,” Gary thinks. “And their cover letter tells me they’re passionate about this field.” 

He glances across at the list of key selection criteria for this position. And then he realises there’s no third page. You haven’t addressed the selection criteria at all.

He closes the window, sighs, and drags your application to the bin. Next!

Gary reads your stellar resume and your eloquent cover letter. Then he opens your ‘Key Selection Criteria Responses.docx’ document.

He compares your selection criteria responses against his list. A smile starts to spread across his face, and he sits up a little straighter. You’ve used the right keywords, structured it with the STAR framework, and organised it into skimmable bullet points. Gary adds your application to the shortlist — the selection panel is going to love it.

Okay, so Gary isn’t real, but key selection criteria are very real. Take them seriously, or be ready for Scenario A (i.e. the bin).

But don’t worry — you already have the skills you need to do an excellent job. If you’ve ever told a story to a friend about something that happened at work, you’re halfway there. 

Today, you’ll get the tools you need to get the rest of the way — all the way into your dream job.

Selection criteria are the essential skills , knowledge, experience and qualifications you must demonstrate to be eligible for a job. HR departments use them to evaluate candidates’ competency, and they are necessary for most government jobs, and for new roles at most large organisations. They don’t just benefit hiring managers, either. You can use them to see whether the job is a good fit for you.

It’s crucial to answer the selection criteria when applying for a position. To respond to key selection criteria, create a separate document to your covering letter and resume — both of which you have customised for this position, using the same language as in the job description. You’ll need to describe how well you meet each of the primary selection criteria in order to answer them, provide detailed information when asked, and use relevant examples from your work experience. 

Job advertisements may also list desirable criteria . Unlike the key selection criteria , these aren’t essential. But if you can show that you possess these criteria too, your chances of scoring a job interview will be much higher.

What are some examples of selection criteria ?

• Ability to work in a team and a collaborative environment
• Exceptional time management skills and ability to meet deadlines
• Ability to demonstrate a high level of effective team management
• A qualification in a relevant industry area
• What skills do you have that are relevant to this position?
• Is it possible for your abilities to be transferred to this position?
• How do you go about honing your skills?
• Give some examples of your abilities in action.
• What relevant professional knowledge do you have for this position?
• What skills would you bring to this position?
• How do you keep your knowledge and skills up to date?
• What kind of experience did you get and where did you get it?
• What is your level of experience?
• What skills do you have that might be useful in this position?
• Give a few examples of how you’ve used your skills.
• What qualifications do you have that would make you a good fit for this position?
• What personal qualities do you have that would make you a good fit for this position?

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When addressing selection criteria as a job applicant, you must be thorough. To do this, you must explore each criterion mentioned in the advertised position description in separate paragraphs and relevant examples. Back up your answers with related examples of what you have achieved and why these experiences will help you thrive in the role.

Here are five simple steps to effectively answer selection criteria:

• Analyse and dissect the selection criteria
• Write an opening statement
• Brainstorm ideas for each selection criterion
• Go into further detail and support your claims with ‘the how’
• Write out in full sentences, using a checklist

Read on for more detail.

1. Analyse and dissect the selection criteria

Read the selection criteria on the job advertisement thoroughly before jumping right in. As an example, let’s look at interpersonal skills. The associated criterion details could be ‘ w ell developed interpersonal skills’ .

This includes the ability to:

• Express opinions, information and critical points clearly and concisely via effective verbal communication
• Effectively working with others to resolve interpersonal conflicts in a positive way
• Being able to work in both formal and informal settings with others in groups and teams

If you look into this further, you can break down the desired sub-skills:

• Verbal communication
• Problem-solving and decision-making skills
• Team-working

2. Create an opening statement

For each selection criterion, clearly state how you fulfil it in one sentence making sure you incorporate key points. Keep it short – you will go into further details and specific examples and relevant experience in the next step.

“I possess strong interpersonal skills, which I have developed throughout my role as a Project Manager.”

3. Brainstorm ideas for each selection criterion

Here, you can pull together some examples of your work experiences relevant to the role you are pursuing. For example, sticking with the theme of Project Management, an applicant may think of the following scenarios to show how they fulfil the selection criteria before writing their response:

• Project Manager at X – Encountered conflicts when managing teams and resolved these accordingly.
• Project Manager at Y – First managerial role. Perfected verbal communication through many encounters with fellow team members. Learned to deliver my points clearly and concisely.
• Project Coordinator at Z – Working with teams.

4. Go into further detail and support your claims with ‘the how’

Once you’ve got the base points that surround the overarching selection criteria, you can then go to these and choose which examples suit best. A great way to do this is by employing the STAR Method technique.

Example response to the STAR Method:

5. Write out your responses in full sentences, using a checklist

Now, you can write the paragraph in full. When reading through your final draft, check the following steps before you submit your job application.

Have I addressed all elements of the selection criteria?

Once you’ve completed your application, it is good to revisit the wording of that particular selection criterion found in the position description. Make sure your content correlates and that the descriptors used in the advertisement are directly addressed in your writing. Double-check that you have met the requirements of the process itself- there may be a word limit you need to stick to, or the recruiter might ask you to list examples using bullet points instead of keeping them in paragraph format.

Are my claims justified with relevant examples?

This is as simple as making sure you are specific, concise and that your answers remain relevant using real experience. There is no use going on a tangent and writing an essay if it is a bunch of useless content irrelevant to the position.

Have I chosen the right words?

Match your language with that used in the job advertisement. When a recruiter is scanning your document, and there are words that they believe to be relevant to the position, this will more than likely generate some interest – after all, every corporate job posting gets 250 applications on average. Hence, yours needs to stand out in the selection process to make it on the shortlist.

Avoid ambiguous and passive language to make sure your writing is clear and delivers your point effectively.

Has someone else proofread my response?

Sometimes a new set of eyes can pick up on some mistakes that you might have missed. When you’ve been working on a piece for a long time, everything starts to look the same. Have them look through your work and compare it to the job advertisement – they may be able to offer some insight on how to improve your piece further.

The STAR model is one technique used to demonstrate relevant information for a specific capability within selection criteria.

Create context by describing where you applied the skills that helped to gain your knowledge

What was your role in the situation, and what were you required to accomplish?

How did you respond to the situation? What measures did you take?

What did you accomplish? How does this result relate to the job that you are applying for?

Selection criteria are more than just the desired skills an employer is looking for. It also includes experience, abilities, awareness and both hard and soft skills. The most common type of selection criteria includes qualifications. Most jobs, especially at a professional level, have a set requirement of qualifications needed.

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If you want to understand more about what it takes to write a successful selection criteria response, find some of the most popular criteria skills below and our examples of them. Whether you need to show your communication, teamwork, or technology abilities, use these examples to write your perfect response based on your experience.

Selection criteria: Proven ability to work in a team and a collaborative work environment

Here is an example of a typical teamwork selection criteria . The readers are looking for an example of when you’ve worked in a team as proof that you’ll be able to share and work with other employees if they hire you.

Teamwork criteria example

When working in hospitality, I continually proved my ability to work with a team in a very team-oriented environment. While at Johnny’s restaurant, I worked in a large team every shift, and in hospitality, teamwork is crucial to providing smooth and efficient service. Daily tasks were often team-oriented, including service, preparation and post-service jobs, which needed to be coordinated amongst staff to ensure we completed everything. 

This coordination meant communicating with other staff on shift, including chefs, dish staff, bar staff and other floor staff, and regularly attending meetings where I collaborated with other employees and management to improve the way we delivered service to customers. Regardless of how new an employee was or what training level, I treated every other staff member as equals, which helped forge professional associations and strengthened the team overall. As a result of my teamwork skills and collaborative work efforts, management often offered me extra shifts because they knew that I could work effectively with everyone to get the job done.

Selection criteria: Demonstrate a high level of effective team management

Here is a popular way of wording selection criteria for leadership skills. When a potential employer asks this, you may either be looking at a job that requires or may require leadership in the future or a position where you may have to be semi-autonomous.

Team management criteria example

When working at Smith and Son’s as a receptionist, I often had to demonstrate an ability to lead teams. After working there for five years, I became one of the longest-serving receptionists, which meant leading team meetings, organising staff events and coordinating a team of up to five receptionists at a time working on the floor. Growing genuine friendships and connections with new staff members was a priority to complete these tasks, as I knew they would come to me with problems more readily. I also needed to visibly complete my daily tasks ahead of schedule so that other receptionists would respect my participative leadership style. Staff will not respect a leader if they can’t do their job. As a result of my collaborative and friendly leadership, staff were confident in my ability to lead them and often came to me to communicate with upper management on their behalf, as well management relying on me to collaborate with them regarding receptionist staff and their needs.

Selection criteria: The ability to show a high level of quality customer service and management

Here is a typical example of phrasing for customer service selection criteria . This criterion means that the job you’re applying for will have customer-facing tasks, and management is looking to see that you have experience working with customers.

Customer service criteria example

While completing my studies, I worked part-time at Myer as a sales assistant for two years, where customer service was one of the most critical elements of my job. During my time at Myer, I worked across several departments. I demonstrated my customer service skills multiple times, especially with tricky customers or clients upset about something outside my control.

Clear communication and genuine concern with a customer’s needs is crucial to delivering exceptional customer service. When I worked in the womenswear department, a mother of the bride came in whose outfit had arrived (they’d ordered the dress online), but it didn’t fit, and we weren’t able to get a replacement in time for the wedding. 

The customer was understandably distraught, so I worked with her over a few hours, calming her down and coming up with some options for alternatives. This process included calling down items from different departments and ensuring she felt important and valued by getting her to sit down and have a cup of tea while I found all the pieces she wanted to view — or that I thought she might like. 

She ended up finding a dress that she liked more than the original and left a positive review a few days later on our Facebook page about her experience. Being able to help people when something goes wrong is one of the most rewarding elements of customer service and management. I developed this skill while working at Myer, as evidenced by many positive reviews and winning ‘best sales assistant of the month’ five times over my two years.

Selection criteria: Demonstrate the ability to use business technologies and analyse data and information effectively

Here is an example of how using technology selection criteria may be worded in a job application. In this case, the reader is looking to see how you’ve used relevant business technologies in the past and that you’ve been able to read the information given by these programs accurately.

Technology criteria example

When completing my Diploma in Administration, I was required to complete work placements that used business technologies in everyday tasks, including online library databases, microfiche and Microsoft office, and basics in Xero software.

When I completed my month-long work placement at Smith’s Chiropractors, I discovered that they were still using entirely paper-based data collection systems. I organised the transfer to a cloud-based company database system. This process included uploading files to the cloud, then connecting with multiple other programs, including Microsoft Excel, to create spreadsheets for chiropractors at the office to use in their day-to-day work. It also meant analysing large quantities of data online and turning them into practical, easy to use information. 

This use of business technologies helped both the chiropractors and the full-time administration staff become more efficient. They were no longer reliant on a paper-based system. They streamlined several processes throughout the workplace, allowing the clinic to see where processes were going wrong or could be improved.

Selection criteria: Demonstrate the ability to apply analytical and research skills

Here is a common way job applications may ask you to prove you fulfil analytical and research selection criteria. They are looking to see that you can apply what you’ve learned in analytical skills and research to everyday situations.

Analytical and research criteria example

When I was training as a teacher’s aide, I researched the special needs school and students I would be working with, both in work placements and my future work. I researched autism and students on the spectrum, looking at how different students may respond to stimuli within the school environment or having another teacher’s aid to their usual one. Students with special needs often react in unusual ways to new and changing circumstances, so it was important that the research papers I was working on were relevant and gave me valid analytical accounts and theories. 

The research I did, both within teachers aid training and independently, had to be applied in day to day practical ways, rather than just understanding the theory. I completed several projects on the topic, which required extensive literary research and analysing statistical data.

When I did my two-month-long work placement at St John’s primary school, I regularly applied the theories and concepts I had come across in my research in everyday situations. There was one student who particularly struggled with writing due to the texture of the pencils and pens. My investigation into textural sensations for students with autism helped me find ways to alter the pencils with everyday items, such as blue tac, which made it much easier for him to write. By applying the research to practical everyday learning, I helped increase class participation — not just for this student but also for students in other classes. This potential to improve learning outcomes is one of the most rewarding aspects of being a teacher’s aide.

Selection criteria: Proven ability to use interpersonal skills in everyday workplace situations

Here is a common way of phrasing interpersonal skills selection criteria. Interpersonal skills refer to, basically, people skills. Communication skills are a part of it because if you can’t communicate effectively, you’re not going to be much of a people person — but generally, they are separate.

Interpersonal skills criteria example

When working as a bartender at the Northern Hotel, there were many times when my interpersonal skills were called upon to improve difficult situations. In a busy hotel on a Saturday night, especially when customers have had a few too many drinks, relating to customers and talking them down from becoming angry is a crucial skill that I honed over the four years I worked there.

One night, a particularly irate customer was getting angry at one of our newest staff members who had cut him off. I didn’t want to get involved too early because this can often make new staff members feel undervalued, but I stepped in when he started getting personally offensive. The customer was a regular I knew relatively well, so I explained that I would have done the same thing and helped cool him down. I ensured that the new staff member was still involved, checked up on her several times throughout the night, and gave security and management a heads up. 

Two years later, she told me that one of the reasons she had stayed working with us for so long was because she knew, from that first shift, that other staff members would always support her on shift. Management recognised my interpersonal skills formally, and I won the ‘most supportive staff member’ award at our annual awards nights organised by management.

Selection criteria: Job applicant must be competent with a high level of administration skills such as database management, Microsoft Office and basic computing

Employers are looking for individuals skilled in specific programs that ensure efficiency and modernisation. In the 21st century, organisations expect anyone with a level of administrative background or skills to be competent with multiple programs and the general handling of a computer system.

Administration skills and database management criteria example

Whilst completing my Diploma in Administration, I was fortunate enough to take an Internship at Elixir Wealth Advisory, where I was an assistant to the Administration Officer. The opportunity allowed my database and computing skills to improve significantly, whereby I became efficient in using multiple Microsoft and Google applications. Working in administration involved working with clients’ details, answering phone enquiries and ensuring I organised notices and meetings for all staff members. 

One of the memorable days during my internship involved a client urgently requesting an appointment with his advisor. As the Administrative Officer was away sick that day, it was my job to fit the client into the busy schedule of the small business. I used our database system MySQL to rearrange the specific advisors day, then telephoned and used Microsoft Office to email other clients to inform them of their short-notice change to the day. Despite being short notice, the day’s meetings ran smoothly, and we could fit in the urgent session. Without using the databases and applications, the Advisory wouldn’t have known who the client was before they met and would not have been prepared to act quickly.

Selection criteria: Job applicant must have the ability to demonstrate sound written and oral communications skills

In many jobs, you need to show how you can effectively communicate as part of a team and to various people. Strong written and oral communication skills are vital in all departments and come in useful for daily tasks.

Written and oral/verbal communication criteria example

In my first full-time job at Flight Centre, oral and written communication skills were essential to being a successful travel agent. Many clients depended on me to tailor travel itineraries to their preferences during this career.

To ensure clients were satisfied both before and during their travel, communication was crucial to inform them of alterations to their plans. Once clients start their journeys, sometimes unexpected changes occur. One such situation was a significant weather disruption. A family of 4 were unable to travel to New York and spend the desired four days there. Due to their stopover in LA, I needed to organise four days of activities elsewhere. I made multiple phone calls to the clients to brief them on planning and status, understand their requests for the four days, and comfort them during this stressful time. Organising accommodation and activities in a different time zone required me to send many emails confirming availability on short notice. After constant communication with the family and many managers, I successfully reorganised the days spent in LA instead of New York, where the family enjoyed their altered stay. They even brought back a thank you gift for my consistent communication and quick thinking. Without being confident in my communication skills, being a travel agent would have been extremely difficult. It was crucial to organise, control, reach out to multiple people, and ensure clients were always satisfied with my service.

Selection criteria: Have the ability to prioritise tasks accordingly and demonstrate a high level of organisation

Organisational skills are a vital capability for working in any job in any field of work. The reader would be looking for an example of when you demonstrated your organisational skills at a time of need — or in your everyday work — that you can continue to display if they hire you.

Organisation criteria example

In my current position as the Year 6 teacher at Saint Mary’s Primary School, my job is to help the students become more mature before they reach high school and ensure their numeracy and literacy skills are all up to the standard. It is essential to teach them skills that will carry on throughout their schooling careers, such as organisation, socialisation and dedication. 

One of my tasks as a teacher includes converting weekly objectives into achievable tasks that the students will understand, such as homework or in-class activities. For example, a typical Friday will mean the collection of homework. I analyse the homework and monitor which areas the students struggled, passed or excelled in and use this to integrate into the following week’s lessons. I will develop the week’s timetable appropriately, considering any activities the students have to attend, allowing me to determine the relative importance of each task. 

By Monday morning, I am aware of the students’ weekly progress and tasks and have set the week’s goals. It is imperative as a teacher to remain constantly organised and prioritise the student’s needs and difficulties to ensure they can get the best education.

Selection criteria: Demonstrated time management skills with delegated tasks and ability to meet deadlines

Time management means that you need to demonstrate how you can work effectively. Employers expect all staff to make optimal use of their time and allocate it appropriately. Managing time is a crucial aspect of a business, and an employer needs to know how to use your skills to benefit the company.

Time management criteria example

While studying Business as a full-time university student, being part of a competitive dance team and having a part-time job at Kmart, my early 20’s were very busy. In addition to plenty of daily activities, I kept up with housework, grocery shopping and cooking, and proactively managed my full study load.

Whilst I considered myself a busy person, one week seemed particularly busy where I knew I had to manage my time well. That week consisted of two university assignments to complete, a total of 4 shifts at Kmart, and an extra dancing practice as there was a competition that weekend. I had to organise the appropriate time to allocate to each activity, as my Kmart shifts, university lectures and dancing classes were all at set times. To remain organised, I designed a timetable for the week, allocating my set activities first, and filling the blanks with when I could cook, study, sleep and attend to other activities. As one of the two assignments was due on the Friday of that week, I prioritised that task to complete first before I did the other one, which was due the following week. By Saturday, I had managed my time successfully as I met all my set commitments and had finished the first assignment Wednesday, leaving ample time to complete the second assignment during the rest of the week. It was continuously crucial in my 20s to manage my time appropriately in my day-to-day life and prioritise tasks based on their importance.

Selection criteria: Ability to approach difficult tasks and sudden changes appropriately

Employers are looking for an individual who can develop ideas to assist in formulating, creating and evaluating several possible solutions to a problem. Problem-solving skills are vital in high-stress scenarios and demonstrate quick thinking and versatility in the workplace.

Problem-solving criteria example

When working as the Head Waiter at Ballara Receptions, it was common for me to take control of multiple situations and lead the other waitresses by example and as a leader. The position itself entailed allocating specific tasks to the waiters and ensuring a smooth flow of the night. One night, there was an error in the number of guests attending the wedding. Whilst this issue needed to be dealt with quickly, there was not enough staff to meet the number requirements. I had to re-organise my plan for the night and allocate extra tasks to the other waiters to make up for the lack of staff and the additional people. There were many situations to rearrange, such as seating, the number of staff allocated to each job and the extra materials needed to serve the guests. 

Whilst it was lucky a staff member was willing to work that night, without the ability to adapt quickly and evaluate a situation, the night would not have gone smoothly with the multiple changes that occurred.

Selection criteria: Strong analytical skills and attention to detail

Analytical skills are essential in the workplace as they tie in with problem-solving. An employer wants to understand how you gather information, analyse it, and solve problems that ensure a smooth workplace productivity flow.

Analytical skills criteria example

It is essential in any job to constantly evaluate simple and complex problems in the workplace using skills such as paying attention to detail and researching and analysing problems. 

When I was completing my Certificate IV in Bookkeeping, I was required to undertake a group assignment that required us to record an actual business’s financial affairs for a month. We worked with Benjamin’s Patisserie to help ensure his sales and costs were accurate. Whilst spending time at the café and working closely with the staff, I noticed that all staff completed multiple jobs throughout their shift with no allocated task for each. It became noticeable that some team members were more suited to a specific task such as serving, making coffee and working the cash register. I suggested to the owner Benjamin that he allocate tasks to each staff member based on their strengths and weaknesses. Immediately I noticed that sales increased as there was a smoother flow of productivity in the café, tasks were completed efficiently and at a higher standard than before. It is crucial always to analyse ways an organisation can improve or if there is an issue that you can resolve as it helps to increase success in the workplace.

What is the difference between selection criteria and selection process?

Selection criteria play a role in the selection process, and are used as a tool to choose the most suitable applicants for a position.

The selection process is the procedure an organisation uses to hire new people. Usually, the company will form a selection panel of two to three staff who will review all applications, then choose a group of applicants to advance to the interview stage. This process can include an interview, a written assessment, and psychometric testing. In most cases, this takes 4 to 8 weeks.

How do you write a good selection criteria?

To write a good selection criteria response, use the specific language from the job description, use concrete examples that prove you meet the criteria, and provide measurable outcomes where possible.

What is the difference between selection criteria and job qualifications?

Qualifications are a type of selection criteria, and are used in some jobs to ensure that a new hire has the appropriate certification to work in this role, as required by the industry.

How long should a selection criteria response be?

Generally, a selection criteria response should be around 250 words. This will vary depending on the question asked, however. For example, some criteria may only require you to state your qualifications. On the other hand, some may ask you to give a more detailed description of a scenario.

What kind of examples can you use in your selection criteria?

It’s usually best to use examples of times when you had to deal with an unusual or unexpected situation at work, but you can also use more general examples that show how you managed your day-to-day tasks.

What are some reasons for rejecting a response to selection criteria?

Hiring managers may reject an applicant who:

• Fails to proofread their selection criteria responses
• Fails to use concrete examples
• Uses irrelevant examples

Perfected your selection criteria responses?

… then you’re ready to polish your interview technique. Your interviewer is bound to ask some of these 38 interview questions — are you prepared for them?

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Everything You Need to Know About Writing Standout Key Selection Criteria Responses

How are key selection criteria used.

Key Selection Criteria (KSC) outline the qualities, knowledge, and skills needed to do the job. This information is often found in job ads or position descriptions. While asking candidates to respond to KSC is more common within the Education and Government sector, many other organisations also include KSC in their recruitment and selection process.

KSC provide a quick and easy way for employers to engage with candidates who are genuinely motivated to work with them – after all, responding to KSC takes time and effort. But more importantly, KSC provide an objective way to assess candidate suitability to job requirements.

What’s involved?

You will write short statements selling your capabilities for each criterion. Your response can include specific examples where you have demonstrated the behaviour, knowledge, skills, and personal qualities asked for in the KSC.

It’s essential to check your KSC statement for spelling and grammar. Then, get a family, friend, or trusted recruitment partner to review what you’ve written and provide feedback.

KSC tend to focus on critical capabilities such as:

• Application of technical knowledge
• Communication skills
• Problem Solving
• Stakeholder and interpersonal skills
• Time management and prioritisation skills

Examples of Key Selection Criteria

• Good analytical, investigative, and problem-solving skills with the ability to initiate practical solutions.
• Proven ability to manage and prioritise tasks and issues individually, and with other team members and vendors, escalating prioritisation conflicts in an appropriate and timely manner.
• Demonstrated experience in software development languages: .NET and Javascript.
• Demonstrated interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to work collaboratively with a range of cross-functional internal and external stakeholders.

Benefits of responding to KSC

• Your application is assessed in a fair and consistent way. 
• You will better understand the areas in which you will excel and opportunities for further growth.
• You can determine if it’s a role you really want.
• You will be better prepared for  behavioural-based interview questions .
• You can save what you’ve written for future interviews (and KSC).

Step-by-Step Guide on How to Respond to KSC

1. Start by highlighting the keywords in each criterion.

2. Think about what the employer is asking for with each criterion. Do they want to know how experienced you are in a programming language, how you work as part of a team, or whether you will be able to solve your own problems?

3. List examples of how you meet the criterion.

Tip: Describe relevant skills, experience, incidents, training, personal qualities, expertise, outcomes, and achievements.

4. Review your list and summarise how you’ve demonstrated each criterion in 100-200 words. 

Tip 1: Remember to mirror the language of the KSC in your response and use those keywords you highlighted at the start!

Tip 2: The STAR technique is commonly used when responding to behavioural-based interview questions. It also provides a useful framework for KSC responses.

• What was the  S ituation  in which you were involved?
• What was the  T ask(s)  you needed to accomplish?
• What  A ction(s)  did you take?
• What  R esults  did you achieve?

Three Examples of KSC responses

Example one.

KSC – Good analytical, investigative, and problem-solving skills with the ability to initiate practical solutions.

Response – “Problem-solving has been a critical part of my roles over the past three years working as Service Desk Engineer at ABC Technology. I deal with various problems daily and have resolved many IT issues related to hardware, system access, and network connectivity. 

My approach is to investigate what happened from the staff’s points of view, clarify the facts, and determine what went wrong. I then propose suitable solutions to resolve the issue. However, if further investigation is required, I ensure I provide regular updates.

As a result, our IT Service Management tool (Remedy) shows that less than 1% of localised incidents needed escalation.

An example of a more complex issue I resolved involved investigating why updated applications failed after reformatting our Product Manager’s laptop. As a practical interim solution, I provided the manager with a replacement laptop so they could perform their core tasks. At the same time, I analysed existing processes and conducted online research. As a result, I identified the issue was due to the updated applications not being compatible after the new installation. After applying the relevant fix, I suggested updating our process to check this in the future.”

Example two

KSC – Demonstrated interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to work collaboratively with a range of cross-functional internal and external stakeholders.

Response “In my 15 years as an IT Manager, strong communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills have been essential. I have dealt with a wide range of people, including IT staff, vendors, and leaders from departments across the business. 

For example, I led the upgrade of the CRM system that our Sales and Marketing team use to capture leads and update customer records. I led successful collaborative efforts between the vendor consultants and our internal IT team to ensure timely delivery. I also provided regular updates to the Head of Sales & Marketing and sought their input throughout the project. In addition, I got their assistance in identifying system champions and super users within the business to assist with the transition and training. As a result, the system was implemented as scheduled with only one rollback to a minor feature that the vendor resolved within a week. The Head of Sales & Marketing sent an email afterwards to thank my team and me for our efforts.”

Example three

KSC – Demonstrated experience in software development languages: .NET and Javascript.

Response “I have 13 years of experience working with the Microsoft stack doing custom .NET development. The work I have been primarily involved in includes expanding and extending customer-facing IT systems which have been all been developed in-house using both the .NET stack and Javascript.

Over the last six years, I have worked as a Senior .NET Developer with XYZ Company. The custom builds I have worked on have helped the company gain a market-leading edge over competitors and better service its customer base. As a result, the company has doubled in size and grown its members ten-fold from when I started.

Core technologies used as part of the various applications I have developed and improved include: .NET Framework, .NET Core, ASP.NET Web Forms, Windows Forms, ASP.NET Web API, JavaScript, jQuery, Web Services, WCF Services, Windows Services, NUnit, Sitecore, PowerShell, SignalR, Entity Framework, LINQ to SQL, SQL Server, T-SQL, and Stored procedures.”

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How to write key selection criteria

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Well written key selection criteria may help you get an interview.

Many roles in the public sector ask you to write responses to key selection criteria. But some don’t.

Check the job advertisement and position description to see if you need to respond to key selection criteria.

If you do, a selection panel will read your responses to work out if they want to interview you.

Use your responses to help prepare for your interview, as they’re good answers to refer to.

Step 1: brainstorm key words and ideas

Copy and paste the criteria from the position description into a new document.

For each criterion:

• highlight the keys words you think the employer is looking for
• list examples of your skills, experience, incidents, training, personal qualities and expertise

Step 2: write a statement using the SAO approach

Write a statement under each criterion of 60 to 120 words using the SAO approach:

• Situation, where and when you did something
• Action, what you did and how you did it
• Outcome, what was the result of your actions 

Step 3: proofread your statements

Each of your responses to the criteria should be:

• free of errors
• concise, precise and relevant
• factual and positive
• about your capabilities and experience

Key selection criteria examples

KSC1: Problem solving - Seeks all relevant facts. Liaises with stakeholders. Analyses issues from different perspectives and draws sound inferences from available data. Identifies and proposes workable solutions.

Problem solving has been a critical part of my roles over the past five years. While working as Customer Complaints Officer at Acme Department Stores, I dealt with a variety of problems. While many could be resolved easily, two to three per week were more complex and required a detailed process to resolve. I had to investigate what had happened from the staff and customer's points of view, clarify the facts, and work out what had gone wrong and why. I then had to propose suitable solutions and negotiate a mutually satisfactory outcome. I was often commended by my manager for my sensitive handling and speedy resolution of these problems. Less than one per cent of complaints had to be escalated.

KSC2: Advanced computer skills - Uses a wide range of software features for word processing, spreadsheets, etc. Helps others solve problems with software.

As Personal Assistant to the Marketing Manager at SYZ Enterprises, about half my time was spent preparing letters and reports for clients using Word. I also used detailed information in Excel spreadsheets to prepare graphs and tables, to demonstrate the results of our market research and to analyse client company performance. I often prepared major PowerPoint presentations for my manager and maintained a database of her contacts. I also managed many daily emails and searched for information on the Internet to answer questions.

KSC3: Sound communication, interpersonal and negotiating skills, including well-developed written and oral skills, and the ability to develop and deliver interpretation and education services.

In my five years as a teacher, strong communication, negotiation and interpersonal skills have been essential. I have dealt with a wide range of people, including parents, colleagues and students. I was involved in a community project where I co-wrote a booklet on helping children learn and have fun. As part of this project, I led successful negotiations with the local council and three schools in the area who agreed to run a series of weekend family science programs for kids in the area.

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minute read

Key Selection Criteria: what it is and the best way to respond

Applying for a job that requires a response to Key Selection Criteria? Follow this guide on what it is, how to respond and the top mistakes to avoid.

Key Selection Criteria are used as a recruitment tool throughout the public, not-for-profit (NFP) and academic sectors but are becoming increasingly common in the private sector too.

If this is the first time you have encountered it you may be tempted to bypass the request, especially if you feel that you are a really strong candidate and have a comprehensive resume and cover letter ready to send.

But before you opt for the easy route and hit submit, you need to know that if you do this you are very unlikely to be considered for the position because your application will be seen as incomplete – even if you are the perfect fit for the role.

Undeniably this is going to take some work on your part but if you follow this guide it will be easier than you think, plus it will give you invaluable preparation for your interview

What is Key Selection Criteria?

Key selection criteria are the skills, attributes, knowledge and qualifications that the employer has defined as being essential for satisfying the requirements of the job you are applying for.

You will need to clearly show how your personal values, knowledge, skills and experience meet this criteria through examples from other jobs, experience gained outside or work, or from your formal studies.

The words used in selection criteria statements will give you a clue as to how to structure your response. When you see ‘demonstrated’, ‘proven’ or similar, it is an explicit instruction to use an example to demonstrate your suitably.

How are selection criteria assessed?

Selection criteria are each assessed separately and will have points assigned to it. You will score higher points by successfully demonstrating the skills/experience that they are looking for in that criterion. Your overall response – covering all questions within the selection criteria – then gets an overall mark. Those that score well across the board move on to the next stage of the recruitment process which is typically a first interview.

How long should a response to Key Skills Criteria be?

The simple answer is as long as they ask for.

Somewhere in the application instructions there will be a ‘How to Apply’ guide or similarly worded document. You might find it at the foot of the job advert, in the job description or on the company’s careers page. Once you find it, read it carefully and comply with their exact instructions. They most probably will also have set a word count or page limit for your responses too so make sure you strictly adhere to that as well.

If there are no limits set, approximately 250 words is generally an appropriate length for each criterion. However, this will depend upon factors such as the complexity and seniority of the role in question.

Regarding the layout, where possible dot points should be used rather than long paragraphs of text. This will make it easier for the selection team to read your application and will also positively demonstrate your written communication skills.

There should be no errors anywhere in the document, it should use a clean and clear format and the sentences should be grammatically correct and concise.

What if I don’t meet all of the Key Skills Criteria?

This is dependent on how specialised the role is.

For example, if you have only 3 years’ experience and they have set a minimum of 5 but there are very few people with your particular skills and experience, then it may well be still worth applying.

However, if you can be sure that there will be many candidates with the same skills applying for this role then I suggest you adopt the 80% rule.  If you cannot satisfy at least 80% of the requirements then it probably is not worth the considerable time and effort of applying.

To help you decide whether you reach that 80% threshold, take a look at the Job Description and ask yourself these questions:

• Do I meet all or most of the Knowledge, Experience, Skills and Qualifications of the job?
• Could I do the job with some training - formal or on-the-job?
• Do I have skills gained in other fields of work that may be transferable?

If the answer is yes, then you are ready to start your response and that starts with a with little bit of research.

How to prepare a response to Key Skills Criteria

From our experience, people who do some basic research about the job before answering the Key Selection Criteria and submitting their applications achieve the best results.

So before compiling your response, research the company and learn about projects, key personnel and events. This will help you to focus your application better.

Now you are ready to prepare your response.

Read and re-read the advertisement, KSC and Position Description.

It is really important that you clearly understand what is meant by each selection criterion before putting pen to paper.

If you don't fully understand the job requirements you may have difficulty demonstrating that you are the best person for the job.

If you are unsure about any aspects of the job, call the Recruitment Officer (the name and telephone number will be in the job details) during normal business hours.

Print or Save

Print or save the Job Details, Position Description, and KSC so you can easily refer to it as you go through this process.

Highlight key words in the first KSC and think about what they are really asking for.

Now brainstorm a list examples of how you meet the KSC.

Describe relevant skills, experience, incidents, training, personal qualities, expertise and things you couldn’t have done without all these.

Ideally these should be from the last 3-4 years.

Use the STAR method to review your list and summarise, in 50-120 words, how you demonstrated this KSC.

Star stands for Situation , Task, Action and Result .

The situation will highlight a duty, problem or challenge.

The task will be what was needed to be achieved or resolved.

The action will be what you actually did and how you did it.

The outcome will be the positive result you were responsible for. 

Repeat Steps 3 to 5 for the remaining KSC.

Examples of KSC responses

Here are a few examples to help you see how they work out in a real paragraph plus the sort of length you should be aiming for.

Problem Solving

Seeks all relevant facts. Liaises with stakeholders. Analyses issues from different perspectives and draws sound inferences from available data. Identifies and proposes workable solutions.

"Problem solving has been a critical part of my roles over the past five years. While working as the Project Manager at XYZ Company, I dealt with a variety of urgent and non urgent issues. While many could be resolved easily, 2-3 per week were more complex and required a detailed process to resolve. I had to investigate what had happened from the staff and customer’s points of view, clarify the facts and work out what had gone wrong and why. I then had to propose suitable solutions and negotiate a mutually satisfactory outcome. I was often commended by my manager for my sensitive handling and speedy resolution of these problems. Less than 1% of complaints had to be escalated."

Computer Skills

Uses a wide range of software features for word processing,

"As an Administration Assistant to the Manager at XYZ Company, about half my time was spent preparing letters and reports using Word. I used detailed information in Excel spreadsheets to prepare graphs and tables to demonstrate the results of our budget analysis and to analyse Departmental performance. I often prepared major PowerPoint presentations for my Manager and maintained a database of her contacts. I also managed many daily emails and searched for information on the Internet to answer questions."

Communication Skills

Sound communication including interpersonal and negotiating skills, along with well-developed written and oral skills.

"In my 5 years as a Foreman for XYZ Company, strong communication, negotiation and interpersonal skills have been essential. I have dealt with a wide range of people, including workers, colleagues, the public and Contractors. I was involved in a community project where I had to build new pedestrian road crossings. As part of this project, I successfully negotiated with the three local schools in the area who agreed to use additional staff to ensure kids could cross the roads safely. This agreement required me to update my written JSA clearly outlining the safety measures to be used."

Operator Skills

Demonstrated ability to safely operate and maintain road construction plant.

"In my 7 years as a Plant Operator I have operated backhoes, loaders and bobcats. I have recognised certificates of competencies for each of these plants. I have never had an accident whilst operating plant. Whilst I was working at XYZ Company I was used as an official tester to assess applicants’ knowledge of plant maintenance and their competency to operate loaders and bobcats.”

10 mistakes to avoid with Key Selection Criteria responses

There are many areas that can trip you up but here are the 10 most common to avoid.

01 Choose recent 

If possible, select examples that have taken place in the last twelve months to provide fresh experience. 

02 Choose relevant

For example, if it is HR then it needs to be an HR related example. If you don’t have one, then pick ones that prove transferable skills.

03 Match seniority

The more senior you are, the more responsibility and accountability you have. Take care to choose an example at the appropriate level.

04 Don't make things up

Do not twist the question to suit an example – really think about the question and find an example that answers it naturally.

05 Always support

Remember to support your claim. Your examples must be detailed and be very clear about the process of the task and the action.

06 Stay on track

Responses to criteria can easily go off track ad include irrelevant information. Start your first sentence using the language of the criterion. If it’s about solving problems, then start by saying something like ‘I have demonstrated my problem solving skills in my roles as xxx, yyy and zzz.’

07 Recognise levels

If there are several jobs at different levels on offer that you wish to apply for, make sure you understand the differences between them. Read the job descriptions carefully for the word changes as you may need to make some adjustments to cater for these subtle differences.

08 No abstract nouns

Responses to criteria need to be written in strong, direct language that puts you centre stage as the main actor. For example, ‘During the meeting I negotiated an agreement with all stakeholders to appoint a new project leader.’

09 Use past tense

Always use past tense because it works better to convey that you have demonstrated a skill.

10 Positive outcomes

This is the most important element of key selection criteria. For example, you could have saved money, improved efficiency, or provided fantastic customer service. Many people are afraid of blowing their own trumpet and can dilute this section by being too humble. Do not be – this is your chance to really shine and put yourself above your competition.

Don't let this hard work put you off. A great application sets you up for a great interview. Plus, keep a record of your responses because they can provide the foundation for other applications should you need them.

So many people never apply when they see the words Key Selection Criteria so if you put the effort in, you stand a higher chance of making it through to the interview stage.

Have any questions? Leave a comment below and I will be happy to help.

Mark Daniel

About the Author

A global resume writer and career coach, Mark is known for his honest, direct, and hard-hitting advice, helping people manage job applications and succeed at interviews. Now based on the Sunshine Coast in Australia, he is the co-founder of Real Life Career Advice and a prolific publisher, contributing to several industry magazines and his daily career advice blog to his 45,000 LinkedIn followers.

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35 problem-solving techniques and methods for solving complex problems

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All teams and organizations encounter challenges as they grow. There are problems that might occur for teams when it comes to miscommunication or resolving business-critical issues . You may face challenges around growth , design , user engagement, and even team culture and happiness. In short, problem-solving techniques should be part of every team’s skillset.

Problem-solving methods are primarily designed to help a group or team through a process of first identifying problems and challenges , ideating possible solutions , and then evaluating the most suitable .

Finding effective solutions to complex problems isn’t easy, but by using the right process and techniques, you can help your team be more efficient in the process.

So how do you develop strategies that are engaging, and empower your team to solve problems effectively?

In this blog post, we share a series of problem-solving tools you can use in your next workshop or team meeting. You’ll also find some tips for facilitating the process and how to enable others to solve complex problems.

Let’s get started! 

How do you identify problems?

How do you identify the right solution.

• Tips for more effective problem-solving

Complete problem-solving methods

• Problem-solving techniques to identify and analyze problems
• Problem-solving techniques for developing solutions

Problem-solving warm-up activities

Closing activities for a problem-solving process.

Before you can move towards finding the right solution for a given problem, you first need to identify and define the problem you wish to solve. 

Here, you want to clearly articulate what the problem is and allow your group to do the same. Remember that everyone in a group is likely to have differing perspectives and alignment is necessary in order to help the group move forward. 

Identifying a problem accurately also requires that all members of a group are able to contribute their views in an open and safe manner. It can be scary for people to stand up and contribute, especially if the problems or challenges are emotive or personal in nature. Be sure to try and create a psychologically safe space for these kinds of discussions.

Remember that problem analysis and further discussion are also important. Not taking the time to fully analyze and discuss a challenge can result in the development of solutions that are not fit for purpose or do not address the underlying issue.

Successfully identifying and then analyzing a problem means facilitating a group through activities designed to help them clearly and honestly articulate their thoughts and produce usable insight.

With this data, you might then produce a problem statement that clearly describes the problem you wish to be addressed and also state the goal of any process you undertake to tackle this issue.  

Finding solutions is the end goal of any process. Complex organizational challenges can only be solved with an appropriate solution but discovering them requires using the right problem-solving tool.

After you’ve explored a problem and discussed ideas, you need to help a team discuss and choose the right solution. Consensus tools and methods such as those below help a group explore possible solutions before then voting for the best. They’re a great way to tap into the collective intelligence of the group for great results!

Remember that the process is often iterative. Great problem solvers often roadtest a viable solution in a measured way to see what works too. While you might not get the right solution on your first try, the methods below help teams land on the most likely to succeed solution while also holding space for improvement.

Every effective problem solving process begins with an agenda . A well-structured workshop is one of the best methods for successfully guiding a group from exploring a problem to implementing a solution.

In SessionLab, it’s easy to go from an idea to a complete agenda . Start by dragging and dropping your core problem solving activities into place . Add timings, breaks and necessary materials before sharing your agenda with your colleagues.

The resulting agenda will be your guide to an effective and productive problem solving session that will also help you stay organized on the day!

Tips for more effective problem solving

Problem-solving activities are only one part of the puzzle. While a great method can help unlock your team’s ability to solve problems, without a thoughtful approach and strong facilitation the solutions may not be fit for purpose.

Let’s take a look at some problem-solving tips you can apply to any process to help it be a success!

Clearly define the problem

Jumping straight to solutions can be tempting, though without first clearly articulating a problem, the solution might not be the right one. Many of the problem-solving activities below include sections where the problem is explored and clearly defined before moving on.

This is a vital part of the problem-solving process and taking the time to fully define an issue can save time and effort later. A clear definition helps identify irrelevant information and it also ensures that your team sets off on the right track.

Don’t jump to conclusions

It’s easy for groups to exhibit cognitive bias or have preconceived ideas about both problems and potential solutions. Be sure to back up any problem statements or potential solutions with facts, research, and adequate forethought.

The best techniques ask participants to be methodical and challenge preconceived notions. Make sure you give the group enough time and space to collect relevant information and consider the problem in a new way. By approaching the process with a clear, rational mindset, you’ll often find that better solutions are more forthcoming.  

Try different approaches  

Problems come in all shapes and sizes and so too should the methods you use to solve them. If you find that one approach isn’t yielding results and your team isn’t finding different solutions, try mixing it up. You’ll be surprised at how using a new creative activity can unblock your team and generate great solutions.

Don’t take it personally 

Depending on the nature of your team or organizational problems, it’s easy for conversations to get heated. While it’s good for participants to be engaged in the discussions, ensure that emotions don’t run too high and that blame isn’t thrown around while finding solutions.

You’re all in it together, and even if your team or area is seeing problems, that isn’t necessarily a disparagement of you personally. Using facilitation skills to manage group dynamics is one effective method of helping conversations be more constructive.

Get the right people in the room

Your problem-solving method is often only as effective as the group using it. Getting the right people on the job and managing the number of people present is important too!

If the group is too small, you may not get enough different perspectives to effectively solve a problem. If the group is too large, you can go round and round during the ideation stages.

Creating the right group makeup is also important in ensuring you have the necessary expertise and skillset to both identify and follow up on potential solutions. Carefully consider who to include at each stage to help ensure your problem-solving method is followed and positioned for success.

Document everything

The best solutions can take refinement, iteration, and reflection to come out. Get into a habit of documenting your process in order to keep all the learnings from the session and to allow ideas to mature and develop. Many of the methods below involve the creation of documents or shared resources. Be sure to keep and share these so everyone can benefit from the work done!

Bring a facilitator 

Facilitation is all about making group processes easier. With a subject as potentially emotive and important as problem-solving, having an impartial third party in the form of a facilitator can make all the difference in finding great solutions and keeping the process moving. Consider bringing a facilitator to your problem-solving session to get better results and generate meaningful solutions!

Develop your problem-solving skills

It takes time and practice to be an effective problem solver. While some roles or participants might more naturally gravitate towards problem-solving, it can take development and planning to help everyone create better solutions.

You might develop a training program, run a problem-solving workshop or simply ask your team to practice using the techniques below. Check out our post on problem-solving skills to see how you and your group can develop the right mental process and be more resilient to issues too!

Design a great agenda

Workshops are a great format for solving problems. With the right approach, you can focus a group and help them find the solutions to their own problems. But designing a process can be time-consuming and finding the right activities can be difficult.

Check out our workshop planning guide to level-up your agenda design and start running more effective workshops. Need inspiration? Check out templates designed by expert facilitators to help you kickstart your process!

In this section, we’ll look at in-depth problem-solving methods that provide a complete end-to-end process for developing effective solutions. These will help guide your team from the discovery and definition of a problem through to delivering the right solution.

If you’re looking for an all-encompassing method or problem-solving model, these processes are a great place to start. They’ll ask your team to challenge preconceived ideas and adopt a mindset for solving problems more effectively.

• Six Thinking Hats
• Lightning Decision Jam
• Problem Definition Process
• Discovery & Action Dialogue

Design Sprint 2.0

• Open Space Technology

1. Six Thinking Hats

Individual approaches to solving a problem can be very different based on what team or role an individual holds. It can be easy for existing biases or perspectives to find their way into the mix, or for internal politics to direct a conversation.

Six Thinking Hats is a classic method for identifying the problems that need to be solved and enables your team to consider them from different angles, whether that is by focusing on facts and data, creative solutions, or by considering why a particular solution might not work.

Like all problem-solving frameworks, Six Thinking Hats is effective at helping teams remove roadblocks from a conversation or discussion and come to terms with all the aspects necessary to solve complex problems.

2. Lightning Decision Jam

Featured courtesy of Jonathan Courtney of AJ&Smart Berlin, Lightning Decision Jam is one of those strategies that should be in every facilitation toolbox. Exploring problems and finding solutions is often creative in nature, though as with any creative process, there is the potential to lose focus and get lost.

Unstructured discussions might get you there in the end, but it’s much more effective to use a method that creates a clear process and team focus.

In Lightning Decision Jam, participants are invited to begin by writing challenges, concerns, or mistakes on post-its without discussing them before then being invited by the moderator to present them to the group.

From there, the team vote on which problems to solve and are guided through steps that will allow them to reframe those problems, create solutions and then decide what to execute on. 

By deciding the problems that need to be solved as a team before moving on, this group process is great for ensuring the whole team is aligned and can take ownership over the next stages. 

Lightning Decision Jam (LDJ)   #action   #decision making   #problem solving   #issue analysis   #innovation   #design   #remote-friendly   The problem with anything that requires creative thinking is that it’s easy to get lost—lose focus and fall into the trap of having useless, open-ended, unstructured discussions. Here’s the most effective solution I’ve found: Replace all open, unstructured discussion with a clear process. What to use this exercise for: Anything which requires a group of people to make decisions, solve problems or discuss challenges. It’s always good to frame an LDJ session with a broad topic, here are some examples: The conversion flow of our checkout Our internal design process How we organise events Keeping up with our competition Improving sales flow

3. Problem Definition Process

While problems can be complex, the problem-solving methods you use to identify and solve those problems can often be simple in design. 

By taking the time to truly identify and define a problem before asking the group to reframe the challenge as an opportunity, this method is a great way to enable change.

Begin by identifying a focus question and exploring the ways in which it manifests before splitting into five teams who will each consider the problem using a different method: escape, reversal, exaggeration, distortion or wishful. Teams develop a problem objective and create ideas in line with their method before then feeding them back to the group.

This method is great for enabling in-depth discussions while also creating space for finding creative solutions too!

Problem Definition   #problem solving   #idea generation   #creativity   #online   #remote-friendly   A problem solving technique to define a problem, challenge or opportunity and to generate ideas.

4. The 5 Whys 

Sometimes, a group needs to go further with their strategies and analyze the root cause at the heart of organizational issues. An RCA or root cause analysis is the process of identifying what is at the heart of business problems or recurring challenges. 

The 5 Whys is a simple and effective method of helping a group go find the root cause of any problem or challenge and conduct analysis that will deliver results. 

By beginning with the creation of a problem statement and going through five stages to refine it, The 5 Whys provides everything you need to truly discover the cause of an issue.

The 5 Whys   #hyperisland   #innovation   This simple and powerful method is useful for getting to the core of a problem or challenge. As the title suggests, the group defines a problems, then asks the question “why” five times, often using the resulting explanation as a starting point for creative problem solving.

5. World Cafe

World Cafe is a simple but powerful facilitation technique to help bigger groups to focus their energy and attention on solving complex problems.

World Cafe enables this approach by creating a relaxed atmosphere where participants are able to self-organize and explore topics relevant and important to them which are themed around a central problem-solving purpose. Create the right atmosphere by modeling your space after a cafe and after guiding the group through the method, let them take the lead!

Making problem-solving a part of your organization’s culture in the long term can be a difficult undertaking. More approachable formats like World Cafe can be especially effective in bringing people unfamiliar with workshops into the fold. 

World Cafe   #hyperisland   #innovation   #issue analysis   World Café is a simple yet powerful method, originated by Juanita Brown, for enabling meaningful conversations driven completely by participants and the topics that are relevant and important to them. Facilitators create a cafe-style space and provide simple guidelines. Participants then self-organize and explore a set of relevant topics or questions for conversation.

6. Discovery & Action Dialogue (DAD)

One of the best approaches is to create a safe space for a group to share and discover practices and behaviors that can help them find their own solutions.

With DAD, you can help a group choose which problems they wish to solve and which approaches they will take to do so. It’s great at helping remove resistance to change and can help get buy-in at every level too!

This process of enabling frontline ownership is great in ensuring follow-through and is one of the methods you will want in your toolbox as a facilitator.

Discovery & Action Dialogue (DAD)   #idea generation   #liberating structures   #action   #issue analysis   #remote-friendly   DADs make it easy for a group or community to discover practices and behaviors that enable some individuals (without access to special resources and facing the same constraints) to find better solutions than their peers to common problems. These are called positive deviant (PD) behaviors and practices. DADs make it possible for people in the group, unit, or community to discover by themselves these PD practices. DADs also create favorable conditions for stimulating participants’ creativity in spaces where they can feel safe to invent new and more effective practices. Resistance to change evaporates as participants are unleashed to choose freely which practices they will adopt or try and which problems they will tackle. DADs make it possible to achieve frontline ownership of solutions.

7. Design Sprint 2.0

Want to see how a team can solve big problems and move forward with prototyping and testing solutions in a few days? The Design Sprint 2.0 template from Jake Knapp, author of Sprint, is a complete agenda for a with proven results.

Developing the right agenda can involve difficult but necessary planning. Ensuring all the correct steps are followed can also be stressful or time-consuming depending on your level of experience.

Use this complete 4-day workshop template if you are finding there is no obvious solution to your challenge and want to focus your team around a specific problem that might require a shortcut to launching a minimum viable product or waiting for the organization-wide implementation of a solution.

8. Open space technology

Open space technology- developed by Harrison Owen – creates a space where large groups are invited to take ownership of their problem solving and lead individual sessions. Open space technology is a great format when you have a great deal of expertise and insight in the room and want to allow for different takes and approaches on a particular theme or problem you need to be solved.

Start by bringing your participants together to align around a central theme and focus their efforts. Explain the ground rules to help guide the problem-solving process and then invite members to identify any issue connecting to the central theme that they are interested in and are prepared to take responsibility for.

Once participants have decided on their approach to the core theme, they write their issue on a piece of paper, announce it to the group, pick a session time and place, and post the paper on the wall. As the wall fills up with sessions, the group is then invited to join the sessions that interest them the most and which they can contribute to, then you’re ready to begin!

Everyone joins the problem-solving group they’ve signed up to, record the discussion and if appropriate, findings can then be shared with the rest of the group afterward.

Open Space Technology   #action plan   #idea generation   #problem solving   #issue analysis   #large group   #online   #remote-friendly   Open Space is a methodology for large groups to create their agenda discerning important topics for discussion, suitable for conferences, community gatherings and whole system facilitation

Techniques to identify and analyze problems

Using a problem-solving method to help a team identify and analyze a problem can be a quick and effective addition to any workshop or meeting.

While further actions are always necessary, you can generate momentum and alignment easily, and these activities are a great place to get started.

We’ve put together this list of techniques to help you and your team with problem identification, analysis, and discussion that sets the foundation for developing effective solutions.

Let’s take a look!

• The Creativity Dice
• Fishbone Analysis
• Problem Tree
• SWOT Analysis
• Agreement-Certainty Matrix
• The Journalistic Six
• LEGO Challenge
• What, So What, Now What?
• Journalists

Individual and group perspectives are incredibly important, but what happens if people are set in their minds and need a change of perspective in order to approach a problem more effectively?

Flip It is a method we love because it is both simple to understand and run, and allows groups to understand how their perspectives and biases are formed. 

Participants in Flip It are first invited to consider concerns, issues, or problems from a perspective of fear and write them on a flip chart. Then, the group is asked to consider those same issues from a perspective of hope and flip their understanding.  

No problem and solution is free from existing bias and by changing perspectives with Flip It, you can then develop a problem solving model quickly and effectively.

Flip It!   #gamestorming   #problem solving   #action   Often, a change in a problem or situation comes simply from a change in our perspectives. Flip It! is a quick game designed to show players that perspectives are made, not born.

10. The Creativity Dice

One of the most useful problem solving skills you can teach your team is of approaching challenges with creativity, flexibility, and openness. Games like The Creativity Dice allow teams to overcome the potential hurdle of too much linear thinking and approach the process with a sense of fun and speed. 

In The Creativity Dice, participants are organized around a topic and roll a dice to determine what they will work on for a period of 3 minutes at a time. They might roll a 3 and work on investigating factual information on the chosen topic. They might roll a 1 and work on identifying the specific goals, standards, or criteria for the session.

Encouraging rapid work and iteration while asking participants to be flexible are great skills to cultivate. Having a stage for idea incubation in this game is also important. Moments of pause can help ensure the ideas that are put forward are the most suitable. 

The Creativity Dice   #creativity   #problem solving   #thiagi   #issue analysis   Too much linear thinking is hazardous to creative problem solving. To be creative, you should approach the problem (or the opportunity) from different points of view. You should leave a thought hanging in mid-air and move to another. This skipping around prevents premature closure and lets your brain incubate one line of thought while you consciously pursue another.

11. Fishbone Analysis

Organizational or team challenges are rarely simple, and it’s important to remember that one problem can be an indication of something that goes deeper and may require further consideration to be solved.

Fishbone Analysis helps groups to dig deeper and understand the origins of a problem. It’s a great example of a root cause analysis method that is simple for everyone on a team to get their head around. 

Participants in this activity are asked to annotate a diagram of a fish, first adding the problem or issue to be worked on at the head of a fish before then brainstorming the root causes of the problem and adding them as bones on the fish. 

Using abstractions such as a diagram of a fish can really help a team break out of their regular thinking and develop a creative approach.

Fishbone Analysis   #problem solving   ##root cause analysis   #decision making   #online facilitation   A process to help identify and understand the origins of problems, issues or observations.

12. Problem Tree 

Encouraging visual thinking can be an essential part of many strategies. By simply reframing and clarifying problems, a group can move towards developing a problem solving model that works for them. 

In Problem Tree, groups are asked to first brainstorm a list of problems – these can be design problems, team problems or larger business problems – and then organize them into a hierarchy. The hierarchy could be from most important to least important or abstract to practical, though the key thing with problem solving games that involve this aspect is that your group has some way of managing and sorting all the issues that are raised.

Once you have a list of problems that need to be solved and have organized them accordingly, you’re then well-positioned for the next problem solving steps.

Problem tree   #define intentions   #create   #design   #issue analysis   A problem tree is a tool to clarify the hierarchy of problems addressed by the team within a design project; it represents high level problems or related sublevel problems.

13. SWOT Analysis

Chances are you’ve heard of the SWOT Analysis before. This problem-solving method focuses on identifying strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats is a tried and tested method for both individuals and teams.

Start by creating a desired end state or outcome and bare this in mind – any process solving model is made more effective by knowing what you are moving towards. Create a quadrant made up of the four categories of a SWOT analysis and ask participants to generate ideas based on each of those quadrants.

Once you have those ideas assembled in their quadrants, cluster them together based on their affinity with other ideas. These clusters are then used to facilitate group conversations and move things forward. 

SWOT analysis   #gamestorming   #problem solving   #action   #meeting facilitation   The SWOT Analysis is a long-standing technique of looking at what we have, with respect to the desired end state, as well as what we could improve on. It gives us an opportunity to gauge approaching opportunities and dangers, and assess the seriousness of the conditions that affect our future. When we understand those conditions, we can influence what comes next.

14. Agreement-Certainty Matrix

Not every problem-solving approach is right for every challenge, and deciding on the right method for the challenge at hand is a key part of being an effective team.

The Agreement Certainty matrix helps teams align on the nature of the challenges facing them. By sorting problems from simple to chaotic, your team can understand what methods are suitable for each problem and what they can do to ensure effective results. 

If you are already using Liberating Structures techniques as part of your problem-solving strategy, the Agreement-Certainty Matrix can be an invaluable addition to your process. We’ve found it particularly if you are having issues with recurring problems in your organization and want to go deeper in understanding the root cause. 

Agreement-Certainty Matrix   #issue analysis   #liberating structures   #problem solving   You can help individuals or groups avoid the frequent mistake of trying to solve a problem with methods that are not adapted to the nature of their challenge. The combination of two questions makes it possible to easily sort challenges into four categories: simple, complicated, complex , and chaotic .  A problem is simple when it can be solved reliably with practices that are easy to duplicate.  It is complicated when experts are required to devise a sophisticated solution that will yield the desired results predictably.  A problem is complex when there are several valid ways to proceed but outcomes are not predictable in detail.  Chaotic is when the context is too turbulent to identify a path forward.  A loose analogy may be used to describe these differences: simple is like following a recipe, complicated like sending a rocket to the moon, complex like raising a child, and chaotic is like the game “Pin the Tail on the Donkey.”  The Liberating Structures Matching Matrix in Chapter 5 can be used as the first step to clarify the nature of a challenge and avoid the mismatches between problems and solutions that are frequently at the root of chronic, recurring problems.

Organizing and charting a team’s progress can be important in ensuring its success. SQUID (Sequential Question and Insight Diagram) is a great model that allows a team to effectively switch between giving questions and answers and develop the skills they need to stay on track throughout the process. 

Begin with two different colored sticky notes – one for questions and one for answers – and with your central topic (the head of the squid) on the board. Ask the group to first come up with a series of questions connected to their best guess of how to approach the topic. Ask the group to come up with answers to those questions, fix them to the board and connect them with a line. After some discussion, go back to question mode by responding to the generated answers or other points on the board.

It’s rewarding to see a diagram grow throughout the exercise, and a completed SQUID can provide a visual resource for future effort and as an example for other teams.

SQUID   #gamestorming   #project planning   #issue analysis   #problem solving   When exploring an information space, it’s important for a group to know where they are at any given time. By using SQUID, a group charts out the territory as they go and can navigate accordingly. SQUID stands for Sequential Question and Insight Diagram.

16. Speed Boat

To continue with our nautical theme, Speed Boat is a short and sweet activity that can help a team quickly identify what employees, clients or service users might have a problem with and analyze what might be standing in the way of achieving a solution.

Methods that allow for a group to make observations, have insights and obtain those eureka moments quickly are invaluable when trying to solve complex problems.

In Speed Boat, the approach is to first consider what anchors and challenges might be holding an organization (or boat) back. Bonus points if you are able to identify any sharks in the water and develop ideas that can also deal with competitors!   

Speed Boat   #gamestorming   #problem solving   #action   Speedboat is a short and sweet way to identify what your employees or clients don’t like about your product/service or what’s standing in the way of a desired goal.

17. The Journalistic Six

Some of the most effective ways of solving problems is by encouraging teams to be more inclusive and diverse in their thinking.

Based on the six key questions journalism students are taught to answer in articles and news stories, The Journalistic Six helps create teams to see the whole picture. By using who, what, when, where, why, and how to facilitate the conversation and encourage creative thinking, your team can make sure that the problem identification and problem analysis stages of the are covered exhaustively and thoughtfully. Reporter’s notebook and dictaphone optional.

The Journalistic Six – Who What When Where Why How   #idea generation   #issue analysis   #problem solving   #online   #creative thinking   #remote-friendly   A questioning method for generating, explaining, investigating ideas.

18. LEGO Challenge

Now for an activity that is a little out of the (toy) box. LEGO Serious Play is a facilitation methodology that can be used to improve creative thinking and problem-solving skills. 

The LEGO Challenge includes giving each member of the team an assignment that is hidden from the rest of the group while they create a structure without speaking.

What the LEGO challenge brings to the table is a fun working example of working with stakeholders who might not be on the same page to solve problems. Also, it’s LEGO! Who doesn’t love LEGO! 

LEGO Challenge   #hyperisland   #team   A team-building activity in which groups must work together to build a structure out of LEGO, but each individual has a secret “assignment” which makes the collaborative process more challenging. It emphasizes group communication, leadership dynamics, conflict, cooperation, patience and problem solving strategy.

19. What, So What, Now What?

If not carefully managed, the problem identification and problem analysis stages of the problem-solving process can actually create more problems and misunderstandings.

The What, So What, Now What? problem-solving activity is designed to help collect insights and move forward while also eliminating the possibility of disagreement when it comes to identifying, clarifying, and analyzing organizational or work problems. 

Facilitation is all about bringing groups together so that might work on a shared goal and the best problem-solving strategies ensure that teams are aligned in purpose, if not initially in opinion or insight.

Throughout the three steps of this game, you give everyone on a team to reflect on a problem by asking what happened, why it is important, and what actions should then be taken. 

This can be a great activity for bringing our individual perceptions about a problem or challenge and contextualizing it in a larger group setting. This is one of the most important problem-solving skills you can bring to your organization.

W³ – What, So What, Now What?   #issue analysis   #innovation   #liberating structures   You can help groups reflect on a shared experience in a way that builds understanding and spurs coordinated action while avoiding unproductive conflict. It is possible for every voice to be heard while simultaneously sifting for insights and shaping new direction. Progressing in stages makes this practical—from collecting facts about What Happened to making sense of these facts with So What and finally to what actions logically follow with Now What . The shared progression eliminates most of the misunderstandings that otherwise fuel disagreements about what to do. Voila!

20. Journalists  

Problem analysis can be one of the most important and decisive stages of all problem-solving tools. Sometimes, a team can become bogged down in the details and are unable to move forward.

Journalists is an activity that can avoid a group from getting stuck in the problem identification or problem analysis stages of the process.

In Journalists, the group is invited to draft the front page of a fictional newspaper and figure out what stories deserve to be on the cover and what headlines those stories will have. By reframing how your problems and challenges are approached, you can help a team move productively through the process and be better prepared for the steps to follow.

Journalists   #vision   #big picture   #issue analysis   #remote-friendly   This is an exercise to use when the group gets stuck in details and struggles to see the big picture. Also good for defining a vision.

Problem-solving techniques for developing solutions 

The success of any problem-solving process can be measured by the solutions it produces. After you’ve defined the issue, explored existing ideas, and ideated, it’s time to narrow down to the correct solution.

Use these problem-solving techniques when you want to help your team find consensus, compare possible solutions, and move towards taking action on a particular problem.

• Improved Solutions
• Four-Step Sketch
• 15% Solutions
• How-Now-Wow matrix
• Impact Effort Matrix

21. Mindspin  

Brainstorming is part of the bread and butter of the problem-solving process and all problem-solving strategies benefit from getting ideas out and challenging a team to generate solutions quickly. 

With Mindspin, participants are encouraged not only to generate ideas but to do so under time constraints and by slamming down cards and passing them on. By doing multiple rounds, your team can begin with a free generation of possible solutions before moving on to developing those solutions and encouraging further ideation. 

This is one of our favorite problem-solving activities and can be great for keeping the energy up throughout the workshop. Remember the importance of helping people become engaged in the process – energizing problem-solving techniques like Mindspin can help ensure your team stays engaged and happy, even when the problems they’re coming together to solve are complex. 

MindSpin   #teampedia   #idea generation   #problem solving   #action   A fast and loud method to enhance brainstorming within a team. Since this activity has more than round ideas that are repetitive can be ruled out leaving more creative and innovative answers to the challenge.

22. Improved Solutions

After a team has successfully identified a problem and come up with a few solutions, it can be tempting to call the work of the problem-solving process complete. That said, the first solution is not necessarily the best, and by including a further review and reflection activity into your problem-solving model, you can ensure your group reaches the best possible result. 

One of a number of problem-solving games from Thiagi Group, Improved Solutions helps you go the extra mile and develop suggested solutions with close consideration and peer review. By supporting the discussion of several problems at once and by shifting team roles throughout, this problem-solving technique is a dynamic way of finding the best solution. 

Improved Solutions   #creativity   #thiagi   #problem solving   #action   #team   You can improve any solution by objectively reviewing its strengths and weaknesses and making suitable adjustments. In this creativity framegame, you improve the solutions to several problems. To maintain objective detachment, you deal with a different problem during each of six rounds and assume different roles (problem owner, consultant, basher, booster, enhancer, and evaluator) during each round. At the conclusion of the activity, each player ends up with two solutions to her problem.

23. Four Step Sketch

Creative thinking and visual ideation does not need to be confined to the opening stages of your problem-solving strategies. Exercises that include sketching and prototyping on paper can be effective at the solution finding and development stage of the process, and can be great for keeping a team engaged. 

By going from simple notes to a crazy 8s round that involves rapidly sketching 8 variations on their ideas before then producing a final solution sketch, the group is able to iterate quickly and visually. Problem-solving techniques like Four-Step Sketch are great if you have a group of different thinkers and want to change things up from a more textual or discussion-based approach.

Four-Step Sketch   #design sprint   #innovation   #idea generation   #remote-friendly   The four-step sketch is an exercise that helps people to create well-formed concepts through a structured process that includes: Review key information Start design work on paper,  Consider multiple variations , Create a detailed solution . This exercise is preceded by a set of other activities allowing the group to clarify the challenge they want to solve. See how the Four Step Sketch exercise fits into a Design Sprint

24. 15% Solutions

Some problems are simpler than others and with the right problem-solving activities, you can empower people to take immediate actions that can help create organizational change. 

Part of the liberating structures toolkit, 15% solutions is a problem-solving technique that focuses on finding and implementing solutions quickly. A process of iterating and making small changes quickly can help generate momentum and an appetite for solving complex problems.

Problem-solving strategies can live and die on whether people are onboard. Getting some quick wins is a great way of getting people behind the process.   

It can be extremely empowering for a team to realize that problem-solving techniques can be deployed quickly and easily and delineate between things they can positively impact and those things they cannot change. 

15% Solutions   #action   #liberating structures   #remote-friendly   You can reveal the actions, however small, that everyone can do immediately. At a minimum, these will create momentum, and that may make a BIG difference.  15% Solutions show that there is no reason to wait around, feel powerless, or fearful. They help people pick it up a level. They get individuals and the group to focus on what is within their discretion instead of what they cannot change.  With a very simple question, you can flip the conversation to what can be done and find solutions to big problems that are often distributed widely in places not known in advance. Shifting a few grains of sand may trigger a landslide and change the whole landscape.

25. How-Now-Wow Matrix

The problem-solving process is often creative, as complex problems usually require a change of thinking and creative response in order to find the best solutions. While it’s common for the first stages to encourage creative thinking, groups can often gravitate to familiar solutions when it comes to the end of the process. 

When selecting solutions, you don’t want to lose your creative energy! The How-Now-Wow Matrix from Gamestorming is a great problem-solving activity that enables a group to stay creative and think out of the box when it comes to selecting the right solution for a given problem.

Problem-solving techniques that encourage creative thinking and the ideation and selection of new solutions can be the most effective in organisational change. Give the How-Now-Wow Matrix a go, and not just for how pleasant it is to say out loud. 

How-Now-Wow Matrix   #gamestorming   #idea generation   #remote-friendly   When people want to develop new ideas, they most often think out of the box in the brainstorming or divergent phase. However, when it comes to convergence, people often end up picking ideas that are most familiar to them. This is called a ‘creative paradox’ or a ‘creadox’. The How-Now-Wow matrix is an idea selection tool that breaks the creadox by forcing people to weigh each idea on 2 parameters.

26. Impact and Effort Matrix

All problem-solving techniques hope to not only find solutions to a given problem or challenge but to find the best solution. When it comes to finding a solution, groups are invited to put on their decision-making hats and really think about how a proposed idea would work in practice. 

The Impact and Effort Matrix is one of the problem-solving techniques that fall into this camp, empowering participants to first generate ideas and then categorize them into a 2×2 matrix based on impact and effort.

Activities that invite critical thinking while remaining simple are invaluable. Use the Impact and Effort Matrix to move from ideation and towards evaluating potential solutions before then committing to them. 

Impact and Effort Matrix   #gamestorming   #decision making   #action   #remote-friendly   In this decision-making exercise, possible actions are mapped based on two factors: effort required to implement and potential impact. Categorizing ideas along these lines is a useful technique in decision making, as it obliges contributors to balance and evaluate suggested actions before committing to them.

27. Dotmocracy

If you’ve followed each of the problem-solving steps with your group successfully, you should move towards the end of your process with heaps of possible solutions developed with a specific problem in mind. But how do you help a group go from ideation to putting a solution into action? 

Dotmocracy – or Dot Voting -is a tried and tested method of helping a team in the problem-solving process make decisions and put actions in place with a degree of oversight and consensus. 

One of the problem-solving techniques that should be in every facilitator’s toolbox, Dot Voting is fast and effective and can help identify the most popular and best solutions and help bring a group to a decision effectively. 

Dotmocracy   #action   #decision making   #group prioritization   #hyperisland   #remote-friendly   Dotmocracy is a simple method for group prioritization or decision-making. It is not an activity on its own, but a method to use in processes where prioritization or decision-making is the aim. The method supports a group to quickly see which options are most popular or relevant. The options or ideas are written on post-its and stuck up on a wall for the whole group to see. Each person votes for the options they think are the strongest, and that information is used to inform a decision.

All facilitators know that warm-ups and icebreakers are useful for any workshop or group process. Problem-solving workshops are no different.

Use these problem-solving techniques to warm up a group and prepare them for the rest of the process. Activating your group by tapping into some of the top problem-solving skills can be one of the best ways to see great outcomes from your session.

• Check-in/Check-out
• Doodling Together
• Show and Tell
• Constellations
• Draw a Tree

28. Check-in / Check-out

Solid processes are planned from beginning to end, and the best facilitators know that setting the tone and establishing a safe, open environment can be integral to a successful problem-solving process.

Check-in / Check-out is a great way to begin and/or bookend a problem-solving workshop. Checking in to a session emphasizes that everyone will be seen, heard, and expected to contribute. 

If you are running a series of meetings, setting a consistent pattern of checking in and checking out can really help your team get into a groove. We recommend this opening-closing activity for small to medium-sized groups though it can work with large groups if they’re disciplined!

Check-in / Check-out   #team   #opening   #closing   #hyperisland   #remote-friendly   Either checking-in or checking-out is a simple way for a team to open or close a process, symbolically and in a collaborative way. Checking-in/out invites each member in a group to be present, seen and heard, and to express a reflection or a feeling. Checking-in emphasizes presence, focus and group commitment; checking-out emphasizes reflection and symbolic closure.

29. Doodling Together  

Thinking creatively and not being afraid to make suggestions are important problem-solving skills for any group or team, and warming up by encouraging these behaviors is a great way to start. 

Doodling Together is one of our favorite creative ice breaker games – it’s quick, effective, and fun and can make all following problem-solving steps easier by encouraging a group to collaborate visually. By passing cards and adding additional items as they go, the workshop group gets into a groove of co-creation and idea development that is crucial to finding solutions to problems. 

Doodling Together   #collaboration   #creativity   #teamwork   #fun   #team   #visual methods   #energiser   #icebreaker   #remote-friendly   Create wild, weird and often funny postcards together & establish a group’s creative confidence.

30. Show and Tell

You might remember some version of Show and Tell from being a kid in school and it’s a great problem-solving activity to kick off a session.

Asking participants to prepare a little something before a workshop by bringing an object for show and tell can help them warm up before the session has even begun! Games that include a physical object can also help encourage early engagement before moving onto more big-picture thinking.

By asking your participants to tell stories about why they chose to bring a particular item to the group, you can help teams see things from new perspectives and see both differences and similarities in the way they approach a topic. Great groundwork for approaching a problem-solving process as a team! 

Show and Tell   #gamestorming   #action   #opening   #meeting facilitation   Show and Tell taps into the power of metaphors to reveal players’ underlying assumptions and associations around a topic The aim of the game is to get a deeper understanding of stakeholders’ perspectives on anything—a new project, an organizational restructuring, a shift in the company’s vision or team dynamic.

31. Constellations

Who doesn’t love stars? Constellations is a great warm-up activity for any workshop as it gets people up off their feet, energized, and ready to engage in new ways with established topics. It’s also great for showing existing beliefs, biases, and patterns that can come into play as part of your session.

Using warm-up games that help build trust and connection while also allowing for non-verbal responses can be great for easing people into the problem-solving process and encouraging engagement from everyone in the group. Constellations is great in large spaces that allow for movement and is definitely a practical exercise to allow the group to see patterns that are otherwise invisible. 

Constellations   #trust   #connection   #opening   #coaching   #patterns   #system   Individuals express their response to a statement or idea by standing closer or further from a central object. Used with teams to reveal system, hidden patterns, perspectives.

32. Draw a Tree

Problem-solving games that help raise group awareness through a central, unifying metaphor can be effective ways to warm-up a group in any problem-solving model.

Draw a Tree is a simple warm-up activity you can use in any group and which can provide a quick jolt of energy. Start by asking your participants to draw a tree in just 45 seconds – they can choose whether it will be abstract or realistic. 

Once the timer is up, ask the group how many people included the roots of the tree and use this as a means to discuss how we can ignore important parts of any system simply because they are not visible.

All problem-solving strategies are made more effective by thinking of problems critically and by exposing things that may not normally come to light. Warm-up games like Draw a Tree are great in that they quickly demonstrate some key problem-solving skills in an accessible and effective way.

Draw a Tree   #thiagi   #opening   #perspectives   #remote-friendly   With this game you can raise awarness about being more mindful, and aware of the environment we live in.

Each step of the problem-solving workshop benefits from an intelligent deployment of activities, games, and techniques. Bringing your session to an effective close helps ensure that solutions are followed through on and that you also celebrate what has been achieved.

Here are some problem-solving activities you can use to effectively close a workshop or meeting and ensure the great work you’ve done can continue afterward.

• One Breath Feedback
• Who What When Matrix
• Response Cards

How do I conclude a problem-solving process?

All good things must come to an end. With the bulk of the work done, it can be tempting to conclude your workshop swiftly and without a moment to debrief and align. This can be problematic in that it doesn’t allow your team to fully process the results or reflect on the process.

At the end of an effective session, your team will have gone through a process that, while productive, can be exhausting. It’s important to give your group a moment to take a breath, ensure that they are clear on future actions, and provide short feedback before leaving the space. 

The primary purpose of any problem-solving method is to generate solutions and then implement them. Be sure to take the opportunity to ensure everyone is aligned and ready to effectively implement the solutions you produced in the workshop.

Remember that every process can be improved and by giving a short moment to collect feedback in the session, you can further refine your problem-solving methods and see further success in the future too.

33. One Breath Feedback

Maintaining attention and focus during the closing stages of a problem-solving workshop can be tricky and so being concise when giving feedback can be important. It’s easy to incur “death by feedback” should some team members go on for too long sharing their perspectives in a quick feedback round. 

One Breath Feedback is a great closing activity for workshops. You give everyone an opportunity to provide feedback on what they’ve done but only in the space of a single breath. This keeps feedback short and to the point and means that everyone is encouraged to provide the most important piece of feedback to them. 

One breath feedback   #closing   #feedback   #action   This is a feedback round in just one breath that excels in maintaining attention: each participants is able to speak during just one breath … for most people that’s around 20 to 25 seconds … unless of course you’ve been a deep sea diver in which case you’ll be able to do it for longer.

34. Who What When Matrix 

Matrices feature as part of many effective problem-solving strategies and with good reason. They are easily recognizable, simple to use, and generate results.

The Who What When Matrix is a great tool to use when closing your problem-solving session by attributing a who, what and when to the actions and solutions you have decided upon. The resulting matrix is a simple, easy-to-follow way of ensuring your team can move forward. 

Great solutions can’t be enacted without action and ownership. Your problem-solving process should include a stage for allocating tasks to individuals or teams and creating a realistic timeframe for those solutions to be implemented or checked out. Use this method to keep the solution implementation process clear and simple for all involved. 

Who/What/When Matrix   #gamestorming   #action   #project planning   With Who/What/When matrix, you can connect people with clear actions they have defined and have committed to.

35. Response cards

Group discussion can comprise the bulk of most problem-solving activities and by the end of the process, you might find that your team is talked out! 

Providing a means for your team to give feedback with short written notes can ensure everyone is head and can contribute without the need to stand up and talk. Depending on the needs of the group, giving an alternative can help ensure everyone can contribute to your problem-solving model in the way that makes the most sense for them.

Response Cards is a great way to close a workshop if you are looking for a gentle warm-down and want to get some swift discussion around some of the feedback that is raised. 

Response Cards   #debriefing   #closing   #structured sharing   #questions and answers   #thiagi   #action   It can be hard to involve everyone during a closing of a session. Some might stay in the background or get unheard because of louder participants. However, with the use of Response Cards, everyone will be involved in providing feedback or clarify questions at the end of a session.

Save time and effort discovering the right solutions

A structured problem solving process is a surefire way of solving tough problems, discovering creative solutions and driving organizational change. But how can you design for successful outcomes?

With SessionLab, it’s easy to design engaging workshops that deliver results. Drag, drop and reorder blocks  to build your agenda. When you make changes or update your agenda, your session  timing   adjusts automatically , saving you time on manual adjustments.

Collaborating with stakeholders or clients? Share your agenda with a single click and collaborate in real-time. No more sending documents back and forth over email.

Explore  how to use SessionLab  to design effective problem solving workshops or  watch this five minute video  to see the planner in action!

Over to you

The problem-solving process can often be as complicated and multifaceted as the problems they are set-up to solve. With the right problem-solving techniques and a mix of creative exercises designed to guide discussion and generate purposeful ideas, we hope we’ve given you the tools to find the best solutions as simply and easily as possible.

Is there a problem-solving technique that you are missing here? Do you have a favorite activity or method you use when facilitating? Let us know in the comments below, we’d love to hear from you! 

thank you very much for these excellent techniques

Certainly wonderful article, very detailed. Shared!

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26 Expert-Backed Problem Solving Examples – Interview Answers

Published: February 13, 2023

Interview Questions and Answers

Actionable advice from real experts:

Biron Clark

Former Recruiter

Contributor

Dr. Kyle Elliott

Career Coach

Hayley Jukes

Editor-in-Chief

Biron Clark , Former Recruiter

Kyle Elliott , Career Coach

Hayley Jukes , Editor

As a recruiter , I know employers like to hire people who can solve problems and work well under pressure.

 A job rarely goes 100% according to plan, so hiring managers are more likely to hire you if you seem like you can handle unexpected challenges while staying calm and logical.

But how do they measure this?

Hiring managers will ask you interview questions about your problem-solving skills, and they might also look for examples of problem-solving on your resume and cover letter. 

In this article, I’m going to share a list of problem-solving examples and sample interview answers to questions like, “Give an example of a time you used logic to solve a problem?” and “Describe a time when you had to solve a problem without managerial input. How did you handle it, and what was the result?”

• Problem-solving involves identifying, prioritizing, analyzing, and solving problems using a variety of skills like critical thinking, creativity, decision making, and communication.
• Describe the Situation, Task, Action, and Result ( STAR method ) when discussing your problem-solving experiences.
• Tailor your interview answer with the specific skills and qualifications outlined in the job description.
• Provide numerical data or metrics to demonstrate the tangible impact of your problem-solving efforts.

What are Problem Solving Skills? 

Problem-solving is the ability to identify a problem, prioritize based on gravity and urgency, analyze the root cause, gather relevant information, develop and evaluate viable solutions, decide on the most effective and logical solution, and plan and execute implementation. 

Problem-solving encompasses other skills that can be showcased in an interview response and your resume. Problem-solving skills examples include:

• Critical thinking
• Analytical skills
• Decision making
• Research skills
• Technical skills
• Communication skills
• Adaptability and flexibility

Why is Problem Solving Important in the Workplace?

Problem-solving is essential in the workplace because it directly impacts productivity and efficiency. Whenever you encounter a problem, tackling it head-on prevents minor issues from escalating into bigger ones that could disrupt the entire workflow. 

Beyond maintaining smooth operations, your ability to solve problems fosters innovation. It encourages you to think creatively, finding better ways to achieve goals, which keeps the business competitive and pushes the boundaries of what you can achieve. 

Effective problem-solving also contributes to a healthier work environment; it reduces stress by providing clear strategies for overcoming obstacles and builds confidence within teams. 

Examples of Problem-Solving in the Workplace

• Correcting a mistake at work, whether it was made by you or someone else
• Overcoming a delay at work through problem solving and communication
• Resolving an issue with a difficult or upset customer
• Overcoming issues related to a limited budget, and still delivering good work through the use of creative problem solving
• Overcoming a scheduling/staffing shortage in the department to still deliver excellent work
• Troubleshooting and resolving technical issues
• Handling and resolving a conflict with a coworker
• Solving any problems related to money, customer billing, accounting and bookkeeping, etc.
• Taking initiative when another team member overlooked or missed something important
• Taking initiative to meet with your superior to discuss a problem before it became potentially worse
• Solving a safety issue at work or reporting the issue to those who could solve it
• Using problem solving abilities to reduce/eliminate a company expense
• Finding a way to make the company more profitable through new service or product offerings, new pricing ideas, promotion and sale ideas, etc.
• Changing how a process, team, or task is organized to make it more efficient
• Using creative thinking to come up with a solution that the company hasn’t used before
• Performing research to collect data and information to find a new solution to a problem
• Boosting a company or team’s performance by improving some aspect of communication among employees
• Finding a new piece of data that can guide a company’s decisions or strategy better in a certain area

Problem-Solving Examples for Recent Grads/Entry-Level Job Seekers

• Coordinating work between team members in a class project
• Reassigning a missing team member’s work to other group members in a class project
• Adjusting your workflow on a project to accommodate a tight deadline
• Speaking to your professor to get help when you were struggling or unsure about a project
• Asking classmates, peers, or professors for help in an area of struggle
• Talking to your academic advisor to brainstorm solutions to a problem you were facing
• Researching solutions to an academic problem online, via Google or other methods
• Using problem solving and creative thinking to obtain an internship or other work opportunity during school after struggling at first

How To Answer “Tell Us About a Problem You Solved”

When you answer interview questions about problem-solving scenarios, or if you decide to demonstrate your problem-solving skills in a cover letter (which is a good idea any time the job description mentions problem-solving as a necessary skill), I recommend using the STAR method.

STAR stands for:

It’s a simple way of walking the listener or reader through the story in a way that will make sense to them. 

Start by briefly describing the general situation and the task at hand. After this, describe the course of action you chose and why. Ideally, show that you evaluated all the information you could given the time you had, and made a decision based on logic and fact. Finally, describe the positive result you achieved.

Note: Our sample answers below are structured following the STAR formula. Be sure to check them out!

EXPERT ADVICE

Dr. Kyle Elliott , MPA, CHES Tech & Interview Career Coach caffeinatedkyle.com

How can I communicate complex problem-solving experiences clearly and succinctly?

Before answering any interview question, it’s important to understand why the interviewer is asking the question in the first place.

When it comes to questions about your complex problem-solving experiences, for example, the interviewer likely wants to know about your leadership acumen, collaboration abilities, and communication skills, not the problem itself.

Therefore, your answer should be focused on highlighting how you excelled in each of these areas, not diving into the weeds of the problem itself, which is a common mistake less-experienced interviewees often make.

Tailoring Your Answer Based on the Skills Mentioned in the Job Description

As a recruiter, one of the top tips I can give you when responding to the prompt “Tell us about a problem you solved,” is to tailor your answer to the specific skills and qualifications outlined in the job description. 

Once you’ve pinpointed the skills and key competencies the employer is seeking, craft your response to highlight experiences where you successfully utilized or developed those particular abilities. 

For instance, if the job requires strong leadership skills, focus on a problem-solving scenario where you took charge and effectively guided a team toward resolution. 

By aligning your answer with the desired skills outlined in the job description, you demonstrate your suitability for the role and show the employer that you understand their needs.

Amanda Augustine expands on this by saying:

“Showcase the specific skills you used to solve the problem. Did it require critical thinking, analytical abilities, or strong collaboration? Highlight the relevant skills the employer is seeking.”  

Interview Answers to “Tell Me About a Time You Solved a Problem”

Now, let’s look at some sample interview answers to, “Give me an example of a time you used logic to solve a problem,” or “Tell me about a time you solved a problem,” since you’re likely to hear different versions of this interview question in all sorts of industries.

The example interview responses are structured using the STAR method and are categorized into the top 5 key problem-solving skills recruiters look for in a candidate.

1. Analytical Thinking

Situation: In my previous role as a data analyst , our team encountered a significant drop in website traffic.

Task: I was tasked with identifying the root cause of the decrease.

Action: I conducted a thorough analysis of website metrics, including traffic sources, user demographics, and page performance. Through my analysis, I discovered a technical issue with our website’s loading speed, causing users to bounce. 

Result: By optimizing server response time, compressing images, and minimizing redirects, we saw a 20% increase in traffic within two weeks.

2. Critical Thinking

Situation: During a project deadline crunch, our team encountered a major technical issue that threatened to derail our progress.

Task: My task was to assess the situation and devise a solution quickly.

Action: I immediately convened a meeting with the team to brainstorm potential solutions. Instead of panicking, I encouraged everyone to think outside the box and consider unconventional approaches. We analyzed the problem from different angles and weighed the pros and cons of each solution.

Result: By devising a workaround solution, we were able to meet the project deadline, avoiding potential delays that could have cost the company $100,000 in penalties for missing contractual obligations.

3. Decision Making

Situation: As a project manager , I was faced with a dilemma when two key team members had conflicting opinions on the project direction.

Task: My task was to make a decisive choice that would align with the project goals and maintain team cohesion.

Action: I scheduled a meeting with both team members to understand their perspectives in detail. I listened actively, asked probing questions, and encouraged open dialogue. After carefully weighing the pros and cons of each approach, I made a decision that incorporated elements from both viewpoints.

Result: The decision I made not only resolved the immediate conflict but also led to a stronger sense of collaboration within the team. By valuing input from all team members and making a well-informed decision, we were able to achieve our project objectives efficiently.

4. Communication (Teamwork)

Situation: During a cross-functional project, miscommunication between departments was causing delays and misunderstandings.

Task: My task was to improve communication channels and foster better teamwork among team members.

Action: I initiated regular cross-departmental meetings to ensure that everyone was on the same page regarding project goals and timelines. I also implemented a centralized communication platform where team members could share updates, ask questions, and collaborate more effectively.

Result: Streamlining workflows and improving communication channels led to a 30% reduction in project completion time, saving the company $25,000 in operational costs.

5. Persistence 

Situation: During a challenging sales quarter, I encountered numerous rejections and setbacks while trying to close a major client deal.

Task: My task was to persistently pursue the client and overcome obstacles to secure the deal.

Action: I maintained regular communication with the client, addressing their concerns and demonstrating the value proposition of our product. Despite facing multiple rejections, I remained persistent and resilient, adjusting my approach based on feedback and market dynamics.

Result: After months of perseverance, I successfully closed the deal with the client. By closing the major client deal, I exceeded quarterly sales targets by 25%, resulting in a revenue increase of $250,000 for the company.

Tips to Improve Your Problem-Solving Skills

Throughout your career, being able to showcase and effectively communicate your problem-solving skills gives you more leverage in achieving better jobs and earning more money .

So to improve your problem-solving skills, I recommend always analyzing a problem and situation before acting.

 When discussing problem-solving with employers, you never want to sound like you rush or make impulsive decisions. They want to see fact-based or data-based decisions when you solve problems.

Don’t just say you’re good at solving problems. Show it with specifics. How much did you boost efficiency? Did you save the company money? Adding numbers can really make your achievements stand out.

To get better at solving problems, analyze the outcomes of past solutions you came up with. You can recognize what works and what doesn’t.

Think about how you can improve researching and analyzing a situation, how you can get better at communicating, and deciding on the right people in the organization to talk to and “pull in” to help you if needed, etc.

Finally, practice staying calm even in stressful situations. Take a few minutes to walk outside if needed. Step away from your phone and computer to clear your head. A work problem is rarely so urgent that you cannot take five minutes to think (with the possible exception of safety problems), and you’ll get better outcomes if you solve problems by acting logically instead of rushing to react in a panic.

You can use all of the ideas above to describe your problem-solving skills when asked interview questions about the topic. If you say that you do the things above, employers will be impressed when they assess your problem-solving ability.

More Interview Resources

• 3 Answers to “How Do You Handle Stress?”
• How to Answer “How Do You Handle Conflict?” (Interview Question)
• Sample Answers to “Tell Me About a Time You Failed”

About the Author

Biron Clark is a former executive recruiter who has worked individually with hundreds of job seekers, reviewed thousands of resumes and LinkedIn profiles, and recruited for top venture-backed startups and Fortune 500 companies. He has been advising job seekers since 2012 to think differently in their job search and land high-paying, competitive positions. Follow on Twitter and LinkedIn .

Read more articles by Biron Clark

About the Contributor

Kyle Elliott , career coach and mental health advocate, transforms his side hustle into a notable practice, aiding Silicon Valley professionals in maximizing potential. Follow Kyle on LinkedIn .

About the Editor

Hayley Jukes is the Editor-in-Chief at CareerSidekick with five years of experience creating engaging articles, books, and transcripts for diverse platforms and audiences.

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Addressing selection criteria

How to write convincing statements that hit key points

Selection criteria are the skills, knowledge, and experience required to successfully do the job.

A key aim of a job application is to demonstrate that you meet the inherent requirements of the role. While a resume may offer an overview of your skills and experience, statements that directly address the selection criteria provide more detail about how you have demonstrated the competencies required to do the job. The employer can then compare candidates against the same set of criteria.

Where do I address selection criteria?

Keep the selection criteria in mind when describing your skills on your resume, but most employers will also expect you to address the selection criteria more directly elsewhere in your application.

Here are the most common formats for addressing selection criteria:

A statement of claims against selection criteria is a document where you will use each criterion as a heading and write a description of how you meet each one. Organisations that use this method of addressing selection criteria include government departments, non-government organisations (NGOs), universities and research institutes. They will request this document in the job advertisement or information package. Use the title the organisation has given this document and include the job title and reference number, if applicable, as well as your name as a header on each page. Deal with the criteria in the same order as in the advertisement or duty statement.

An online application may require you to address each criterion in a text box within an online form. This process is very similar to writing the statement of claims against selection criteria mentioned above. Alternatively, the selection criteria may be phrased as questions that you will need to answer in detail, for example:

• “Can you describe a time you have successfully worked as part of a team?” (Selection criterion: teamwork skills)
• “What have you gained from your studies in chemistry?” (Selection criterion: knowledge and skills specific to chemistry)
• Why are you applying to work in our consulting department?” (Selection criterion: knowledge of and interest in consulting)

Online applications are commonly used by large organisations and in recruitment for graduate or internship programs.  

A cover letter in which you will address the selection criteria more briefly and in the format of a formal single page letter. Be aware that some organisations require that you write both a cover letter AND a statement against the selection criteria.

Examples of selection criteria

Selection criteria often fall into two main categories: essential and desirable. It is important to address both essential and desirable criteria to maximise your chance of being selected for an interview. Within these two categories, there are different types of criteria that refer to different requirements.

Qualifications

Usually a degree, diploma or other certified training course. Example: ‘A minimum four-year degree in Social Work, Psychology or related discipline.’

These can be technical, discipline-specific or transferable skills .

Technical example: 'Intermediate programming skills, preferably using Python and/or SQL.'

Discipline specific example: 'Sound research skills including the ability to conduct literature reviews and analyse data.'

Transferable example: 'Excellent time management skills including an ability to prioritise tasks and meet deadlines.'

This refers to duties or activities that you have performed before. Remember that experience can be gained through a variety of avenues including volunteering and extracurricular activities.

General example: 'Customer service experience.'

Specific example: 'Experience in arts administration, preferably within a gallery or museum.'

An understanding of a subject area through exposure, study or experience. Example: 'An understanding of marketing principles relevant to the FMCG industry.'

How to address selection criteria

To address selection criteria in a one-page cover letter, see our cover letter tips and template . 

Your responses to the selection criteria in a statement of claims or online application form will be more detailed and contain enough evidence to convince the employer that you meet the job criteria. A simple one- or two-line answer will rarely be sufficient.

The key to writing a strong response lies in identifying examples of instances where you have clearly demonstrated the required competency. Use the STAR formula to construct your answer. About 80% of your answer should focus on the 'Action', describing what you did and how you did it.

Example selection criteria using STAR

Criterion: Demonstrated problem solving skills and initiative.

Situation – where, when, and context of your example.

As the event coordinator for the University’s Science in Media Society, I volunteered to organise a fundraising event for a cancer research facility while in the final year of my Communications and Media Studies degree.

Task – the task or problem to be solved.

Our budget was cut during the preliminary planning and I needed to devise a strategy on how to run the event with only half the funds I was anticipating.

Action – how you solved the problem, fulfilled the task or handled the situation. What did you do and how did you do it, that demonstrates the criterion you are addressing?

In the first instance, I calculated which expenses were critical and could be covered by our current budget. Next, I decided to make up the shortfall by approaching local businesses for sponsorship. I created an online flyer to outline the benefits of getting involved, such as positive publicity and the opportunity to raise their profile with high achieving students, and cold called 36 targeted businesses. To ensure a good attendance at the event I utilised my social media skills to activate a network of potential supporters, and advertise an attractive range of lucky door prizes.

Result – the outcome/s achieved as result of your action/s. Quantify the result where possible.

As a result of my actions I convinced 11 businesses to contribute funds which covered all outstanding expenses. The event attracted over a hundred attendees and raised $5000 for the research facility. I was also subsequently invited by the University’s student association to contribute to a development workshop for new student leaders, in recognition of the skills I had displayed in managing this event.

Tips for addressing selection criteria

• When selecting examples, choose examples that are relevant to the criterion, the employer and the job. Where possible, select more recent examples, and use examples that give you the best opportunity to demonstrate your level of skill.
• For most industries, you can choose examples from a range of different activities such as internships, casual work, volunteering, university projects and extracurricular activities.
• If you are writing a statement of claims against selection criteria as a Word document, list criteria as headings in bold print, and address each criterion in a couple of paragraphs.
• For criteria with more than one part, eg, ‘Effective written and verbal communication skills’, ensure you address each part.
• Quantify your experience or outcomes if you can, eg, ‘three years’ experience in creating monthly budgets using Microsoft Excel’.
• Use action-oriented words, eg, ‘assessed’, ‘implemented’, ‘organised’, and ‘developed’, that reflect the language used in the job description.  
• Where you have extensive relevant experience to draw on, you can start your statement addressing a criterion with a brief summary of that experience and follow with one or two detailed examples.

Register for career skills workshops

How to write a resume.

A clear, tailored and professional resume is essential for any job application. It should aim to convince an employer that your qualifications, work experience and skillset make you a strong match for the job.

How to write a cover letter

A cover letter is your first introduction to a potential employer, so it needs to show that you’re a suitable candidate.

Useful links

• Cracking the Code: How to apply for jobs in the Australian Public Service
• BOM Guide on Addressing Selection Criteria

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Key selection criteria for goverment jobs | Hays

Key selection criteria, how to address key selection criteria for government jobs.

You've seen an job opportunity that you're interested in, on a jobs board or in the press and want to apply, but where do you start?

A key requirement for jobs in Government is to respond to the Key Selection Criteria (KSC). You need to know how to address the criteria.

On this page:

• Understand job and key selection criteria
• Key selection criteria examples

Qualifications

Find out about the employer.

• Decide if you are qualified to do the job

Our experience also shows that people who do some basic research about the job before submitting their applications achieve the best results. Before you apply, we suggest that you think about the job requirements and gather some information, so that you can focus your job application better.

Understand the job and Key Selection Criteria

If you don't fully understand the job requirements you may have difficulty demonstrating that you are the best person for the job. Study the Position Description, including Key Selection Criteria, along with any other relevant information you have collected. If you are unsure about any aspects of the job, call the Contact Officer (the name and telephone number will be in the job details) during normal business hours. They'll be happy to answer your questions.

There are four main parts to look at and review in a Position Description:

Values : These tell you about the way the organisation works and what it expects of its employees. Check that you are comfortable these values fit with the way you want to work.

Accountabilities: This is a list of the day-to-day responsibilities and tasks of the job. Each job has a key focus - for example some roles supervise staff, some manage resources or provide policy advice; others deliver support services. Your career background and interests should match the requirements of the job. You will need to be able to demonstrate that you have the capabilities - personal qualities, knowledge and skills to do the job. Perhaps you have worked in a related field or industry or have private interests that are relevant.

Key Selection Criteria:  The Key Selection Criteria outline the qualities, knowledge and skills needed to do the job. You will need to write short statements that sell your specific capabilities for each of the criterion. It is important to include specific examples or situations where you have demonstrated the behaviour, knowledge, skills and personal qualities asked for in the KSC.

Writing a good KSC response statement is invaluable in preparing you for the interview stage of the selection process. Now that you have specific examples you will be better prepared to answer questions about your ability to do the job. Make sure you check your KSC statement for spelling and grammar.

By law, we must assess all candidates for our jobs fairly and consistently - to select on merit. We do this by using the Key Selection Criteria given to all candidates to assess their ability to do a job. When you go for a job, KSC are clearly described in the Position Description - so you know what’s required. See jobs advertised on this career web site for the sort of things we look for.

Describing how you meet KSC ensures we capture all information about your suitability for a job. You can type in the spaces on your online application or cut and paste text from a document you’ve prepared. KSC vary among employers and jobs. Traditionally, they are statements combining skills, knowledge, experience and personal qualities, e.g.

• "Ability to develop and maintain systems and processes for mail distribution and storage of publications and brochures"
• "Ability to work under pressure, prioritise tasks, meet deadlines and remain tolerant"

Increasingly, KSC are based on key capabilities e.g.

• Resilience - Perseveres to achieve goals, even in the face of obstacles. Copes with setbacks. Stays calm under pressure. Accepts constructive criticism without becoming defensive.’
• Problem Solving - Seeks all relevant facts. Liaises with stakeholders. Analyses issues from different perspectives and draws sound inferences from available data. Identifies and proposes workable solutions.’

No matter how KSC appear, you respond to them the same way:

• Read and reread the advertisement, KSC and Position Description.
• Print or save the Job Details, Position Description, so you can easily refer to it later.
• Highlight key words in the first KSC and think about what the employer is asking for.
• List examples of how you meet the KSC. Describe relevant skills, experience, incidents, training, personal qualities, expertise and things you couldn’t have done without all these.
• Review your list and summarise, in 60-120 words, how you demonstrated the KSC.
• Repeat Steps 3 to 5 for the remaining KSC.

The SAO approach can help:

• Situation - Where and when did you do it?
• Action - What did you do and how did you do it?
• Outcome - What was the result of your actions?

A word of encouragement, this may seem unfamiliar and a bit awkward to begin with, but around 60% of government jobs are filled by people not currently working in government organisations. And doing it this way ensures you’re considered fairly along with all other candidates. See below for three examples of KSC responses.

Key Selection Criteria examples

Problem Solving:  Seeks all relevant facts. Liaises with stakeholders. Analyses issues from different perspectives and draws sound inferences from available data. Identifies and proposes workable solutions. "Problem solving has been a critical part of my roles over the past five years. While working as Customer Complaints Officer at Acme Department Stores, I dealt with a variety of problems. While many could be resolved easily, 2-3 per week were more complex and required a detailed process to resolve. I had to investigate what had happened from the staff and customer’s points of view, clarify the facts and work out what had gone wrong and why. I then had to propose suitable solutions and negotiate a mutually satisfactory outcome. I was often commended by my manager for my sensitive handling and speedy resolution of these problems. Less than 1% of complaints had to be escalated"

Advanced Computer Skills:  Uses a wide range of software features for word processing, spreadsheets, etc. Helps others solve problems with software. "As Personal Assistant to the Marketing Manager at SYZ Enterprises, about half my time was spent preparing letters and reports for clients using Word. I used detailed information in Excel spreadsheets to prepare graphs and tables to demonstrate the results of our market research and to analyse client company performance. I often prepared major PowerPoint presentations for my manager and maintained a database of her contacts. I also managed many daily emails and searched for information on the Internet to answer questions"

Sound communication, interpersonal and negotiating skills, including well-developed written and oral skills and the ability to develop and deliver interpretation and education services:  "In my 5 years as a teacher, strong communication, negotiation and interpersonal skills have been essential. I have dealt with a wide range of people, including parents, colleagues and students. I was involved in a community project where I co-wrote a booklet on helping child learn and have fun. As part of this project, I led successful negotiations with the Local Council and three schools in the area who agreed to run a series of weekend family science programs for kids in the area"

In many cases qualifications are either not required or are an added advantage-desirable. However, some roles need formal or mandatory qualifications, such as a University Degree. You must be able to produce documentary evidence of these qualifications to be appointed to the job.

The Government is the largest employer in each State. Each department and agency has different objectives, functions and programs and may deliver services in a variety of ways to the community. So it's important that you find out what the employing agency does - its' objectives and functions and how the job you are applying for fits in. A good starting point is to look at the agency's corporate website or visit a public library to find out about:

• The agency - look at Annual Reports, Business and Corporate Plans. There may well be a question asked at the job interview to explore your understanding of the agency's role. If you've done your homework, you will be able to impress your potential employer by describing what you understand the organisation does;
• The organisation structure - an organisation chart sets out the reporting arrangements and may tell you where the advertised job fits in. Usually the organisational context will be stated in the Position Description.
• Agency values - these vary for each agency. Public sector values are responsiveness; integrity; impartiality; accountability; respect and leadership.

Decide if you are qualified to do the job

Ask yourself these questions:

• Do I meet all or most of the Key Selection Criteria of the job?
• Could I do the job with some training - formal or on-the-job?
• Do I have skills gained in other fields of work that may be transferable?

If so, then you are ready to apply. But before you start your online application, make a few notes on all the information you have gathered:

• Summarise the background and skills you can offer
• Highlight your strengths and relevant experiences, achievements and capabilities.
• Highlight relevant achievements from past jobs.
• Address any obvious weaknesses and what training you are willing to do to address these.
• Address each Key Selection Criterion for the job.
• Prepare or update your resume or CV.
• Talk to your referees about the job you are applying for and what they will say about you to a prospective employer. 

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Selection Criteria

How to respond to criteria about judgement.

Applicants can be stumped when tackling selection criteria about showing judgement, intelligence and commonsense. We readily recognise poor judgement. We see plenty of examples in the media of politicians, footballers and celebrities making choices that result in poor consequences. But when it comes to our own behaviour in the workplace, what can we say that will reflect well on us?

First be clear about where these behaviours sit within competency frameworks. ‘Shows judgement, intelligence and commonsense’ falls under supporting and shaping strategic direction within the APS capability framework, known as The Integrated Leadership System.

In general, the relevant behaviours are:

• Researching information
• Analysing issues and information
• Drawing accurate conclusions based on evidence
• Sees links between issues
• Breaks problems down and weighs up options
• Explores possibilities
• Identifies solutions
• Anticipates risks
• Suggests or makes improvements
• Participates in decision-making.

What is your general approach to a situation? Over the years you will have developed a broad approach to dealing with situations needing judgement. That approach will likely involve some of the following steps:

• Looking at all sides of a problem or issue
• Weighing the options before making a decision
• Basing decisions on facts, filtering opinions, emotions, expectations, assumptions and biases
• Objectively assessing the facts to arrive at a fair and balanced judgement
• Assessing the risks, including ethical risks Considering the best interests of all parties.

When is judgement needed? If something is black-and-white, little judgement is needed. If it is clear what needs to be done, because it’s been done before, or there is a clear procedure, then little judgement is needed.  Judgement is needed in:

• Situations where emotions are strong, e.g. underperformance, breach of rules, errors, strongly held views.
• Unique or uncertain situations where policies and procedures are unclear or ambiguous.
• New situations where there are little or no precedent.
• Sensitive situations that involve protocols, privacy, confidentiality, discretion.
• Situations where the evidence or facts are not clear-cut or widely agreed.
• Situations where information is lacking or insufficient.

What are specific examples of showing judgement? As with other behaviour-based responses, you can use the SAR structure.

• What was the situation or context in which you needed to demonstrate judgement?
• What actions or approach did you take in exercising judgement?
• How was the situation resolved?

For example:

I demonstrated judgement when handling a staff underperformance issue. A member of my team was regularly failing to meet deadlines, taking advantage of flex arrangements, and producing sub-standard written documents. As team manager, my role was to bring performance up to an acceptable standard in such a way that the staff member concerned was cooperative and other staff supported my actions.

The staff member did not recognise nor accept that their performance needed changing, despite a month’s evidence. In addition, whenever the subject was raised, they became highly defensive and at times abusive.

In handling this situation I listened to the views of the staff member, team members, and staff in other teams who had worked with the person; considered the workload  and goals of the team and the impact continued underperformance would have on team morale and risks to delivery of results during a peak workload period; weighed several options for performance improvement, taking account of the staff member’s personal issues impacting on their work performance; consulted with HR to confirm policy and correct procedure. My assessment was to narrow the options to two, which I discussed with the staff member.

By a firm and fair process that allowed for support as well as confirmation of workplace requirements, the staff member gradually came to realise the seriousness of their situation and the need to take remedial steps. After several meetings we arrived at an agreement that met their, my, the team’s and organisation’s objectives. Within one month there was an improvement and after three months the staff member’s performance returned to satisfactory.

You may have demonstrated judgement:

• during a stakeholder consultation process
• while providing customer service
• as a member of a project team
• when solving a problem.

As you tell the story identify what you needed to make judgements about, what you took into account in order to assess options, how you narrowed the field of options, how you arrived at a decision or agreed position, what the outcome was.

• Career presentations
• Career development practitioners
• Job applications
• Job interviews
• Managers/selection panels
• Career Management
• Capabilities
• Daring Dames
• Sensemaking

Your Keys to Selection Criteria