Ten minutes of prep decides most role-plays. This guide walks through the format, the rubric judges carry into the room, and a repeatable prep plan — so you walk in ready, not hopeful.
10 min
Prep time
Read the case, study the performance indicators, and outline your answer before the judge calls you in.
10 min
Presentation
Present your solution directly to the judge as if they were the decision-maker in the scenario.
5 criteria
How you're scored
Judges rate how well you address each listed indicator, plus your overall structure and professionalism.
01
01 · Judging
How judges score you
Every judge scores against the same printed scorecard. Learn its five criteria and you already know exactly what to rehearse.
01Opening & Professionalism
Top marks go to competitors who greet the judge confidently, introduce themselves, and state the problem and their recommendation within the first thirty seconds.
02Application of Performance Indicators
Top marks require you to explicitly work every listed indicator into your answer with business terminology, not just mention it once and move on.
03Use of Case Facts
Top marks come from citing specific numbers, names, and constraints from the scenario to justify each decision you make.
04Solution Structure
Top marks reward a clear problem-solution-benefit flow where the judge always knows which point you are on and why it matters.
05Communication & Closing
Top marks belong to presenters who keep steady eye contact, manage their time, and end with a confident summary and call to action.
Scores across the five criteria combine into one total — a weak opening drags down every point that follows, which is why this guide spends so much time on the first thirty seconds.
02
02 · Preparation
Your ten-minute prep plan
Six steps, ten minutes. Run this exact sequence every time you practice until it becomes reflex.
1
Read the performance indicators first
Before anything else, scan the indicator list so you know exactly what the judge is listening for.
2
Skim the case twice
First pass for the big picture, second pass to underline key facts, numbers, and constraints.
3
Outline opener, three main points, close
Decide your opening statement, group your solution into three points, and plan how you will end.
4
Assign evidence to each point
Attach a specific case fact or number to every main point so nothing sounds like an opinion.
5
Rehearse your opener once
Say your first thirty seconds out loud. A strong start calms nerves and sets the tone.
6
Breathe
Take one slow breath before you knock. Composure reads as confidence to the judge.
Roughly two minutes per step. If you fall behind, prioritize the outline over rehearsing.
03
03 · In practice
A scenario, up close
This is what a prep sheet looks like when it lands in front of you. Practice outlining against it with a ten-minute timer running.
Retail Merchandising Series
Customer Complaint
You are the shift lead at Northgate Outfitters, a mid-size apparel retailer. A longtime customer returns a $180 jacket bought six weeks ago, well past the 30-day return window, claiming a zipper failed under normal use. She has posted negatively about the store online before and has a large local following. The jacket shows clear signs of wear beyond the zipper. Corporate policy allows store credit as an exception but no cash refunds past 30 days. Two other customers are waiting in line behind her.
Put it into practice.
The best role-play prep is reps — run cluster practice tests to drill the exam knowledge behind every performance indicator.