Aptitude skill lesson

Case analysis: skill lesson

Build a recommendation from several documents without blurring facts, interpretations, and assumptions. The core method is to frame the decision, organize evidence, test alternatives, and state conditions or gaps.

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Applies to Novus Learn 0.1.0

What changed, and when
  1. , Replaced the body of all 27 non-judgement lessons with construct-specific material: six worked examples each, carrying the actual arithmetic, the actual inference or the actual procedure, plus expanded objectives, practice tips and glossary. Every 'Related Learn topics' link now points at a real page on this site rather than a generic search. The eight workplace-judgement lessons are unchanged.
  2. , Rebuilt the lesson page around a sticky contents rail, per-section links, previous/next lesson navigation, and two graded checkpoints drawn from the open practice bank.
  3. , Repaired the aptitude integrations behind the lessons so each one links to skill-specific practice instead of the unscoped fixture engine.
  4. , Published one lesson for each of the 35 aptitude skill constructs: objectives, worked examples, practice tips, glossary, Learn topic links, and sources.

These 35 skill lessons are authored and revised as one set, so they share one revision history rather than 35 identical dates.

Objectives

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  • Translate a broad case prompt into a decision question, criteria, constraints, and required output.
  • Create an evidence table that separates supported findings from inference and missing information.
  • Write a recommendation that compares alternatives, acknowledges trade-offs, and names the next validation step.

Checkpoint: does the idea land?

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Before the worked examples, check that the objectives above actually landed.

Two questions from the open practice bank, answered here and scored on this device. Untimed, ungraded, and not added to your practice history, the full bank is where attempts are recorded.

1. A case pack contains a market report, an internal sales sheet, and a customer survey. The brief asks whether the business should extend its opening hours. Where do you start?
2. One document in the pack is a market-share analysis dated several years ago. The case is set in the present day.

Examples

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Worked scenario: two service proposals

Proposal A is cheaper and can start now; Proposal B costs more but has stronger reliability evidence. The case does not provide peak-demand data. State the decision criteria first (cost, launch timing, reliability, and demand risk), then compare only supported facts. A defensible recommendation might select a limited A pilot with a reliability threshold and request peak-demand evidence before wider rollout, rather than claiming either proposal is universally best.

Evidence matrix

Use columns for claim, supporting document, strength, contradiction, and gap. When sources conflict, report the conflict and explain how it affects confidence. Repeating every document is summary; connecting evidence to the decision criteria is analysis.

Checkpoint: can you apply it?

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Now apply it. These come from a later section of the bank, so they are not more of the same.

Two questions from the open practice bank, answered here and scored on this device. Untimed, ungraded, and not added to your practice history, the full bank is where attempts are recorded.

1. A product line generates revenue of 800,000, has direct costs of 600,000, and carries an allocated head-office overhead of 250,000: a reported loss of 50,000. Should it be closed?
2. Option A costs 100,000 and saves 40,000 a year. Option B costs 250,000 and saves 90,000 a year. Both run for five years and the budget allows either. Which is the stronger investment?

Practice tips

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  • Begin with the decision and criteria so interesting but irrelevant details do not take over.
  • Use calibrated language: supported, suggests, uncertain, and conditional communicate different evidence strength.
  • End with an owner, next step, and condition for revisiting the recommendation.

Open skill-specific practice

Glossary

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Finding
A conclusion directly supported by the evidence supplied in the case.
Inference
A reasoned interpretation that goes beyond a directly stated fact and therefore needs justification.
Decision criterion
A standard used to compare options, such as cost, safety, feasibility, equity, or timing.

Sources

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  • Novus Learn original case-study, policy-analysis, investigation, and evidence suite scenarios.
  • Novus educational framework: frame the decision, map evidence, compare alternatives, qualify confidence, and recommend.

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