Question: Describe a time when you worked out a simple solution for a complex problem or situation.

Alternative Question Phrasing:

Tell me about a tricky situation for which you found a very simple solution?

Follow-up questions:

How did you come up with the solution?
What did you do to implement the solution?
How did you manage to come up with something that other people missed?

Question Details:

Question Type:

Behavioral

Skills:

Basic – Critical Thinking,Basic – Learning Strategies,Basic – Science and Logic,Complex Problem Solving,Systems Evaluation

Abilities:

Cognitive – Deductive Reasoning,Cognitive – Inductive Reasoning,Cognitive – Problem Sensitivity (Problem Recognition)

Work Activity (Task):

Mental Processes – Analyzing Data or Information,Mental Processes – Developing Objectives and Strategies,Mental Processes – Making Decisions and Solving Problems,Mental Processes – Thinking Creatively (Creativity),Work Output – Quality Improvement

Work Style (Person-Job Fit):

Analytical Thinking,Innovation

Question Frequency

Question Difficulty

What to look for in an answer:

To understand if the interviewee is a good problem solver.

Red Flags to Watch For:

If the interviewee’s idea of a ‘simple solution’ is not simple at all, that is a red flag.

Sample Answer:

N/A

Question Source: https://www.jobbankusa.com/interview_questions_answers/