McKinsey Solve/Problem Solving Game: 2024 Guide

McKinsey Solve is a virtual gamified test that the firm uses to evaluate its candidates early on in the application process. Some of its former names include the Problem Solving Game (PSG), the Imbellus test, or simply McKinsey’s Digital Assessment game.

McKinsey says that no specific preparation is needed for this digital assessment. However, in our experience, you can (and should) prepare for the test. In the guide below, we've compiled key information about McKinsey Solve, some tips from McKinsey interview coaches, and a prep plan to help you get ready. 

Here’s an overview of what we’ll cover:

• What is McKinsey Solve/Problem Solving Game?
• How does the McKinsey Solve game work?
• What skills does McKinsey Solve test for?
• How to check how you did on the game
• McKinsey Solve game tips
• How to prepare for McKinsey Solve

Let's get started!

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1. What is McKinsey Solve/Problem Solving Game?↑

Screenshot from McKinsey Solve-Redrock Labs (via McKinsey)

McKinsey Solve is a problem-solving game that the firm uses to evaluate applicants during the early stages of the interview process. If you pass the resume screening, you’ll receive an email with an invitation to play the game.

Before Solve was introduced, McKinsey screened candidates early in the application process with the Problem Solving Test or PST, a multiple-choice test. Solve is intended to serve a similar function but in a gamified format. Most McKinsey offices worldwide have completely transitioned to using Solve for this purpose, though some offices may still use the PST.

McKinsey Solve is the first assessment of its kind in the consulting industry. Check out this official preview of the game by McKinsey

1.1 Purpose

The purpose of McKinsey Solve is to help the company do a better job of finding the best talent among its vast pool of annual applicants. After all, its business is dependent on hiring exceptional problem-solvers to serve its clients.

To be more specific, McKinsey Solve is intended to help the firm achieve the following:

• Hire the candidates who will perform best on the job, not just the candidates who can do well on a test
• Evaluate candidates’ thought process, rather than just their final answers
• Increase diversity by reducing the biases of other methods of standardised testing 

Keith McNulty, a global data science, digital and technology leader at McKinsey, alluded to the above priorities when he made this comment about standardised multiple-choice tests:

"[T]here’s a large amount of strategy, preparation, and luck involved in multiple-choice tests, and if you use them in the selection process, it reinforces the status quo—at a time when you are looking to widen the scope of candidates you’re hiring.”

1.2 History

McKinsey Solve was not built in-house. The firm worked directly with a start-up called Imbellus to develop the assessment. In 2020, Imbellus was acquired by Roblox but McKinsey has continued using the gamified digital assessment.

The core idea of Solve is to evaluate how people think, not just what they know. McKinsey believes that standardised testing is a poor predictor of real-world performance, so the firm aims to assess candidates in a more robust and less biased way with this test.

Solve was tested with an initial group of 527 McKinsey candidates at the London office in November 2017. Then in late 2018, the test was given to additional candidates from additional McKinsey offices. During these tests, the assessment could only be given on McKinsey-owned computers at a local McKinsey office. 

In late 2019, McKinsey rolled out an online version of the game. Today, most McKinsey offices use Solve as the default initial assessment in the interview process.

2. How does the McKinsey Solve game work?↑

In this section, we’ll break down the components of McKinsey Solve to give you a general idea of what to expect when you get the invite to play.

2.1 Game structure

Here is a brief summary of the game structure of McKinsey Solve:

• A computer-based assessment
• An experience similar to a video game
• Up to 90 or 100 minutes of total run time
• Untimed tutorial period for each game
• Up to 3 scenarios
• 2-5 tasks within each scenario

2.2 What to do when you get the game invite

When you are invited to take the McKinsey Solve game, you will be emailed a unique link that will prompt you to do 3 things:

• Run a tech diagnostic programme to ensure your computer and network meet the requirements needed to complete the assessment
• Schedule a specific time slot for you to take the assessment
• Take the assessment during your scheduled time slot

IMPORTANT: Every McKinsey Solve game is different for every candidate who takes it. When you begin the assessment during your scheduled time slot, the system will load a unique version of the game just for you. That means that the iteration of the game that you face will be different from every past or future iteration of the game.

With that said, all versions of the game contain scenarios which we’ll cover next

2.3 McKinsey Solve Scenarios

Screenshot from McKinsey Solve-Redrock Labs (via McKinsey)

The assessment is divided into two primary components: scenarios and tasks. A scenario is a digital world and situation where you’ll find yourself within the game. Each scenario has an over-arching objective and contains several tasks, which you can think of as smaller objectives. When you take McKinsey Solve, you should expect to face up to 3 different scenarios.

Up until 2023, McKinsey Solve only had 2 scenarios: Ecosystem Management and Redrock Study. In early 2024, it introduced a 3rd scenario: Ocean Cleanup. Some candidates report taking 3 games, while others only get the previous 2. But since the number of assigned scenarios appears to be random, it’s best to prepare for the 3 scenarios for now. 

There are other scenarios that you might have read about in other guides (Plant protection, Disaster management, Disease management, Migration management) but these aren't used anymore as of writing.

So to summarise, as of writing this article, here’s a list of known McKinsey Solve scenarios, both currently used and not used anymore.

• Ecosystem Management/Creation - Currently used
• Redrock Study/Labs - Currently used
• Ocean Treatment/Cleanup - Currently used in beta mode
• Plant protection - Not used anymore
• Disaster management - Not used anymore
• Disease management - Not used anymore
• Migration management - Not used anymore

Let's dig deeper into the three scenarios currently being used.

3. What skills does McKinsey Solve test for?↑

McKinsey uses Solve to ensure that the candidates they hire have what it takes to succeed as consultants. 

So, what exactly is McKinsey evaluating when you play the game? You could call them skills, but ‘skills’ isn't quite the right term to use here. This document prepared by Imbellus, the software company that developed the game with McKinsey, describes the areas upon which candidates are assessed during Solve as "cognitive constructs".

The term makes it sound complicated, so just think of these "cognitive constructs" as the areas of your thinking that McKinsey wants to measure. We cover them in more detail below:

3.1. Critical thinking

Consultancies (and other employers) highly value a candidate’s critical thinking ability. Just so we're working off of the same definition, this is Stanford defines critical thinking as "Critical thinking is careful goal-directed thinking.”

When you begin a project as a consultant you will typically have (or form) a set of objectives that the client wants to accomplish. At the same time, you will likely encounter competing priorities and a combination of relevant and irrelevant data.

The best consultants will have a knack for focusing on objectives and systematically identifying the most relevant information to form an approach and make a recommendation. That's why critical thinking is one of the primary areas that McKinsey wants to evaluate with the assessment.

3.2. Decision-making 

One unique element of McKinsey Solve that distinguishes it from traditional standardised tests is that it evaluates both your game results and how you came to your decisions. Meanwhile, a multiple-choice test (like the McKinsey PST) can only assess candidates based on the result of their decisions.

For example, as you progress through a scenario within Solve, you'll gather information, do some analysis, and then take action to implement your approach. As you interact further with the game, the software gathers data, measuring details like the amount of time you spend on each task, what information you are looking at onscreen, as well as the actions you ultimately take.

In the real world, McKinsey would rather have candidates who can make decisions strategically, even if they are occasionally wrong, rather than candidates who are good at guessing on standardised tests. Some people can do both, but you get the point.

3.3 Metacognition

McKinsey Solve also evaluates your metacognition. As described by Nancy Chick of Vanderbilt University, metacognition can be summarised as "thinking about one's thinking". 

You could also characterise metacognition as a person's ability to take a step back and recognise their own understanding and knowledge gaps for a particular topic. 

Having strong metacognition can make a significant difference in a person's ability to learn and adapt to new situations. As a McKinsey consultant, you’ll often work on complex projects, and it's important for the firm to make sure that you can learn quickly and excel in changing circumstances.

3.4 Situational awareness

When a candidate interacts with the scenarios within Solve, their situational awareness is also put to the test. Situational awareness is a person's ability to understand their environment as well as its likely future outcomes. 

To illustrate this point, situational awareness is an important ability for firefighters. Imagine a home catches on fire and the fire department is called. When they arrive on the scene, firefighters need to quickly assess the situation and understand key pieces of information (e.g. are there any people inside? Where are the nearest fire hydrants? etc.). At the same time, firefighters also understand the likely future outcomes of a particular fire, and they can use this insight to help them prepare their approach for extinguishing the flames.

In a similar way, McKinsey wants to hire candidates who can understand the key elements of a new situation, anticipate the likely outcomes, and use their situational awareness to prepare a strategic approach.

3.5 Systems thinking

Systems thinking is a person's ability to understand and work with the complexities of an interconnected system. To test this ability, McKinsey Solve uses the natural world, which provides some excellent examples of complex systems. 

For example, a coral reef is a system with a variety of interdependent parts, including plants, animals, water, water temperature, and more. If you change one element of the system, it can impact the system as a whole.

Likewise, the clients that McKinsey serves are deeply impacted by systems (e.g. the global economy, data processing, and more). As such, the firm wants to hire only candidates who can understand and work within a systems context.

4. How to check how you did on McKinsey Solve↑

We’ve seen reports that many candidates do not get a confirmation email from the firm after finishing McKinsey Solve. Understandably, many of them are nervous about whether McKinsey even received their efforts at all.

In case you don’t receive confirmation from McKinsey as well, don’t worry. Here are two ways to check the progress of your application after playing Solve:

• Email your recruiter/point of contact in the Solve invitation email

In your email, let them know that you’ve finished playing Solve and would like to confirm whether they received your test. Then you can ask for a timeline of when to expect the result and other details about your application.

• Check your application dashboard

When you apply for a role at McKinsey, you’ll have a dashboard for your account. There you can see the tracker which will let you know the progress of your application. 

In the following section, we’ll provide you with some insights on how you can better your chances of acing McKinsey Solve and getting to the case interview rounds.

5. McKinsey Solve game tips↑

Now that you have a thorough understanding of what to expect with the McKinsey Solve game, here are some helpful tips to follow while you play the game. 

5.1 Manage your time well

Ex-McKinsey associate partner and consulting coach Mathieu, shared that he tested the game while it was being developed. His biggest advice to candidates is to practice effective time management. “It's very easy to ‘time out’ and not to progress much in the game if you don’t manage your time carefully.”

5.2 Use a mouse

Consulting coach Mathieu advises using a mouse while playing the game (instead of your laptop’s trackpad, for instance). “In the spirit of using time efficiently, using an actual external mouse will allow candidates to move much quicker around screens of the game than a laptop touchpad would. ”

5.3 Take notes during the tutorial

During your untimed tutorial, you’re allowed to go back and forth in the instructions, allowing you to fully take in everything you need to know before you start.

We highly suggest that you take actual notes during the tutorial so you don’t forget anything. Moreover, you’ll feel more relaxed while playing, knowing that you can easily access all the information you need from the tutorial.

5.4 Make sure the timer is paused during breaks

There are built-in breaks between tasks in each Solve game, which you’re meant to fully maximize. But don’t be complacent about them. Make sure the timer is indeed paused before you take your break so you don’t accidentally use up all your precious minutes. You’ll find the timer at the top centre of the screen. 

5.5 Create your own Excel Solver

Francesco Rieppi, founder of PSG Secrets, is a big proponent of using an Excel Solver for McKinsey Solve, in particular for the Ecosystem Management section where you have to build a food chain. Using one will help you manage your time better.

You can build your own or if you invest in PSG Secrets' McKinsey Solve simulator course, you can get ready-made ones with your package

4. How to prepare for McKinsey Solve↑

First, a reminder: every candidate who plays McKinsey Solve encounters a completely unique game. This means you can't memorise a set pattern or sequence that will consistently get you a high score.

Also, the game is measuring HOW you approach the problem and not just your outcomes. So, if you got good results but arrived there using a strange or illogical approach, it could pull down your overall score.

Due to these factors, you can't prepare for McKinsey Solve the way you prepare for other tests (like the PST). In fact, according to McKinsey, you DON'T even need the following to play Solve:

• Any specific preparation
• Experience with video games
• Specific business knowledge

That's what they say, but if you have the opportunity to interview with McKinsey, we know that you'll want to be as prepared as possible! So, below we've compiled our recommended prep plan:

6.1 Play video games, seriously

​​Even though no video game experience is required to play McKinsey Solve, it was designed (at least in part) by game designers. And if you play the right kind of video games, there are elements of strategy and mechanics that will be similar to what you may encounter on McKinsey's assessment.

One video game we can recommend is a "world builder" simulation game like SimCity. It’s most closely aligned with the Ecosystem Creation game. Similar to the Solve scenario, in SimCity you have to build a system (in this case a city) with a variety of interdependent parts. And in both games, you have to achieve a level of balance between different parts of the system. 

To be clear, the graphics and experience of this game will likely look quite different than what you'll find within Solve. But by playing games like this, you'll pick up helpful strategies and a better understanding of the game mechanics and flow. 

We would recommend that you practise the video game on the same device that you would use to take Solve (likely your primary laptop or desktop computer). That way you can replicate the style of play as closely as possible.

This game may only be useful for one of the three scenarios we mentioned in the section above. For the other scenarios, we have not found any video game that is directly relevant. So, for those scenarios, you'll need to rely more on the other preparation steps below.

6.2 Study the known scenarios

As we mentioned previously, there are three publicly known scenarios on the McKinsey Solve Game. As a recap, here's what they are:

• Ecosystem Management/Creation
• Redrock Labs/Study
• Ocean Treatment/Cleanup (in beta)

We encourage you to carefully review the information that we've summarised for each scenario in section two of this article. This will help you to start getting comfortable with the situations you'll encounter (note: McKinsey could add new scenarios not listed above as they’ve recently done with Ocean Cleanup).

As you learn the basic details of each scenario, you could also outline potential strategies for each one as a mental exercise. It obviously won't match the exact way the McKinsey Solve game operates. However, it will get you to start thinking strategically, within the context of the specific scenarios that you will face. This alone will likely make you feel more confident when you take the assessment, and you may find that some of your ideas will come in handy on game day.

You can also check out this mock simulation video to familiarise yourself with the worlds within each game in Solve. 

6.3 Sign up for a Solve game simulation course

If you learn better by doing and have the budget to spare, then investing in the McKinsey Solve game simulation course by PSG Secrets might be well worth a shot. The course is consistently updated, which means it will give you a look into the latest games McKinsey uses. The package also includes Excel Solver templates that you can use in your practice. They also offer a 100% money-back guarantee within 60 days for those who don’t pass the digital assessment (at least below 75% percentile).

Click here to find out more about PSG Secret’s video game simulation course package.

6.4 Prepare your workstation

This is a bit more logistical, but it's very important.

McKinsey Solve is somewhat demanding from a hardware perspective. You'll need a computer that runs pretty quickly and has at least 8GB of RAM. If you have an old or slow computer, then we recommend that you borrow or purchase a new one before taking the test. 

You'll also want to make sure you have a fast and stable internet connection before taking the assessment. If your wifi is spotty, you could try connecting to the internet through a direct ethernet connection. Or, you could ask a friend or relative with a stable internet connection if you can take the assessment at their place.

Before taking the test, you need to run McKinsey's tech diagnostic to ensure you have the processing power to run McKinsey Solve. Their email invite will include instructions for this. We advise you to do the diagnostic as soon as you get the email because you might encounter issues that take time to resolve.

As much as possible, you'll also want to carve out a time and space to take the assessment with no distractions. It's important to plan this in advance, and it also helps if you practise in the same environment.

4.4 Start practising case interviews

McKinsey Solve is very different from a case interview. However, if you get good at solving case interviews, some of those skills will also be helpful in playing the game.

For example, you'll need to develop a strategy with incomplete or inconclusive information in Solve. You also have to do this when you're solving a case interview. 

This is also a great strategy because it will help you get a headstart on your preparation for the case interviews that you'll encounter later in the McKinsey interview process.

After practising on your own, you should find someone who can do a mock interview with you, such as a friend or family member.

We’d also recommend that you do mock interviews with ex-interviewers from McKinsey. This is the best way to replicate the conditions of a real interview and to get feedback from someone who understands the process extremely well. You may not have the connections to do this on your own, but we’ve made the connections for you. Book your McKinsey mock interview now.