Case Study Questions - An Exam Strategy

If you have ever taken one of Microsoft’s design exams, you have definitely encountered the case studies. I was a little ill-prepared the first time I saw one. It was a bit overwhelming to see all the tabs with all the different information that I needed to read through. I’m sure many of you know exactly what I’m talking about.

Now the Microsoft exams include many different types of questions, but the case studies are definitely the most difficult to master. So when it comes time to tackling the case studies, one of the best things you can do is approach each case study like it is a separate test. When I wrote my first design exam and I saw the first case study, I didn’t think I’d have enough time to complete the entire exam. So the biggest challenge you’re likely to encounter when you sit down to take this type of test is that you may feel like there is no way you’ll ever be able to complete the exam in the given amount of time.

Each case study is followed by a set of questions. Each case study provides a lot of material that you need to read and study before you can even begin to answer the questions that follow. I would recommend that you scan each case study before you begin reading it in detail so you can get an idea of what the case study is presenting you with. Each case study usually includes an overview. You should make sure you read the overview section of the case study to get an idea of the context. Then, quickly scan the questions.

As you are scanning the questions, you should make mental notes to yourself so that you’ll remember which sections of the case study you should focus on. You have, more than likely, been provided with paper and a pen - so take advantage of it and jot down some notes or draw some diagrams. You can refer to them when answering questions. Some case studies may provide a fair amount of extra information that you don’t really need in order to answer the questions. The goal with this scanning approach is to avoid having to study and analyze material that is not completely relevant.

Information is usually tabbed in a case study. When analyzing a case study, read the tabbed information carefully. It is important to answer each and every question. You will be able to toggle back and forth between tabs, from case study to questions, and from question to question within a case testlet. However, after you leave the case and move on to the next one, you will not be able to return to it. I suggest that you take notes while reading useful information to help you when you tackle the test questions. Using these small tips to tackle case study questions should make things a little easier to swallow.