Can Sam finish the work and keep the review?
Four urgent files need preparation before a fixed independent review.
The question
Sam works at fictional Northstar Services. Sam has 150 preparation minutes before Rowan’s separate review slot. The team lead can defer the optional report and reassign files to authorized colleagues.
| Amount | |
|---|---|
| Urgent files | 4 |
| Preparation minutes per file | 30 |
| Sam’s available preparation minutes | 150 |
| Optional report minutes | 45 |
| Rowan’s independent review minutes | 20 |
Complete preparation before Rowan’s separate 20-minute review slot.
“Compare what each action would achieve with the facts you have.”
Not saved by this site. Your browser may restore text when you navigate back.
A strong answer, step by step
Open each step in turn. This is one strong answer, not the only one.
Step 1: Does the urgent work fit at first?
What would you do here? Open the move you’d make.
Reserve the preparation and review time
The strong move. The files fit, and Rowan keeps the separate review slot.
Use the spare time to take on the 45-minute report
Tempting, but it misses something. The report takes 15 minutes more than the available spare time.
Count Rowan’s review slot as extra preparation time
Tempting, but it misses something. Preparation needs to finish before that slot.
See how a strong candidate says it
“Four files take 120 preparation minutes, leaving 30 minutes before the review.”
Why it works: Demand and capacity refer to the same preparation window.
Step 2: What should happen to the optional report?
What would you do here? Open the move you’d make.
Defer the report and inform its owner
The strong move. The team can complete the urgent files within the required window.
Start the report and see what is left at review time
Tempting, but it misses something. The full workload already exceeds the available time.
Ask Rowan to shorten the review by fifteen minutes
Tempting, but it misses something. The independent review requires its separate twenty minutes.
See how a strong candidate says it
“Tell the report owner that it needs a later slot. Adding it would take 165 preparation minutes.”
Why it works: The early notice keeps the mandatory review and gives the report owner time to adjust.
Step 3: What should Sam do about the shortfall?
A required 45-minute call now takes part of Sam’s preparation window.
What would you do here? Open the move you’d make.
Raise the gap and ask for an authorized reassignment
The strong move. It addresses the shortfall while preserving review.
Try to finish all four files in the remaining time
Tempting, but it misses something. The stated preparation demand still exceeds capacity.
Send one unchecked file to keep the deadline
Tempting, but it misses something. That omits the required independent review.
See how a strong candidate says it
“The call leaves 105 minutes for 120 minutes of preparation. I need help with a file or a changed deadline, and Rowan still needs the review slot.”
Why it works: The 15-minute shortfall needs a real change to staffing or timing.
Step 4: How should the files be split?
Pat has authority to prepare one file and has 30 minutes before the same review slot.
What would you do here? Open the move you’d make.
Give Pat one file and keep the review
The strong move. Both preparation assignments fit and the check still happens.
Give Pat all four files so Sam can take the call
Tempting, but it misses something. Pat has time for one file.
Ask Rowan to prepare a file and review it
Tempting, but it misses something. The same person would prepare and review that file.
See how a strong candidate says it
“Assign one file to Pat and three to Sam. Pat needs 30 minutes and Sam needs 90 of the 105 available minutes. Keep Rowan’s 20-minute review.”
Why it works: An authorized colleague covers one whole file before the same review slot.
The answer, in short
- Decision
- Split the four files between Sam and Pat.
- Because
- Both preparation assignments fit before Rowan’s independent review.
- What would change it
- A loss of Pat’s preparation time would require a new plan.
Common traps
- Preparation and independent review use separate time and people.
Check your answer
- I compared demand with available time.
- I moved the optional report.
- I recalculated after the call.
- I preserved the independent review.
Last reviewed Nov 10, 2026