Judgement Test Question 81 – One department dominates a cross-government group

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Read the scenario and rate every action independently. Several actions can receive the same rating.

Practice level: Grade 7/Grade 6

Scenario

You chair a cross-government group designing a shared service. The largest department funds most of the work and uses meetings to push decisions that fit its own operating model. Smaller departments have started attending without contributing, and important dependencies affecting their users are appearing late. The lead department says equal influence would be unreasonable because it carries most of the cost. You need to keep the programme moving while ensuring the service works across government and decisions reflect more than the priorities of the largest organisation.

Rate the actions

For each action, choose Counterproductive, Ineffective, Fairly Effective or Effective.

Action A

Give every department the same amount of speaking time at each meeting.

Rate this action:
CounterproductiveIneffectiveFairly EffectiveEffective

Action B

Allow the largest department to direct the design because it carries most of the financial risk.

Rate this action:
CounterproductiveIneffectiveFairly EffectiveEffective

Action C

Ask smaller departments to submit concerns in writing and commit to circulating a response before the next decision.

Rate this action:
CounterproductiveIneffectiveFairly EffectiveEffective

Action D

Reset the group's shared outcomes and decision criteria, then require each department's user impacts and dependencies to be considered before major choices are agreed.

Rate this action:
CounterproductiveIneffectiveFairly EffectiveEffective

Click to reveal the answer
  • Action A: Fairly Effective
  • Action B: Counterproductive
  • Action C: Fairly Effective
  • Action D: Effective

Members can unlock the detailed explanation for all four actions, including why each response helps, falls short or makes the situation worse.

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