Early Insights on the

Redrock Study Task

Step-by Step Strategy Guide and Simulation Manual
BEFORE YOU READ
Ever since the start of the Problem-Solving Game as a McKinsey screening test in
2020, we have helped plenty of candidates around the world prepare and pass the
test with our accurate, no-nonsense mock tests and guidelines. However, the game
has changed (literally). In July 2022, new test has rolled out, called the Redrock
Study Task, throwing candidates into confusion.

Luckily enough, we have gathered enough information on the new test to roll out a
near-accurate simulation of this new Redrock test. However, for now we have only
achieved a roughly 75% accuracy to the real Redrock test. The core test flow and
logic are already reflected in large parts, but nuances remain. As such, ALWAYS
PAY CLOSE ATTTENTION TO MCKINSEY GUIDELINES when you get the real
test, to avoid being surprised by possible differences.

There might be certain inaccuracies between our Redrock simulation and the real
Redrock test because:

• Redrock Study Task is itself a work-in-progress. McKinsey will likely alter

the test details between weeks, days, or even between candidates of the
same recruitment cycle.

• The number of candidates the Redrock Study Task is limited. We estimate it

roughly about 5-10% of candidates, varying by region and position. This is
already 3-5 times more than the Disease, Disaster or Migration games, but
still much less than the two popular ones.

• Creating an accurate mock test require a continuous cycle of trial and error,
where we raise hypotheses, build corresponding features, test with actual
candidates, and then come back to fix the whole thing. Rinse and repeat.

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As a result of this early access state:

• We will make clear in this guideline whenever we must make a guess on

parts of features of the test.

• We kindly ask you to provide feedback on the accuracy, usefulness, and

experience of this product. If there is a major difference in test logic or
interface that severely affects your test performance, you can report to
support@mconsultingprep.com to describe the difference you have
encountered and be granted a full $49 refund on the Redrock package.

We would like to also remind you that all images in the guideline is created using
our Redrock Simulation, not screenshots from the actual Redrock Study Task.

MConsultingPrep wishes you the best of luck in your application.

Sincerely,

Kim Tran & The MConsultingPrep Team.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
BEFORE YOU READ ........................................................................................................... 2

TABLE OF CONTENTS ...................................................................................................... 4

1 Overview & Features................................................................................................... 6

1.1 General information ............................................................................................ 6

1.2 How to know if you get the Redrock Study Task............................................... 7

1.3 Three parts of the test.......................................................................................... 8

1.4 A hard 25-minute time limit ............................................................................... 9

1.5 Movable vs. immovable data ............................................................................10

1.6 On-screen assisting tools ..................................................................................11

1.7 How the Research Journal works .....................................................................12

General descriptions ................................................................................................12

Collecting, removing, arranging data .....................................................................12

Labels, highlights, descriptions ..............................................................................14

1.8 How the Calculator works .................................................................................15

General descriptions ................................................................................................15

Calculator keyboard .................................................................................................16

Calculator input screen ............................................................................................16

Calculator output screen ..........................................................................................17

1.9 Types of data in the Redrock Study Task ........................................................18

By format/appearances ............................................................................................18

By logic/content ........................................................................................................19

2 Phase 1: Investigation ..............................................................................................22

2.1 General descriptions .........................................................................................22

2.2 Step-by-step guide .............................................................................................23

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 Before you start: learn how to read data ................................................................23

Step 1: Collect the objectives ...................................................................................23

Step 2: Collect relational data ..................................................................................24

Step 3: Collect numerical data.................................................................................25

Tips to label and arrange data .................................................................................25

3 Phase 2: Analysis ......................................................................................................27

3.1 General descriptions .........................................................................................27

3.2 How the “answer inputs” work .........................................................................28

3.3 How the Review section works .........................................................................28

3.4 Confirmed and suspected question types .......................................................29

Simple percentage (confirmed) ..............................................................................30

Compound percentage (confirmed) .......................................................................30

Weighted calculations (suspected) .........................................................................31

Probability (suspected) ............................................................................................31

4 Phase 3: Report .........................................................................................................32

4.1 General descriptions .........................................................................................32

4.2 How to choose the correct chart .......................................................................33

Bar charts...................................................................................................................34

Line charts .................................................................................................................34

Pie charts ...................................................................................................................35

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1 Overview & Features
1.1 General information
The Redrock Study Task (official name used by McKinsey) is a new test/mini-game
employed as part of the McKinsey Solve (also known as the Problem-Solving Game
/ PSG) pre-interview screening test. The earliest report of this Redrock Study Task
in early July 2022, from candidates applying for McKinsey’s US offices.

Unlike the other mini-games of McKinsey Solve, the test bear resemblance to the
old Problem-Solving Test (PST) – involving the same skillset, such as data reading
and interpretation, numerical reasoning, and verbal reasoning – similar to skills
required in a consultant. However, no previous business knowledge is required
since the test usually uses non-business contexts.

It represents (possibly) McKinsey’s break from the radical gamification trend

in testing ever since 2019, when it first rolled out the Solve test.

Reconstructed interface of the Redrock Study Task

However, its assessment criteria likely remain similar – that is, you will be tested
using both “product scores” (how much of the objectives you complete) and
“process scores” (how similar your approach to the task is to that of a McKinsey
consultant) – since we have identified plenty of areas where McKinsey can easily

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test “consultant skills”. Like the previous mini-games, however, McKinsey will not
inform how many correct answers/actions you get – you must do it yourself by
using the given rules.

1.2 How to know if you get the Redrock Study Task

The Redrock Study Task, for now, usually replaces the Plant Defense mini-game.
Since it is in the testing phase, the more junior your target position, and the larger
your target office is, the more likely it is for you to get this new game (it is less
costly and quicker for McKinsey to assess on junior candidates than senior
candidates, because junior applicants make the bulk of McKinsey applications)

A tell-tale sign of you getting the Redrock Study Task is that you get the Ecosystem
Building mini-game, but the clock interface is a single, continuous line that
represents 35 minutes, instead of the usual four-dash line representing one
Ecosystem module and three Plant Defense modules. This is because unlike the
any other Solve mini-game, if the Redrock Study Task appears, the Solve test will
impose hard time limits (35 minutes for Ecosystem Building, 25 minutes for
Redrock Study Task).

This means you should avoid taking any more than the recommended time limit
for each mini-game, even during practice. It is possible that McKinsey may impose
the hard time limit on a larger scale, i.e., for all candidates, not just those getting
the Redrock test.

Some candidates also suggest that if you get the Redrock Study Task, instead of
clicking on the usual hexagonal icon to enter the Ecosystem mini-game, you may
get a “start the test” button at the bottom of the screen.

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 A tell-tale sign of the Redrock Study Task is the clock interface of Ecosystem Building changing
from a four-dash line (above) into a single, continuous line (below).

1.3 Three parts of the test

During the Redrock Study Task, you will be provided with ONE study, which
follows certain study objectives. To realize these objectives, you will go through
three phases:

• PHASE 1 – INVESTIGATION: Using an on-screen Research Journal, you

skim through 1-2 A4 pages of text and exhibits to collect data points to help
realize the study objectives.

• PHASE 2 – ANALYSIS: Using an on-screen Calculator and collected data

points, you answer three quantitative questions, which are steps necessary
to reach the objectives.

• PHASE 3 – REPORT: Using collected and processed data points, you fill in
textual and graphical reports about the results of the study.

You must complete one phase to move to the next, but you can (mostly, and
technically) freely move back and forth to collect more data, in case the data you
have collected is not enough. There are certain caveats to this freedom of
movement (or in some cases lack thereof), which will be detailed in the
corresponding chapter for each phase.

In addition, in Phase 1, McKinsey’s instructions explicitly state twice that you

should collect all and only relevant data before moving to Phase 2. This means
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moving back and forth between phases will likely be viewed unfavorably by the
assessment algorithms. As such, try to be as careful as possible during each phase.

Reconstructed sidebar menu, displaying three phases of the Redrock Study Task

1.4 A hard 25-minute time limit

A hard, 25-minute time limit is imposed on the Redrock Study Task. Within those
25 minutes, you are free to allocate any necessary amount of time to any
constituent phases.

The 25-minute time limit is enough to take a slow-but-sure approach – if you

know how to look for the relevant data, label and arrange them appropriately
beforehand, all this process will take under 20 minutes – even with the last-step
double-checking considered. However, this would not be enough to read every
single line in the given data – you need to be able to skim through the data quickly
and identify the relevant parts.

For now, McKinsey do not recommend any specific amount of time for each part of
the task. The clock interface shows up as one solid line.

We recommend aiming for a 20-minute mark during practice, with 5 minutes for
Investigation, 10 minutes for Analysis, and 5 minutes for Report, with double-
checking included. The remaining 5 minutes should be reserved as a safety buffer,
just in case you overshoot the recommended time for any phase.

Also, the tutorial is untimed, so try to get familiar with the interface as much as
possible to avoid being overwhelmed when the test starts.

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 Reconstructed clock interface of the Redrock Study Task

1.5 Movable vs. immovable data

The whole Redrock Study Task revolves around collecting, processing, and
interpretating data.

By the possible interactions, there are two types of data in the Redrock Study Task.

• Immovable: these data cannot be dragged and dropped with the mouse.
They are often general, background information, such as the context of the
case, definitions, timeframes, units, etc.

• Movable: these data can be dragged and dropped. They appear as white
buttons. They can be “collected” into a Research Journal, or dropped into
answer inputs (i.e., “fill in the blanks”), upon which the original location
turns into a black, “disabled” button, while the white button will be
transferred to its new location.

For now, as reported by most candidates who got this test, there is little need to
note down the non-movable data, since the movable data cover all the important
information you’ll need.

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 On the above table, the numbers are movable data, while the title, subtitle and row/column labels are
immovable data. The “75,000” data point is being dragged away from its original location n.

1.6 On-screen assisting tools

Notably, Redrock Study Task contains many on-screen assisting tools (namely the
Research Journal and the Calculator) which presumably to limit off-screen actions
and allow McKinsey to analyze your problem-solving approach in better detail.

It is highly likely that the algorithms will be less accurate if you process most of the
test off-screen, so unlike the Ecosystem Building mini-game where you should
calculate the whole ecosystem on a scratch paper, for the Redrock Study Task it is
best to learn how to collect and process data in a structured manner, then show
it through on-screen tools as much as possible. To be more specific:

• Data collection and calculations should be done mostly on-screen –

especially if they lead to the realization of the study objectives, which most
of the time they do (e.g., collecting relevant data points and performing
calculations that feeds into the formulas that answer the study objective).

• If on-screen actions can be augmented off-screen, the off-screen action

should not preclude the on-screen action. For example, of a text-format
data point is too long you can write a short version of it on a scratch paper,
but you must still drag the on-screen data point onto the Research Journal.

• Actions signaling bottom-up thinking should be done entirely off-screen.

Bottom-up thinking is viewed negatively by McKinsey, so these actions (such
as randomly collecting data points during skimming) should not be visible to
the algorithm.

• Use scratch paper/spreadsheets to structure your approach. This

includes outlining issue trees or formula, and it would help you avoid
unnecessary, bottom-up actions.

The next chapters will discuss how each tool works, and what you need to keep in
mind regarding these tools in the real Redrock Study Task.

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 Research Journal and Calculator – on-screen tools in the Redrock Study

1.7 How the Research Journal works

General descriptions

The Research Journal appears as a white panel on the right-hand side of the screen
and is present across all three phases.

It acts as a data storage point, where you can collect any relevant data for use
during the later phases, i.e., Analysis and Report.

Technically, you can do the whole Redrock test without ever touching the Research
Journal, but we do not recommend it, especially when McKinsey explicitly says to
use the Research Journal in the in-game instructions.

Collecting, removing, arranging data

You can drag any movable data point in any phase of the Redrock test into the
Journal to “collect” it. On the Research Journal, each collected “data point” will
shows up as a card, with its own label and description.

Data in the Journal can be used to feed into the Calculator, or into “answer
inputs”, (blank spaces under the questions). D

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Data can also be returned to their original locations, by dragging them into the
page where they originally came from (e.g., if the data comes from the
Investigation page, you can drop the data back onto any location on the page and it
will “snap” back to its original place).

When a data point is dragged out of the Journal and into an input space, in some
cases, the whole data point will be dragged from the Journal, while in others it
remains as a movable data in the Journal and only the value is carried into the
input. In either case, McKinsey will have provisions for ensure candidates have
access to all the data they need, so you need not to worry if the data “disappears”
from the Journal when you use it.

Also, according to our latest information (early September 2022), once a data is
removed from the Journal for use elsewhere, it will leave a blank space, and the
remaining data points will not automatically rearrange to fill this space.

Data being dragged from the Journal to an answer input and a Calculator input. In the former case, the whole
data point is moved, i.e., it “disappears” from the Journal, while in the second case the original data remains,
and the value is duplicated.

You cannot rearrange simply by moving one data point into “gaps” between other
data points, either, but must move the occupying data points out of the way first
(e.g., to move the 3rd data point upwards to the 1st position, you must drag the 1st
data point down to the bottom of the Journal, then move the 3rd data point into the
resulting empty space). See below for an illustration.

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This creates a lot of inconveniences for candidates, so if you have this test later,
McKinsey might have updated the test to a more convenient format. For now,
we will match the Simulation to the test as reported and will update as soon as the
real test itself updates.

Data being removed leaves a blank space, allowing you to position another piece of data above it.

Labels, highlights, descriptions

Each movable data point comes with default label and description, which can be
viewed if the data is collected into the Journal.

Some data comes with appropriate labels for its contents, but some do not. All data
labels can be manually changed – we recommend doing so, if the default label
does not adequately describe the contents – see Chapter II – since it is highly likely
that the McKinsey test can recognize “good labels”. Appropriate labelling will
speed up your analysis process later, since it allows you to quickly identify the
relevant data to answer each question.

Removing data points from the Journal will not reset its label, i.e., if you name one
data point “MY DATA POINT”, remove it from the Journal, then collect it again, the
label will still be “MY DATA POINT”.

Data descriptions, on the other hand, are fixed. They either reflects the original
location of the data point (for numerical data) or exactly duplicates the data (for

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string/text data). They are most useful for long-text data that cannot be fully
displayed on the movable button.

Once collected, each data point can also be highlighted by using the “I” button
(presumably for “important”) on the left of its label. Toggling on this button will
cover the whole data point in an orange tint. This feature is quite useful when
performing calculations, since it helps you focus only on the necessary data points
– you can un-highlight the data points later when they are no longer needed.

Label, highlight and description for data in the Redrock Study Task

1.8 How the Calculator works

General descriptions

Unlike the Research Journal, the Calculator is only present in the Analysis
phase, where you must perform calculations to answer key questions that feed into
the case objectives (technically you can bypass the calculator, but we do not
recommend it at all).

The on-screen Calculator in the Redrock Study Task has three components: a
keyboard, an input screen, and an output screen.

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Calculator keyboard

The keyboard of the Redrock Calculator is a simplified version of the electronic

calculator, consisting of buttons for the numbers, basic operators (+, -, *, /),
brackets, backspace, and clear-entry (CE).

Calculator keyboard in the Redrock Study Task

This layout indicates that the Redrock task is very unlikely to require complex
calculations (most candidates report that they had simple calculations for the
questions, such as changes, gaps, percentages, ratios, etc.).

Notably, for a test with plenty of percentage calculations, as we shall see in the next
chapters, this calculator does not have a “%” button. This means you must
convert all percentages into decimals and ratios before calculating (e.g.: 70%
must be converted into 0.7 or 7/10).

The calculator also receives input from your physical keyboard, although if you
press a key that is not present on the on-screen keyboard (e.g.: %), it might not
recognize. McKinsey will not likely take this into assessment.

Calculator input screen

The primary function of the input screen is to show the calculations that is being
typed into the calculator.

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The input screen can take multiple calculations at the same time, and it is likely
that it can do multiple levels of bracketing as well, despite showing two bracket
buttons. That means you can likely type in “((100+200)-300))” instead of having to
perform multiple calculations in sequence.

But most importantly, it recognizes data being dragged onto it, as shown in the
image below. That means if the number contains many zeroes/decimals, you
should ALWAYS input data by dragging the data point onto the input screen
instead of using the keyboard (on-screen on physical), to avoid unnecessary
rounding and potential mistakes.

Calculator input screen, with a data point being dragged onto it

Calculator output screen

The output screen, as the name suggests, displays the result of the calculations.

However, unlike regular calculators, the Redrock on-screen Calculator logs and
displays the whole history of your calculations – which suggests McKinsey might
use this data to identify your though process and assess you on that.

Calculator output screen, displaying two consecutive calculations

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Also, each generated result will be presented as a movable data point, allowing
you to store them into the Research Journal, or drag them onto the answer input
below the questions. You can also drop these movable data points into the
calculator input screen for further calculations.

1.9 Types of data in the Redrock Study Task

By format/appearances

By appearances, there are three kinds of data in the Redrock Study Task.

• Charts & diagrams: These are the most prominent type of data, in terms of
screen area. They are usually simple chart types, such as line, bar or pie
charts, with no to very few compound components, unlike the more
complicated charts often seen in the McKinsey PST or Bain business case
tests. Each chart usually contains 4-16 data points.

• Tables: These often accompany or complete chart-type data. Each table

contains anywhere from 4 to 16 data points – i.e., 2-4 columns x 2-4 rows.

• Text: this is the most common type of the data if you count using word count
(about 40%). Most of the textual data are background information. However,
some parts of the text will inform you of the relationship between numbers
and items in the case, and these are vital pieces.

Most of the time, to complete the task, you’ll need ALL three types of data.

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 From top to bottom: charts, tables and text data

By logic/content

By logic, there are three types of data in the Redrock Study Task

• Context data: these include the objectives of the case, directions, and other
information that provides a general understanding of the case and the topic
in question. A small percentage of them are relevant (most critically the
objectives of the case).

• Numerical data: these exist as data points on tables, charts, diagrams, and
within the text, and describe the number of certain items (such as the
number of players for Rise of Empires II in 6 half-years, as shown in the
exhibit below). Only a small percentage of numerical data is relevant to the
case (about 10-15%).

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• Relational data: these exist as textual data, describing the relationship
between numbers and between items (such as the relationship between H2
2022 and H1 2023 number of players for Rise of Empires II, as shown in the
exhibit below). Nearly all relational data are critically relevant to the case
(since they inform you of the formula necessary to answer the study
objectives).

From top to bottom: context, numerical, and relational data

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2 Phase 1: Investigation
2.1 General descriptions
The Investigation phase of the Redrock task focuses on skimming, scanning and
collecting relevant data to address the study objectives.

You need to collect all and only relevant data before proceeding to the next
section (although McKinsey allows you to return to the Investigation page, this is
not recommended).

Most candidates who got the Redrock Study Task states that if you get the
Investigation right, you should have enough data for all the remaining sessions.

Full-screen interface of the Investigation phase

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2.2 Step-by-step guide

Before you start: learn how to read data

The whole Redrock test is about reading, processing and interpretating data, so it
is crucial to know which part about/in a piece of data should be kept in mind.

When reading data, always try to answer these questions:

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

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

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

These three questions would help you identify the relevant data points and use
them correctly throughout a Redrock case, as we shall see. The next sections will
use Case RRS-001 (Video Game Franchise) as the example.

Step 1: Collect the objectives

Each Redrock phase always start with directions and objectives

Most of the time, directions do not have anything to do with the CONTENTS of the
test itself – rather, it states the ACTIONS that you need to take.

Right after the Directions would be the Objectives. These are the central
problems in Redrock’s cases. They are themselves a movable data point and
should be ALWAYS collected into the Journal.

This should be done first because it helps you identify which other data to collect.

Since most objectives will be quite long, you can note down a short version on a
scratch paper. When “shortening”, remember to keep units, timeframes and
figures intact. For example, the objectives from the exhibit below can be shorted as
“RE II and RE IV meet H1 2023 player base size objectives”.

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 Collected objective in the example case (RRS-001)

Step 2: Collect relational data

After you have collected the objectives, the next step is to collect relational data.
This should be done before you look at numerical data because it helps you
identify which numbers to collect.

You can read the objectives to identify which pieces of relational data are relevant.

For example, in the case above the next step is to look for relational data about H1
2023 player-base figures and only Rise of Empires II and Rise of Empires IV should
be concerned.

Collected relational data in the example case (RRS-001)

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Step 3: Collect numerical data

Once you have collected the relational data, it should be quite easy to identify
which numbers you need. Simply pick them onto the Research Journal and you
can move forward to the next part of the case (actually, not yet).

Collected numerical data in the example case (RRS-001)

Tips to label and arrange data

We have not touched on an important part of the Investigation: labelling the data.

Since many of the data points comes with inappropriate labels (for example, all
numbers are labelled “graph data” or “table data”, which is confusing to say the
least), we need to re-label them.

• For quantitative data, try to convey the timeframe and subjects of the data
point. (Note: we have a report which indicates that the description of
numerical data details the table name, as well as the row and column of said
table. If this indeed the case, and if the description is enough to help you
understand the data, you just need to keep description opened instead of re-
labelling those data points).

• For qualitative data, describe in as few words as possible what it is about.

In each Case Document, we detail the recommended label for each collected data
point. Try to follow the spirit of the guide, not the letter – the objective of all this is
to help you easily understand the labels and can tell apart data of different
timeframes and subjects.

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On arranging data: try to keep it consistent and top-down. “Overview” data points
should be placed above the “granular” ones. For example, keep numerical data
points from the same table together, keep them beneath the relational data, and in
turn the relational data should be beneath the objectives. McKinsey MIGHT take
this as a sign that you are a structured person, but even if they do not, you will have
an easier time solving the test.

Now, with all the necessary data collected and appropriately labelled, it is time to
move on to the next phase: Analysis

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3 Phase 2: Analysis
3.1 General descriptions
In the Analysis phase, you will be presented with three “Questions” which
ultimately feeds into solving the case Objectives. Each big “question” contains 2-3
sub-questions using the same formula.

You will answer all sub-questions for one question at the same time, but only one
big question at a time, in sequence. You cannot move back to edit your answers
once you have submitted them. You can, however, move back to the Investigation
phase in case you lack the necessary data.

Reconstructed interface of the Analysis phase

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At the end of the Analysis will be the Review phase, which presumably allows the
candidate to collect their own answers as movable data points for use in the next
Report phase (up until now there has been no detailed report of this Review step
– which itself indicates that this step is likely not significant in terms of content, so
we are working on our best hypotheses)

3.2 How the “answer inputs” work

Each of the 3 questions in the Analysis part comes with 2-3 (usually 2) sub-
questions. As far as current reports are concerned, these sub-questions share the
same formula (for example, calculating the year-end revenue for two products of
the same company).

For each sub-question, there is an “answer input”, i.e., a blank space where you
can drop movable data in to form a complete answer. This answer input accepts
only numerical movable data point, i.e., you cannot neither type your answer in,
nor can you drop a text-format data point into it.

A question with two answer inputs, one of which has already been filled with data.

3.3 How the Review section works

WARNING: The information we have on this part of the test is insufficient to deliver a
concrete reconstruction. Our current Simulation represents our best working hypotheses on
the appearance and functions of this part of the test.

Reports indicate that once you have placed a data point into the answer input, it
will be transferred COMPLETELY out of the Journal. That means there must be

28
some other place for you to retrieve this data for use in the Report phase, and we
suspect it would be the Review section. In our Simulation, all the answers you put
in the answer inputs will present themselves in the Review section, ready to be
picked into the Journal.

ALWAYS collect your answer into the Journal. The questions are reported to feed
into the main objectives, so there is an exceedingly high, almost certain chance
that the answers will be reused in the Report section.

Reconstructed interface of the Review section of the Redrock Study Task

3.4 Confirmed and suspected question types

All confirmed and reported questions in the Redrock Study Task are quantitative question
that involve basic math that usually occurs in business settings, but do not require any
significant degree of business knowledge.

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Simple percentage (confirmed)

Most calculations in the Redrock Study Task involves simple percentage, ratio, or
fractional calculations, such as:

• What is the percentage growth of Germany’s population from 2020 to 2022?

(Provided data: population of Germany in 2020 and 2022)

Questions also appear in the reverse direction, i.e., convert a percentage, ratio, or
fraction to a natural number. For example

• What is the population of Germany at the end of 2023? (Provided data:

population of Germany at the start of 2023; projected growth rate).

While these calculations are straightforward, it is easy to mistake or confuse the

relationship between items in the calculation. Take the second question in the
previous paragraph as an example: is the growth a percentage of the 2020
population, or the 2022 population?

To compensate for this potential pitfall, look for “directional” expressions (e.g.:
“2022-to-2020 ratio”, or “from 2020 to 2022”, “relative to 2020 population). If
there are no such expressions, whatever is listed first in the question should be the
numerator and the second item should be the denominator (e.g.: if the question as
for “percentage gap in population of Germany and France” the answer should be
“population of Germany ÷ population of France”).

Compound percentage (confirmed)

On multiple occasions, the questions in the Redrock Study Task will involve
multiple consecutive percentages or ratio calculations (i.e., percentage of
percentage), for example:

• What is the population of Germany at the end of 2023? (Provided data:

population of Germany at the start of 2023; growth rate for 2022; projected
percentage increase in growth rate for 2023 compared to 2022).

This type of calculation can be extremely confusing. The trick here is to turn as
many percentages into natural numbers as possible. This can be done by using

30
“dummy numbers” or numbers already present in the context (e.g.: for the above
question, we can convert the unit for growth in 2022 from percentage to person, if
the population of Germany for 2022 already exists in the context).

Weighted calculations (suspected)

Weighted average calculations have already been confirmed in the BCG Online
Case, and if the McKinsey Redrock test follows the same theme in using
calculations commonly seen in business math, then weighted average might
appear some time in the future.

Weighted average is easier than the confusing mess of ratios and percentages. Just
one tip: sometimes in weighted average calculations, the weights do not add up to
100% - in which case, you will need to divide the sum of all items by the sum of
their weights to arrive at the correct answer.

Probability (suspected)

Again, like weighted calculations, this is not confirmed to exist in the Redrock test
but may appear in the future.

Just to clear up a few basic rules for probabilities calculations, let us assume that:

• A, B, and C are hypothetical events

• PA, PB and PC are chances of these events taking place.

• PA’, PB’, and PC’ are chances of them NOT taking place.

Following these assumptions:

• If A, B, and C are mutually exclusive events, then the chance of ALL of them
taking place is 0 (because one taking place means the other two cannot),
while the chance of ANY of them taking place is PA + PB + PC.

• If A, B and C are independent events, then the chance of ALL of them taking
place is PA × PB × PC, the chance of ANY of them taking place is 1 - PA’× PB’
× PC’ (not PA + PB + PC – this is a very, very common mistake).

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4 Phase 3: Report
WARNING: The information we have on this part of the test is insufficient to deliver a
concrete reconstruction. Our current Simulation represents our best working hypotheses on
the appearance and functions of this part of the test.

4.1 General descriptions

Reconstructed interface for the Summary part of the Report phase

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

• Summary involves filling in the blanks of a text-format report, using

numbers already given and produced in the previous phases, and
expressions such as “higher”, “lower”, “equal to”, etc. The blanks in this
phase will likely be somewhat like the answer inputs in the Analysis phase,
except the data will likely not disappear from the Journal once used, since
you will need the very same data for the next part.
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 • Data Visualization involves choosing a correct type of chart and filling in
the numbers to produce a meaningful chart for the report. We use a table to
simulate the data input interface – however, we have already received
comments that the real interface allows you to place number directly on
the chart. Currently, we decide to keep the table-format input, since the
logic is no different (all charts are visualized from tables).

Both parts likely require information from the previous phases, and so it is likely
that McKinsey will allow you to return to Investigation and Review to collect the
necessary data. That said, this will likely be viewed negatively, so try to collect as
much relevant data as you can from the previous phases before Report.

Since the first part – Summary – is likely to be very straightforward, we will move
immediately to the second phase.

4.2 How to choose the correct chart

Reconstructed interface for the Data Visualization part of the Report phase

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There has been no report of compound-type charts in the Redrock Study Task –
which makes it much simpler than the old McKinsey PST.

Charts in the Redrock test consists of three simple types of charts: bar charts, line
charts, and pie charts.

Bar charts

Bar charts are used to compare independent variables, at one snapshot in time,
or one/multiple variables at a small number (2-5) of intervals.

If the data spans multiple time intervals, the emphasis is on the numbers recorded
at those exact intervals, not the changes between them (hence the use of
“candlesticks” in stock price charts to emphasize the change in price occurring
within one time unit, not between time units).

Bar charts are also suitable for situations when the numbers between intervals
have little to no correlation (in which case they are independent variables). For
example, if you roll the dice 10 times each day, the number of sixes you get for
each day should be presented by a bar chart, not a line chart.

Line charts

Line charts are used to illustrate changes over time.

Unlike bar charts, line charts emphasize on the changes between intervals, not the
numbers at intervals (which is why the candlestick chart is nearly always
accompanied by a trend line).

Line charts also fare better if the data is recorded at many intervals (the more the
merrier). For example, if you compare sales for a company between 2022 and
2021, it does not make sense to use a line chart because two data points cannot
form a meaningful trend (in this case, use a bar chart). However, if the chart must
illustrate monthly sales for every week from the start of 2021 to the end of 2022,
and we want to see the trends, a line chart would be the answer.

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Pie charts

Pie charts are used for “parts of a whole” types of data.

Either to compare those parts, or compare a part to a whole, pie charts work fine.

What is important here is that the variable must form a whole (usually
intrinsically, say the population of all age groups in a country; sometimes people
do force variables together to form a whole, but in many cases those “wholes” are
not statistically meaningful).

Pie chart also describes data at one or only a few intervals. Each pie can only
illustrate data recorded at exactly one moment in time – the more intervals you
want to illustrate, the more pies you need.

For compound chart types, you can look at the “Consulting Charts” document attached
within this Redrock preparation package. The chance is low, but just in case compound
charts appear in the Redrock test, you have something to prepare.

Now that you know how to choose the correct chart, the only remaining step is to fill in the
numbers. This is a straightforward task, so you only need to be careful to avoid misplacing
the data. GOOD LUCK WITH THE TEST!

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