Imbellus

Hi there,

This is indeed an interesting question which is probably relevant for quite a lot of users, so I'm happy to give you my perspective on that:

From the experience of coachees of mine and of my personal network, I can say that all applicants (both entry-level position and senior roles) had to take the McKinsey Imbellus. There might still be exceptions for singular offices or roles, but generally speaking it is a fixed component of the McKinsey recruiting process.

In case you want a detailed discussion on how to best approach the McKinsey Imbellus with all its 4 possible games (no need to pay for sometimes outdated guides), please feel free to contact me directly.

I hope this helps,

Hagen

Hi,

The games change a bit every recruitment season - so it’s difficult to predict what exactly will you get. 

Whilst you don't have to be a gamer to perform well, the game will certainly test your problem solving ability and your ability to navigate in challenging circumstances.

Which skills are tested?

The game records all of the candidate’s actions (e.g., every movement of the mouse, time spent to choose an action) and uses machine learning to assess candidates’ way of thinking. It’s as much about how close candidates come to the best solution as about how they tackle the problem through. During the game McK assesses 5 cognitive abilities that are critical for a career in consulting:

• Critical thinking: the ability analyze information objectively and make a reasoned judgment
• Decision making: the ability to select the best course of action among several options
• Self-awareness: the ability to self-assess
• Situational awareness: the ability to be fully aware of your surroundings at all times, allowing you to react effectively
• Systematic thinking: the ability to understand different parts of a system and how they work together through cause/ effect relationships

How to cultivate these skills?

Let’s break down each skillset and find ways to improve.

Critical thinking could be broken down into the following subskills:

• Think about a topic in an objective and critical way
• Identify the connections between ideas and working out whether the evidence provided supports those ideas or not
• Evaluate a point of view to determine how strong or valid it is
• Recognize any weaknesses that there are in the evidence or argument
• Notice what implications there might be behind a statement
• Provide structured reasoning and support for an argument that we wish to make

In order to improve your critical thinking I would suggest using mind mapping technique. It exploits the fact that our brains process information visually much more effectively than they do when it’s presented in a written document.

The idea behind mind mapping is that you start with a central theme or idea, typically drawn in a box in the middle of the page, and then from that you create branches, which lead to other ideas, or to supporting evidence or ancillary information.

Decision making could be broken down into the following subskills:

• Establishing a positive decision-making environment
• Generating potential solutions
• Evaluating the solutions
• Deciding
• Checking the decision

In order to improve your decision making skills I would suggest that you start applying it to your everyday life situations and start developing small decision making frameworks for each situation (e.g. going to the shop)

Self-awareness could be broken down into the following subskills:

• Monitor Your Performance
• Seek Out Feedback and Then Use It

The best way to improve your self-awareness is to reduce your EGO barrier and blind spots. You can read Ray Dalio Principles for more details.

Situational awareness could be broken down into the following subskills:

• Identifying the baseline for the situation you are in
• Recognizing any variations to the baseline

In order to improve your situational awareness I suggest that you take typical life situation and:

• Monitor the Baseline. At first, this will require concentration effort. But after a while, you will find that you can monitor the baseline subconsciously
• Fight Normalcy Bias. This requires you to be paranoid for a while as you develop your skill. Look at every disturbance to the baseline - this will allow you to stop ignoring or discounting any factors

Systematic thinking could be broken down into the following subskills:

• Identifying all the elements in the system
• Understanding the correlations between the elements

This skill could be largely improved by solving business cases.

ALSO I suggest that you should start investing your time into playing different computer/mobile game, where you can practice applying these skills.

Hope it helps!

Anton

Hi there,

It depends.

I helped a few INSEAD candidates recently and they confirmed the test was sent to everyone who applied for their school.

In other cases, they first screen the CV, then invite you for interviews.

If you want to prepare, you can find below a guide with:

• 15 videos showing how to crack the Ecosystem Game in 23 minutes (instead of the recommended 35) and resist 25+ turns in the Plant Defense (instead of the minimum target of 15)
• Automated Excel with Formulas to build a food chain in the Ecosystem game in 16 minutes
• PDF guide with all the 5 games and how to crack each of them

You can check it at the following link - full disclosure, I am the author ;)

▶ Imbellus Solve Game Combo

If you have any questions please feel free to reach out, I will reply within 12 hours.

Best,

Francesco

You should always start preparing for the interviews. You won't have enough time if you wait until you hear from them (and honestly you can apply multiple times, and to multiple consulting firms…).

Hi,

The games change a bit every recruitment season - so it’s difficult to predict what exactly will you get.

Whilst you don't have to be a gamer to perform well, the game will certainly test your problem solving ability and your ability to navigate in challenging circumstances.

Which skills are tested?

The game records all of the candidate’s actions (e.g., every movement of the mouse, time spent to choose an action) and uses machine learning to assess candidates’ way of thinking. It’s as much about how close candidates come to the best solution as about how they tackle the problem through. During the game McK assesses 5 cognitive abilities that are critical for a career in consulting:

• Critical thinking: the ability analyze information objectively and make a reasoned judgment
• Decision making: the ability to select the best course of action among several options
• Self-awareness: the ability to self-assess
• Situational awareness: the ability to be fully aware of your surroundings at all times, allowing you to react effectively
• Systematic thinking: the ability to understand different parts of a system and how they work together through cause/ effect relationships

How to cultivate these skills?

Let’s break down each skillset and find ways to improve.

Critical thinking could be broken down into the following subskills:

• Think about a topic in an objective and critical way
• Identify the connections between ideas and working out whether the evidence provided supports those ideas or not
• Evaluate a point of view to determine how strong or valid it is
• Recognize any weaknesses that there are in the evidence or argument
• Notice what implications there might be behind a statement
• Provide structured reasoning and support for an argument that we wish to make

In order to improve your critical thinking I would suggest using mind mapping technique. It exploits the fact that our brains process information visually much more effectively than they do when it’s presented in a written document.

The idea behind mind mapping is that you start with a central theme or idea, typically drawn in a box in the middle of the page, and then from that you create branches, which lead to other ideas, or to supporting evidence or ancillary information.

Decision making could be broken down into the following subskills:

• Establishing a positive decision-making environment
• Generating potential solutions
• Evaluating the solutions
• Deciding
• Checking the decision

In order to improve your decision making skills I would suggest that you start applying it to your everyday life situations and start developing small decision making frameworks for each situation (e.g. going to the shop)

Self-awareness could be broken down into the following subskills:

• Monitor Your Performance
• Seek Out Feedback and Then Use It

The best way to improve your self-awareness is to reduce your EGO barrier and blind spots. You can read Ray Dalio Principles for more details.

Situational awareness could be broken down into the following subskills:

• Identifying the baseline for the situation you are in
• Recognizing any variations to the baseline

In order to improve your situational awareness I suggest that you take typical life situation and:

• Monitor the Baseline. At first, this will require concentration effort. But after a while, you will find that you can monitor the baseline subconsciously
• Fight Normalcy Bias. This requires you to be paranoid for a while as you develop your skill. Look at every disturbance to the baseline - this will allow you to stop ignoring or discounting any factors

Systematic thinking could be broken down into the following subskills:

• Identifying all the elements in the system
• Understanding the correlations between the elements

This skill could be largely improved by solving business cases.

ALSO I suggest that you should start investing your time into playing different computer/mobile game, where you can practice applying these skills.

Hope it helps!

Anton

Hi there,

I think this is an interesting question that may be relevant for many people. I would be happy to share my thoughts on it:

• McKinsey does send the McKinsey Solve assessment to basically all candidates who apply. It is used as a screening tool to assess a candidate's problem-solving abilities and to determine if they are a good fit for the company's culture and values.
• It is likely that your interviews will only take place if you pass the McKinsey Solve, as it is used as a screening tool. However, it's best to confirm this with the recruiting team.
• McKinsey typically conducts two rounds of interviews, each of them containing both personal fit (i.e. the McKinsey PEI) and a case study. The exact number of interviews may vary depending on the position and location.
• As for your approach to acing the tests and interviews, self-study can be effective, but it's important to keep in mind that case interviews require practice. You can start by familiarizing yourself with the case interview format and structure, and then practice with sample cases. Additionally, you can read books or articles on case interview preparation, and watch videos of past interviews to get a sense of the types of questions and the tone of the interview.
• Still, when it comes to making your preparation as realistic as possible, I would strongly advise you to connect with other candidates on this platform, PrepLounge, share your experience and practice solving cases together. This is a great way to get the practice and feedback you need to ace your case interviews. You can also leverage the platform to access a large library of case studies, articles, and videos on case interview preparation.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on how to ace the McKinsey Solve, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

Hi there,

That is definitely a good score and way above average, however, there are other factors as well that play a role:

1. The Ecosystem Score
2. The time you took for each
3. The process score based on 100 different variables that are tracked
4. In some offices, your resume and referrals play a role as well. In a few, the Solve Game is evaluated in combination with the first round

Fingers crossed for a positive outcome!

Cheers,

Florian

Dear A,

If I understand you corectly it has 3 parts:

1. Ecosystem Management where you need to create a stable habitat for a group of animals and plants

2. Here there is 2 successive part - natural disaster and a disease

3. Protect the plant from invading rodents - the whole new part. There are 3 rounds in there, every round with new rodents.

Every recruitment cycle has seen the games slightly change.

Hope it helps,

If you need any further help, feel freeto reach out. 

Good luck,

André

Hi,
it's a gamified test for which different environments are been developed. It's pretty easy and no preparation is needed: only pay attention to time and instructions. It's usually divided into 2 games and you have 1h to complete both of them (you can decide when passing to the next game).
- In the first one you are going to create a balanced ecosystem based on the rules of the environment you choose (e.g. in a mountain scenario you fix a point with certain values of elevation, humidity, wind, ... and then you have to choose animals and plants that can survive each other and in the environment).
- In the second game, you have to defend an object (usually a plant) from the enemies (usually rodents) with the help of slowers (barriers) or killers (predators). I developed some good strategies to handle it, feel free to text me.

Here the introductory McK video about it: https://www.mckinsey.com/careers/mckinsey-digital-assessment

Hope it helps,
Antonello

Yes, 100% you should start preparng for case interviews already!

In fact, Ideally you started prepping weeks ago.

These things can move really quickly and casing isn't easy to learn - please jump on this ASAP!

Hello!

It´s much better than the old test used to be.

• It's a gamified test
• Divided into 2 games, 1h to complete both of them:
  • 1st one is a game about keeping an ecosystem balanced
  • 2nd one is a defense game

It´s fun and there is not really a "way" to prep for it.

My advise would be to be fresh when you do it and pick a right enviroment -during my BCG test in their office there was construction in the patio and the screen was even shaking-.

Hope it helps!

Cheers,

Clara

Dear A,

Usually Imbellus is mandatory phase for everyone, except very senior positions and considered to be a part of the whole inetrview process. 

Best,
André

Hi there,

From what you mentioned it seems your performance was good. In the plant defense, the goal is to resist 15+ turns, there is no need to reach 50 (although the more the better).

Definitely start to prepare for interviews, as it takes quite some time to do so. You can find some tips on what to do to prepare here:

https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/helpjust-been-invited-for-mckinsey-1st-round-interview-for-an-analyst-role-after-passing-the-imbellus-gamedetails-9533

Best,

Francesco

Hi there,

Q: What will be a good score on McKinsey Imbellus Plant Defenses? I did the test and got 27 on level 1, 32 on level 2, and 27 on level 3. Is it good enough for me to pass the test?

It sounds like you did fine. You were above the minimum threshold in all maps.

They will also take into account your performance in the Ecosystem game and how you got to the final result. 

Additionally, they might also assess other parts of the application in terms of the screening, so overall you will still need to get a final confirmation from their side to be sure you passed.

Good luck!

Francesco

Hi there,

I think this is an interesting question that may be relevant for many people. I would be happy to share my thoughts on it:

• Overall, they sound like good scores – not very good ones, but most probably, it will be good enough to pass the cut-off.
• Still, it is difficult to say what a "good" score on the McKinsey Solve Plant Defense assessment would be, as it depends on the specific role you are applying for and the level of competition for the position. McKinsey does not publicly disclose the cut-offs or scoring criteria for its assessments, so it is not possible for me to say whether your scores would be considered passing or not.

If you would like a more detailed discussion on how to address your specific situation, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

Best,

Hagen

Hi Anonymous,

There are 2 principle games and you need to manage your time yourself (1hr total).

The game itself was staying rather stable in the past, but is changing slightly.

Hope this helps - if so, please be so kind and give it a thumbs-up with the green upvote button below!

Robert

Hi there,

There are usually 2 cases where you don’t have to take the Imbellus:

• Your specific country is not using it yet. The game is required now in 30+ countries, but there are still some not using it, or using other tests
• You are applying for senior positions

If you want to prepare in the best possible way, you can find below the guide I created on the Imbellus:

https://www.preplounge.com/en/shop/tests-2/mckinsey-imbellus-game-secrets-48

This guide will:

• Tell you step-by-step how to crack all the Scenarios of the game (and not only the most common ones)
• Explain you the exact way to master the 5 Skills tested in the game
• Provide you information on the very last version of the game, and not on older versions, as I update it every few weeks

The guide also includes tips from previous candidates.

Below you can find a screenshot of the guide:

If you need additional support or have any questions on the test please feel free to PM me, I can provide additional tips for free.

Best,

Francesco

Hi there,

Nicely done! Yes, it's enough to ‘pass the test’ - now you just need to impress them on paper and hopefully later in person.

Best of luck! Keeping my fingers crossed!

Hi there,

There are some other great Q&As on this question here:

https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/imbellus-test-mckinsey-5682

https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/how-to-prepare-for-mckinsey-imbellus-test-6883

https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/mckinsey-imbellus-is-it-gono-go-6792

https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/mckinsey-imbellus-test-6802

Just in case some people dit not have a look at the McK video on Inbellus : 

https://www.mckinsey.com/careers/mckinsey-digital-assessment#

Best

Hello,

I have an interesting paper on Imbellus valuation metrics that I would suggest to read.
More over, I have had the chance to follow several candidates taking this test and I have written (together with them) a detailed guide on how to successfully approach Imbellus test.
Feel free to text me if you are interested. 

Best,
Luca

Hello,

I have had the chance to follow several candidates taking this test and I have written (together with them) a detailed guide on how to successfully approach Imbellus test.

The guide includes:

• Detailed hands-on strategy to ace the Imbellus
• Excel model with an algorithm to solve the first scenario
• Hands-on example and practical tips to crack the game

On top of that, you will receive an interesting paper on Imbellus valuation metrics and a coupon code for a session with your purchase!

Feel free to text me if you are interested. You can find a screenshot of the excel model below.

Best,
Luca

Hi there, 

Congrats on being invited to the test!

Let me take your questions one by one.

1. Do they send the Imbellus test to everyone who applies ? 

In some offices, yes. They then review both the CV and cover letter together with the results from the test. Other offices do it sequentially, only sending the test to promising candidates. I wouldn't read much at this point in the fact that you received the invite. 

2. Will my interviews only take place if I pass the test ?

If you pass the test with a high-score, and if they consider your CV and cover letter is strong, then yes, they will shortlist you for the first round.

3. How many interviews do they conduct typically ?

Typically, two rounds of two interviews. However, depending on the office you are applying for and the role, these can differ. Some geographies are experimenting - for instance - with a quick case over the phone (as a first round), followed by a final round that contains 3-6 interviews (after which they provide you with the final decision). 

Best of luck! It's great you have all this time ahead of you, so make sure you make the most out of it :)

Cristian

Hi,
it's a gamified test for which different environments are been developed. It's pretty easy and no preparation is needed: only pay attention to time and instructions. It's usually divided into 2 games and you have 1h to complete both of them (you can decide when passing to the next game).
- In the first one you are going to create a balanced ecosystem based on the rules of the environment you choose (e.g. in a mountain scenario you fix a point with certain values of elevation, humidity, wind, ... and then you have to choose animals and plants that can survive each other and in the environment).
- In the second game, you have to defend an object (usually a plant) from the enemies (usually rodents) with the help of slowers (barriers) or killers (predators). I developed some good strategies to handle it, feel free to text me.

Here the introductory McK video about it: https://www.mckinsey.com/careers/mckinsey-digital-assessment

Hope it helps,
Antonello

Hi there,

Yes, it is a good score.

Now, they will assess that good score across your overall profile/application.

Fingers crossed for you!

Congrats - that should be good enough to pass. Consider they also evaluate other parts of your application but on its own you should be proud.

Not in the consulting career track but there are other tracks example research / knowledge

Exceptions may also exist for very senior hires but here I am thinking partner equivalent 

Hi there,

Congrats on the invite!

Straight to your questions:

1. Not to everyone but 95% of their applicants. There are exceptions in certain offices and regions for certain types of applicants (e.g., very senior lateral hires).
2. In the London office, the decision whether you pass on to the interviews is based on a combination of your test score (process and product score) as well as other factors such as your resume and referrals.
3. 4-5 interviews in two rounds. 

If you want to learn more for your McKinsey interview preparation, check out both articles I wrote about it. :-)

https://www.preplounge.com/en/mckinsey-interview

https://www.preplounge.com/en/mckinsey-pei

Cheers,

Florian

Hi there,

There are some great prior answers here!

https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/imbellus-mc-kinsey-6041

https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/mckinsey-imbellus-test-6802

https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/mckinsey-imbellus-is-it-gono-go-6792

https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/mckinsey-imbellus-game-7063

Dear A,

If I understand you corectly it has 3 parts:

1. Ecosystem Management where you need to create a stable habitat for a group of animals and plants

2. Here there is 2 successive part - natural disaster and a disease

3. Protect the plant from invading rodents - the whole new part. There are 3 rounds in there, every round with new rodents.

Hope it helps,

If you need any further help, feel freeto reach out. 

Good luck,

André

Hello!

It´s much better than the old test used to be.

It's a gamified test

Divided into 2 games, 1h to complete both of them:

1st one is a game about keeping an ecosystem balanced

2nd one is a defense game

It´s fun and there is not really a "way" to prep for it.

My advise would be to be fresh when you do it and pick a right enviroment -during my BCG test in their office there was construction in the patio and the screen was even shaking-.

Hope it helps!

Cheers,

Clara

Hi,

I wonder why you are spending time asking this question? You know you need to take it...does the rest matter? Focus your efforts/energy on things you can control and that affect you!

That being said, for most the Imbellus test is required.

Here is a good Q&A on how to effectively prepare:

https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/mckinsey-imbellus-problem-solving-game-how-to-prepare-7096

You will get 1 hour to make your test. Please, use these tips for your upcoming assessment:

1. Focus on the process
2. Follow time tracking. It is easy to get lost in the details and the sheer complexity of information overload the test presents.
3. Look into the key skills that are being assessed by Imbellus and if you find any weaknesses - then work on them in advance.
4. Get ready to make 80/20 decisions based on incomplete information. Likely you won’t reach the best answer within 60 minutes, however, you should reach a good answer, demonstrating a clever problem-solving strategy along the way.
5. Take notes of your observations on the mechanics of each scenario so that you can analyze it.
6. Get comfortable to calculate with pen and paper math.
7. Enjoy  

Cheers,

GB

Usually, everybody needs to take an Imbellus test. 

In some cases experienced hires can avoid the test, but you always have to clarify it with HR.

CHeers,

GB

Hello,

Unfortunately it is required for all junior position (below manager level).

I have had the chance to follow several candidates taking this test and I have written (together with them) a detailed guide on how to successfully approach Imbellus test.

The guide includes:

• Detailed hands-on strategy to ace the Imbellus
• Excel model with an algorithm to solve the first scenario
• Hands-on example and practical tips to crack the game

On top of that, you will receive an interesting paper on Imbellus valuation metrics and a coupon code for a session with your purchase!

Feel free to text me if you are interested. You can find a screenshot of the excel model below.

Best,
Luca

Hi!

It depends indeed.

I have specific sessions on how to prepare for the Imbellus. Don't hesitate to reach out to me if interested.

Best,

Anto

Hi there,

That's absolutely possible! Quite honestly, there's a wide range of options…the game is passed on differently based on office, role, etc.

Ultimately, it really doesn't matter does it? You've been invited to the test so you need to pass it!

Hello,

I think it might vary by office/practice, but it is fairly common that everyone who applies gets a link to do Imbellus, which is then used in combination with your CV to screen for admission to the interview. If you got the invitation only 1 day after submitting your application, I suspect that's what is going on in your case. Best of luck!

I was in your same exact position applying to McK LON and made it work, so it is possible. Reach out if you want some more guidance, I am doing a free 15 min intro call which we can use to discuss the best way to maximise your time.

You will have 2 rounds of 2 interviews each only if you pass the imbellus test. Everyone gets it in London.

Hi there,

1. Do they send the Imbellus test to everyone who applies ? 

Depends on the office/channel. 

Regardless, worry about things that matter and that you can control. You have the test. You have to do as well as you can in the test. Period.
2. Will my interviews only take place if I pass the test ?

Your interviews will only take place if you pass the screening. This includes, but is not limited to the test. You are assessed across a range of factors (test, background, resume, networking, office demand, etc.)

3. How many interviews do they conduct typically ?

Generally 2 rounds of 2 interviews. As always, be flexible and ready for that to not be the case.

Hi there,

1) Do they send the Imbellus test to everyone who applies? 

It depends. In some cases they do CV pre-screening, in others (eg for candidates from some business schools) they send it to everyone.

2) Will my interviews only take place if I pass the test?

In almost all offices, yes. In some, they might assess both interviews and the test together. If that’s the case, they usually notify you when they send the test.

3) How many interviews do they conduct typically?

It might depend on the position. Normally you have two rounds. The last candidates that I helped in the UK had 2 interviews in the first round and 3 in the final.

4) What should be my approach to acing the tests and interviews? Is it possible to ace interviews with self-study prep?

Self-prep only won’t be a very efficient way to prepare. You can find some tips below on how to prepare:

▶ How to Prepare for a Consulting Interview

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

In terms of prep for the Imbellus game, you can find an article on the game below with a few tips:

▶ McKinsey Problem Solving Game Article

If you want to prepare further, you can find below a video simulation with:

• 15 videos showing how to crack the Ecosystem Game in 23 minutes (instead of the recommended 35) and resist 25+ turns in the Plant Defense (instead of the minimum target of 15)
• Automated Excel with Formulas to build a food chain in the Ecosystem game in 16 minutes
• PDF guide with all the 6 games (including the Redrock Study) and how to crack each of them

You can check the video simulation at the following link (full disclosure, I am the author):

▶ McKinsey PSG Solve Video Simulation

For any other questions please feel free to PM me.

Good luck!

Francesco