SPADES Application

Full Name:

Roll Number (In the form 291XXXXX)

LUMS Email (In the form XXXXXXXX@lums.edu.pk)

Contact Number

Marketing Q1: You successfully signed a major sponsorship deal with a leading tech company for your society’s flagship event. However, the CCA office refuses to approve the deal, citing conflicts with existing university policies. This puts you in a difficult position as your event budget heavily relied on this sponsor. What do you do?

Respect the CCA’s decision, cancel the deal, and quickly rework the budget by cutting down expenses to stay within approved limits.

Request a formal meeting with the CCA office to clarify the policy conflict and explore if adjustments (e.g., reducing visibility, changing activation rights) can make the deal acceptable.

Approach alternative sponsors who are more aligned with CCA policies, leveraging the credibility gained by securing a big brand earlier.

Negotiate with the tech sponsor to restructure the partnership (e.g., in-kind support, product demos, or low-profile contribution) so it can bypass the conflict and still add value

Marketing Q2: At your flagship event, a sponsor shows up expecting VIP treatment (seating, constant attention, branded shoutouts) that wasn’t part of the agreement. When these aren’t provided, they threaten to withdraw their support mid-event. What do you do?

Tell them clearly that their expectations are unreasonable and not part of the deal.

Calmly address them, offer immediate small gestures (reserved seats, on-stage acknowledgment), and promise a post-event meeting to strengthen ties.

Ignore the threat and focus on running the event smoothly.

Publicly announce their contribution during the event to appease them, even if unplanned.

Marketing Q3: While talking to a potential sponsor, you got excited and promised deliverables (e.g., a full Instagram campaign) without checking if SPADES can actually provide them. Later, you realize it’s unrealistic and beyond the team’s capacity. What should you do?

Stay silent and hope no one notices, since the sponsor may not follow up.

Inform your department lead immediately, explain the mistake, and ask for guidance on how to correct it.

Try to fulfill the promise yourself, even if it means overworking, so the sponsor doesn’t get upset.

Admit your mistake to the sponsor directly, apologize, and let them know you’ll check with your team before confirming deliverables.

Marketing Q4: Deliverables Dispute After an event, a corporate sponsor complains that SPADES didn’t deliver enough visibility (e.g., logo placement, shoutouts) compared to what was promised in the agreement. They threaten not to collaborate in the future. How do you handle this?

Apologize, accept responsibility, and offer extra visibility in future events to make up for it.

Defend the society by pointing out that the sponsor’s demands were unrealistic.

Set up a meeting, listen to their concerns, and negotiate a goodwill gesture (e.g., social media posts or a special thank-you feature) to preserve relations.

Ignore the complaint since the event is already over.

SOPS Q1: You’re on a call with an artist with a budget of 50,000 in mind. The artist gives a quotation of 150,000 which is outside your budget. What do you do?

Gently end the call without wasting your or the artist’s time and look for alternatives.

Reach out to the relevant team and ask them to increase the budget.

Be transparent to the artist about your budget while expressing interest in inviting them for the socials.

Offer to pay them 30,000 and hope they later agree on 50,000.

SOPS Q2: You booked the auditorium for an event via CCA. On the event day, you arrive and discover that another society also claims to have booked the same venue. Their event starts in an hour. How do you respond?

Argue with the other society and demand priority since you booked earlier.

Check specific emails and booking records and request urgent mediation while looking for backup venue options.

Cancel your event or reschedule and apologize to the team.

Ask the other society to reschedule and start setting up since it is probably an issue on their end.

SOPS Q3: While visiting the admin’s office to get approval for a guest speaker booking, you notice that the admin representative is visibly upset at you and refuses to sign off the approval, stating that the guest is irrelevant to the event. What should you do next?

Argue with the admin representative and insist that you’ve already put in too much effort to change the guest now.

Ask the admin representative to clarify their concerns, respectfully explain the relevance of the guest, and request reconsideration.

Contact a higher authority immediately, bypassing the representative’s decision.

Take note of the concerns, return to your team to discuss alternative guests, and plan to resubmit for approval.

SOPS Q4: You’ve arranged lights and sound setup for a major performance. On the day of the event, 15 minutes before the show, the sound system stops working and the vendor is unreachable. How do you handle this?

Postpone the event and explain that tech issues make it impossible to continue.

Immediately assign someone to troubleshoot, send someone to fetch backup equipment (if available), and make an announcement to the audience to stall or engage them.

Cancel the performance and skip to the next event in the lineup, making sure to make it longer so the audience gets their money’s worth.

Try to fix it yourself while you assign someone to keep trying to contact the vendor.

WiS Q1. You plan a casual women-only hangout, but only a handful of people show up. Some suggest scrapping the idea in the future. What do you do?

Accept the low turnout and cancel future hangouts.

Gather feedback on why turnout was low (timing, theme, promotion), and adapt the format.

Merge future hangouts into general events so turnout is larger.

Stick with smaller groups but make them more intimate and impactful experiences.

WiS Q2. At an allyship hangout, a male participant starts dominating the conversation, unintentionally silencing women’s voices. What’s your best approach?

Let it slide; allies should be encouraged to participate fully.

Politely redirect the discussion, ensuring women’s perspectives are centered.

Pause the session and explain ground rules for equal participation.

After the session, give private feedback to him about balancing his involvement

WiS Q3. A day before your Women in STEM panel, a keynote speaker cancels. You still want to keep the event strong. What do you do?

Cancel the panel; the absence of the keynote will weaken it.

Replace the keynote with a student-led discussion on the same theme.

Invite a backup speaker you’ve been considering but hadn’t confirmed yet.

Reformat the panel into an interactive Q&A where the remaining speakers get more spotlight.

WiS Q4. While drafting a proposal for a new WiS initiative, a teammate suggests making it broad (“STEM for everyone”) to attract more sponsors. How do you frame the proposal?

Keep it broad; inclusivity appeals to more funders.

Stay rooted in WiS’s women-centered mission while showing broader societal impact.

Focus only on women-specific impact; funders who don’t agree aren’t worth pursuing.

Write two versions of the proposal, one women-centered and one broad.

Logi Q1. The Procurement department has ordered items based on your department's purchase request (PR). Two days after receiving the delivery, you are conducting an inventory check and discover that several crucial items are missing. The event is fast approaching, and these items are essential for setup. What is your immediate course of action?

Complain to your director that the Procurement department was negligent and did not check the order correctly.

Promptly cross-reference the delivery receipt with the original PR to create a formal list of the missing items. Immediately contact both the vendor and the Procurement department with this documentation, report the discrepancy, and request an urgent shipment of the missing goods.

Do nothing and try to make do with the items you have, hoping no one notices what's missing.

Use your own money to buy the missing items locally to avoid any procedural delays.

Logi Q2. After a major event, while packing up, you realize several valuable society assets are missing. Your director is furious, holds you directly responsible for the loss, and is demanding an immediate explanation. How do you respond?

Blame the volunteers for being careless and shift responsibility away from your department.

Avoid the director until they have calmed down, hoping the items will eventually be found.

Acknowledge responsibility for the oversight in your department. Calmly assure the director you are taking the matter seriously and immediately launching a recovery process. Outline your plan: check the venue, contact team leads, and review asset sign-out sheets, promising a status update within a specific timeframe.

Promise the director you will personally pay to replace the lost items.

Logi Q3. An essential item required by another department for their event operations is stuck because the Co-Curricular Activities (CCA) office has not approved the procurement request. The requesting department is becoming anxious as the event timeline gets tighter, and the delay is creating a bottleneck. What do you do then?

Tell the requesting department it's no longer your problem and they need to speak with the CCA themselves.

Find a way to bypass the CCA approval process, even if it violates official procedure.

Schedule a formal meeting with the relevant CCA official. Prepare a strong justification for the item's necessity, highlighting the risk to the event's success. Invite the head of the requesting department to the meeting to reinforce the urgency and collaboratively find a solution.

Wait for the CCA to approve it, assuming they will get to it eventually.

Logi Q4. During your mega-event, PSIFI, a large number of items must be transported from the storeroom to the venue urgently. You are at the storeroom, but none of your team members are responding to calls or messages. It is impossible for you to carry everything alone, and the event setup is stalled, putting the entire schedule at risk. What would you do?

Stay in the storeroom and continue calling your team members until someone finally answers.

Send an angry message in the department group chat, threatening consequences for their unresponsiveness.

Try to move the items in multiple, slow trips by yourself, significantly delaying the event.

Immediately escalate the issue to the event head or your director to make them aware of the critical delay. Simultaneously, reach out to available volunteers or members of other departments who are already at the venue, explain the emergency, and request their immediate assistance.

MnP Q1. The Design team sends you a poster draft for promotion. It looks visually okay but the information placement makes it hard to read, and you feel it won’t perform well on social media. What do you do?

Post it since design isn’t your department’s purview.

Share constructive feedback with specific suggestions (e.g., adjust text placement, improve clarity) so it’s more effective online.

Reject the poster outright and tell Design to redo it fully.

Make edits yourself without informing Design and upload that version.

MnP Q2. You’re working on event coverage and editing, but a teammate assigned to capture certain clips doesn’t deliver. Because of this, you now have to adjust your own work and fill in the gaps last minute. What do you do?

Stay quiet and cover for them — it’s easier than creating conflict.

Talk to your teammate privately, ask what went wrong, and suggest how to avoid it next time.

Inform the directors what happened and what you did to overcome this.

Do your best to complete what you can and mention the missing parts when submitting.

MnP Q3. You’re asked to prepare content for an upcoming post, but you also have a major academic deadline the same day. You realize you may not finish your content draft on time. What do you do?

Say nothing and hope the director understands if it’s late.

Communicate early about the clash and request either an extension or a task swap.

Rush through the draft quickly and submit whatever you can just to be on time.

Ask a teammate to help cover your part while you finish your academics.

MnP Q4. After Day 1 of an event, the department is planning a casual hangout to relax and connect. You’re feeling a bit drained. What do you do?

Join the hangout and actively take part — it’s a chance to bond beyond work.

Show up for a short while to spend some time with the team, then leave early

Skip this one but let the others know you’ll join next time.

Decide to miss the hangout to rest, in order to be fully prepared for Day 2 of the event.

Regi Q1. A representative from the UGPCO contacts you, asking you to grant a special favor for a particular team. Fulfilling the request (e.g., providing an unfair advantage or bending a key rule) would place other teams who have followed the procedures at a distinct disadvantage. The situation risks compromising the event's integrity and your department's reputation for fairness. What do you do?

Immediately agree to the request without hesitation, prioritizing the department's relationship with the UGPCO above all else. Inform them that the favor will be granted promptly to show your full cooperation.

Avoid responding to their emails or calls, deciding that a lack of response is the safest option. You hope that the issue will eventually be forgotten or that they will stop pursuing the matter on their own accord.

Politely but firmly explain that to ensure fairness and transparency, all teams must be subject to the same rules, and therefore you cannot fulfill their request. Reassure them of your high respect for their office.

Quietly grant the special favor for the team as requested by the UGPCO. Make a conscious effort to conceal this action from your directors and other participants to avoid any immediate conflict or backlash.

Regi Q2. A team from Interior Sindh reaches out with a significant financial challenge. Their total voucher is approximately PKR 70,000, and they are requesting an 80-90% discount to be able to participate. While your event has a financial aid policy, this request far exceeds the standard amount. Accommodating them could strain the budget and set an unsustainable precedent, yet denying them means a deserving team might not be able to attend. How do you handle this?

Deny the request outright by sending a formal response stating that the event's financial aid rules are strict and do not permit exceptions of this magnitude under any circumstances, thereby closing the matter.

Empathize with their situation and review their application. Explain the limitations of the financial aid policy but offer them the maximum possible discount allowed, and explore alternative solutions like sponsorship or a payment plan.

Grant the full 90% discount without consulting your directors, believing their participation is critical for the event's diversity. You process the discount immediately to ensure they can attend without further hurdles.

Inform the team that their request for financial aid is far beyond what the event can support. Suggest that their only viable option is to organize a personal fundraiser on their own, as your department cannot offer further assistance.

Regi Q3. A team that registered and paid in full fails to attend the event. A few days later, they contact you demanding a complete refund. Your registration policy, which they agreed to, clearly states that no refunds will be issued for no-shows or cancellations after a certain date. The team is persistent and is threatening to complain about the event on social media. What would you do?

Immediately issue a full refund, prioritizing the avoidance of negative social media publicity. You process the transaction quickly to placate them and prevent any potential damage to the event's online reputation.

Choose to ignore all their emails, phone calls, and other attempts at communication. You then block the team's accounts on all of the event's social media platforms, hoping they will eventually give up their demands.

Respond promptly and politely, expressing regret that they could not attend. Gently refer them to the specific no-refund policy they agreed to during registration and explain that you must uphold it consistently for all participants.

Engage with the team's complaints directly on social media, publicly arguing with them to defend your policy. You post screenshots of the rules and challenge their claims in a public forum to prove you are right.

Regi Q4. During a busy on-spot check-in, a team claims they have paid the required security fee, but you have no record of their transaction. The team is adamant, and it is possible a mistake was made by your team during the rush. However, it's also possible the team is mistaken. They are creating a scene and holding up the queue. What would you do?

Publicly announce that the team is attempting to avoid the required security fee and is holding up the line. Refuse them entry in front of everyone, stating they cannot participate until the outstanding payment is made.

Allow the team to enter without payment to keep the registration line moving and avoid further confrontation. You decide to absorb the potential financial loss, deeming it easier than handling the dispute during a rush.

Stop the check-in process and loudly ask the other teams waiting in the queue if any of them can vouch for the team or saw them make the payment, using the crowd as potential witnesses to the transaction.

Ask the team to step aside to address the issue privately. Calmly explain the missing record and propose a provisional payment to allow their entry, providing a written guarantee for a full refund if their payment is confirmed.

SRP Q1. Ethical Dilemma in Sponsorship A corporate sponsor offers to fund your next social project, but they have a poor reputation for labor rights violations. Without them, the project will be underfunded. Volunteers are divided on what to do. What’s your approach?

Accept the funding—impact matters more than the source.

Decline immediately to avoid any association with unethical practices.

Hold a discussion with the team, present transparent pros/cons, and explore alternative funding sources while considering reputational risks.

Accept the money quietly but avoid public acknowledgment of the sponsor.

SRP Q2. During a literacy drive, two volunteers get into a heated argument in front of children, accusing each other of “not doing real work.” The children look uncomfortable, and the atmosphere is tense. What’s your move?

Step in calmly, ask both volunteers to pause, redirect attention to the children, and later address the conflict privately.

Tell them to stop immediately and threaten to remove them if they continue.

Ignore it; the children will forget and volunteers should sort it out themselves.

Side with the more senior volunteer to avoid disrespecting hierarchy.

SRP Q3. During a major PSIFI event, a teacher reports that one of their students is missing. The event is crowded, time-sensitive, and the teacher is panicking. What do you do?

Tell the teacher to keep looking while you continue running the event.

Calm the teacher, organize a quick volunteer search team across different zones, and inform the event head so the missing student is treated as a priority.

Announce on the mic that a student is lost so everyone knows.

Ask the teacher to wait until the event ends so the child can be found more easily.

SRP Q4. For PSIFI, your society collaborates with an NGO that connects you to underprivileged schools. However, despite repeated reminders and planning meetings, the NGO keeps missing deadlines, responds late, and creates confusion for both your team and the schools. Their unprofessionalism is starting to affect your credibility and the experience of the students. How do you handle this?

Continue working with them, since they are the only link to the schools, even if it causes delays.

Escalate complaints to higher authorities in the NGO but keep collaborating for this event.

Reassess the partnership, and if issues persist, formally discontinue collaboration to protect the students’ experience and your society’s integrity, while seeking alternative channels for outreach.

Publicly call out the NGO’s unprofessionalism so others are aware and pressure them into cooperating.

ER Q1. A major patron withdraws just one week before your flagship event. What should be your top priority?

Communicate transparently with your core stakeholders (e.g., organizing team, faculty advisors) to manage expectations.

Approach potential backup patrons immediately, leveraging urgency to close deals.

Reassess the budget and adjust deliverables to ensure the event can still run smoothly.

Strengthen commitments with existing sponsors, offering them additional benefits to cover the gap.

ER Q2. During a pitch, the partner seems disengaged. What’s your strongest move?

Focus on your team’s credibility and experience.

Ask about their current brand objectives and link your event to them.

Increase the number of promotional benefits being offered.

Emphasize the size of the student audience.

ER Q3. At a meeting with Jazz, they say: “Why should we collaborate with SPADES?”

Position SPADES as giving Jazz unique access to a premium, tech-savvy LUMS audience that aligns with their brand strategy.

Point out how competing telecoms are exploring collaborations, signalling a missed opportunity if Jazz steps back.

Frame your event as a long-term relationship opportunity with repeated student touchpoints, not just a one-off.

Emphasize the positive brand goodwill Jazz earns by backing a high-impact student society initiative.

ER Q4. Which of the following lines would communicate value the best in a partnership outreach email?

“Your brand will be associated with one of the leading student societies at LUMS.”

“Partnership will give your brand multiple logo placements and mentions across event platforms.”

“Your involvement would directly connect you with LUMS students and position your brand as a driver of innovation and impact.”

“This partnership will maximize your visibility among the LUMS community and ensure strong brand recognition.”

DD Q1. Some of your peers in the department do not have a biology background, but they are a part of the diagnosis dilemma category event at Spades. They are doing their best to understand some of the biological terminologies; however, they are failing to do so. What would you do as a team member or peer with a biology background, representing the diagnosis dilemma category?

Do nothing. They should study on their own.

Complain to the DD heads and have them kicked out.

Talk to them about it and do your best to explain.

Tell other team members to teach them because it's not a part of your responsibilities.

DD Q2. While participants are using microscopes, one microscope stops working, and there’s no direct replacement available. You still need to keep the activity flowing smoothly. What do you do?

Ask participants to share microscopes in pairs or small groups and extend their observation time.

Cancel the activity for that group entirely.

Pretend the microscope works and let them continue without saying anything

Give the broken microscope group theory-based tasks instead while you fix the issue later.

DD Q3. During a biology or medical simulation event, a delegate repeatedly ignores emergency room safety protocols, such as touching sterile instruments without gloves and entering restricted areas. One of your team members gets frustrated and starts arguing loudly with the delegate, causing a scene and drawing the attention of other participants. How do you handle this situation?

Calmly step in, separate both individuals, remind the delegate of the protocols, and privately speak to your team member about maintaining professionalism.

Publicly scold the delegate in front of everyone to make an example of them.

Immediately remove the delegate from the event without any explanation to avoid further issues.

Support your team member openly and allow them to continue arguing since the delegate was wrong.

DD Q4. On the morning of the event, setup is taking longer than expected. Participants arrive in 20 minutes.

Prioritize the most essential stations, launch the event on time, and continue setting up the rest in parallel.

Delay the start, but inform participants that extra time is needed.

Begin on time with partial setups and explain that materials will be added soon.

Postpone the first session and ensure everything is perfect for the second one.

Math Q1. During a math quiz competition, two teams accuse each other of cheating. The audience is watching, and the quiz flow is disrupted. What would you do as the lead?

Pause the quiz briefly, remind all participants of the rules, and restart from where you left off.

Settle the matter with transparency (possibly involve neutral judges), clearly communicate your decision to all, and ensure the quiz proceeds without bias.

Ignore the conflict for now and continue the quiz to save time so it doesn’t disrupt the schedule.

Calmly hear both teams, make a fair ruling, and then resume the quiz with stricter monitoring.

Math Q2. You and another member both end up doing the same task because of miscommunication, and they get annoyed. How would you respond?

Apologize and suggest combining both efforts to make the task stronger.

Apologize quickly and drop your work.

Acknowledge the mix-up, stay positive, and suggest better coordination for next time while finishing together.

Say nothing and just let them finish it.

Math Q3. A team arrives 15 minutes late and demands to still be allowed to compete. How would you respond?

Explain the rules clearly, manage expectations respectfully, and escalate to the lead while keeping the team calm.

Inform them of the rules politely and tell them you’ll confirm with the lead.

Say “rules are rules” and turn them away.

Let them join quietly without addressing the timing

Math Q4. A team insists their answer is correct, but the official marking says otherwise. How would you react?

Say you can’t do anything since it’s the judges’ decision, and answers have been finalised.

Hear them out without escalating tension, assure them it will be fairly reviewed, and immediately pass their query to the judges in an orderly way.

Tell them to discuss it with the judges later.

Listen respectfully, reassure them their concern will be passed on, and guide them to continue the round.

SCB Q1. Midway through the forensic round, one group reports that their crime scene sample looks different from what was explained in the briefing. Meanwhile, another group insists the pipettes are contaminated and demand extra time. This causes a chain reaction. Several teams begin doubting the reliability of the lab setup, threatening the integrity of results. What do you do?

Tell them experiments can vary slightly, and results will be judged based on reasoning, not perfect outcomes

Halt the round temporarily, re-check the setups, and replace faulty equipment before resuming

Allow teams to restart their experiments, extending their time limit, even if the schedule is disrupted

Note down the complaints, proceed as planned, and adjust grading to account for equipment discrepancies

SCB Q2. You and your team are responsible for setting up the Crime Scene for a category that starts in 2 hours. You arrive on time, fully prepped and ready to execute the plan. However, you soon learn that half of your team members will be arriving late due to various personal reasons. You're now facing a tight deadline, limited manpower, and pressure to deliver a high-quality setup. What do you do?

Call the event heads to let them know and proceed as they say.

Try to contact team members and get them to come as soon as possible.

Start setting up with the team members who are present, delegate tasks based on urgency, and adjust the setup plan to fit the current manpower.

Wait for the late members to arrive before starting, to ensure the whole team is present and everyone is clear on their responsibilities.

SCB Q3. A volunteer guiding teams through the instructions accidentally explains a rule incorrectly, causing several teams to misunderstand how to process evidence. By the time the mistake is caught, half the teams have already submitted answers using the wrong method. What do you do?

Allow all answers (correct or incorrect) to be considered valid for that specific part.

Re-run that portion of the round fairly, even if it delays the schedule.

Stick to the original rules but give bonus points to the teams who were misled.

Privately inform the judges to weigh effort and reasoning over accuracy for that task.

SCB Q4. Mid-round, one team member approaches you privately and claims that another team is secretly using phones/ChatGPT despite the rules. You cannot contact the event heads immediately, and no clear proof is visible. What do you do?

Immediately confront the accused team and check their belongings.

Monitor the accused team closely for the rest of the round without disrupting them, and adjust the grading accordingly.

Allow the round to continue, but write a detailed report for the event heads.

Announce a general reminder of rules to all teams to diffuse the situation without singling anyone out.

Robowars Q1. One of the teams robots stops working right before their round. The team approaches you and asks for an extension in their match.

Quietly grant them the extension, making sure other teams don't get to know about it to avoid conflict -

Flat out refuse, stating how this goes against the official rulebook -

Take a vote from the other teams, and do whatever the majority says -

Try to help them get their robot running before their match, but do not grant them an extension. -

Robowars Q2. One of the teams approaches you on the day of the final round, claiming they misinterpreted a section of the rulebook. You read that part and agree with the interpretation of the team. However the judges are not in agreement with you.

Explain to the team that you understand where they're coming from, but you're helpless in front of the judging panel -

Fight with the judges, trying to force them to accept your interpretation of the rules -

Involve the event heads and senior management, take their opinion as to what should be done -

Have a chat with other teams to see how they interpreted that part. Based on that, decide if the team is justified in their claim. -

Robowars Q3. A team comes to you complaining that the map design is too unfair since their can't possibly manuever it. How do you handle them?

Calmly tell them that you agree with them and that you can't do much to change it.

Try to listen and explain the reasons for the maze designs, contacting the heads if needed.

Dismiss their concerns, reminding them that the maze design was explained in the study guide.

Threaten to reduce their points if they continue to talk about the issue.

Robowars Q4. One of the teams includes participants who are your old friends. They are expecting extra favors and a relaxed judging criteria as they "know the management".

Firmly tell them that you will not be accommodating them in any way other than what's allowed -

Ask someone else from the management to handle that team. -

No harm in helping them out a little -

Show support for them outwardly but actually follow all rules and guidelines strictly. -

Siege Q1. During the event, you notice one team is hoarding extra materials (ropes, planks, glue) that were meant to be equally distributed. Other teams complain they cannot progress with their projects.

Ignore it; it’s part of the competition to be resourceful.

Immediately take all extra materials back and penalize the team for unfair behavior.

Politely step in, remind them of the rules, redistribute excess materials fairly, and ensure all teams have access to the basics.

Allow them to keep the materials but secretly give other teams additional supplies.

Siege Q2. While a team is building their catapult, you see them using wooden planks incorrectly, creating a dangerous setup that might snap and hurt someone.

Stop their work immediately, explain the risk, and guide them toward a safe modification.

Let them continue; if it breaks, they’ll learn from the mistake.

Quietly remove the risky part without telling them.

Announce to all teams that the group messed up and use them as an example.

Siege Q3. Midway through the event, two members of a team get into an argument about the design. One threatens to quit, while the other refuses to compromise. Their project is stalled, and time is running out.

Tell them that if they can’t cooperate, their team will be disqualified.

Step in as mediator, encourage them to divide tasks (e.g., one on structure, the other on mechanics), and remind them of the time pressure

Ignore them; team issues aren’t your responsibility.

Allow the calmer member to continue while asking the other to sit out.

Siege Q4. With only 15 minutes left before testing begins, several teams are still not finished. They are panicking, and the event risks running late.

Strictly stop construction at the deadline, even if many teams fail to complete.

Give an automatic extension to all teams so they can finish properly.

Announce a short extension, but only for final adjustments, and ensure all teams stick to it.

Let teams decide among themselves how much extra time they want.

Lazarus Q1. Your round had stargazing, but clouds cover the sky. What do you do, without delay or postponement?

Cancel the round; adjust scores later. Reconsider round weightage and awarding.

Give a short trivia quiz from online websites about stars so the session still runs.

Move indoors: hand out printed sky charts and mark-the-constellation tasks, quick scoring.

Give a mini report task on astrophysics skills so participants stay engaged on the theme, with a quick save.

Lazarus Q2. You have been given the task to design an astrophysics round for a topic you have no idea about. How would you go about designing it?

Admit to the heads you don't know and ask for someone else to do it.

Reach out to the heads explaining your situation, and ask for guidance

Understand the idea using online resources, and take inspiration from space agencies in crafting a proposal.

Attempt your own research, formulating a basic document with ideas.

Lazarus Q3. You need to brief delegates for a spectroscopy challenge.

Record a short video shared in the study guide of the round

Share the rules and the scoring table the morning of the event on WhatsApp.

Email rules plus a one-page cheat sheet on spectra basics.

Send a PDF of the rules before the round commences and announce it.

Lazarus Q4. Everyone will use LUMS labs, but prior exposure to telescopes varies. How would you make astrophysics more accessible?

Provide identical instructions and let each team adapt on their own with no added support. Everyone starts with the same instructions

Provide online resource links and videos in the study guide in case students want to read up.

Provide extra mentors for underprivileged teams to use the equipment and analysis.

Host workshops beforehand to establish Lazarus Mission’s technical skills at schools, while providing mentor support on the day of the event to everyone.

OO Q1. It’s 20 minutes before a round begins, and you realize one of the props/printouts is missing. Teams are already entering the hall. What do you do?

Panic, complain about who forgot, and delay the round until it’s fixed

Immediately improvise with what’s available and adjust the round slightly so participants don’t notice.

Quietly send one person to fetch the missing item while the rest of the team smoothly keeps participants engaged.

Announce the issue openly and ask participants for patience while you fix it.

OO Q2. Two teams start arguing that a question in the quiz was “unfair” and demand bonus points. The audience is watching. What’s your approach?

Ignore their protest and stick to the original marking scheme.

Politely hear them out, then clarify the marking criteria for everyone so it feels transparent.

Offer them a different tie-breaker question instead of giving bonus points.

Reduce points from both teams for creating a scene.

OO Q3. One of your teammates feels nervous and doesn’t want to take the lead role in explaining rules to participants. How do you handle it?

Push them to do it anyway — they need the experience.

Let them handle a smaller task they’re comfortable with instead, and step in yourself for the explanation.

Pair them with someone confident so they feel supported while speaking.

Exclude them from front-facing roles altogether.

OO Q4. One team member is suddenly absent on the day of the event. Tasks are left uncovered. What do you do?

Stress out because things won’t run smoothly.

Redistribute their tasks among the rest of the team efficiently.

Try to recruit an outsider/volunteer last minute to cover.

Drop the missing tasks altogether

Scifinity Q1: During the first Scifinity round, you notice that one station has no society member present to run it. Delegates start waiting around, looking confused. If not fixed quickly, it could disrupt the flow of the competition. What do you do?

Step in yourself to temporarily run the station while quickly messaging the absent member, ensuring participants don’t lose time.

Redirect participants to another station until someone becomes available, so the event keeps moving.

Ask a nearby volunteer to cover the station, even if they weren’t originally trained for that task, and give them quick instructions.

Wait a few minutes to see if the original member shows up, since covering for them might cause confusion elsewhere.

Scifinity Q2. During a Scifinity round, some high school participants start arguing that the judging criteria are unfair and favor certain teams. They’re upset and say they won’t accept the results unless something changes. What do you do?

Calmly acknowledge their concerns, explain that the criteria were shared beforehand, and assure them feedback will be collected after the event for improvements.

Tell them the rules are final and must be respected, even if they disagree, to avoid delays.

Offer to make small adjustments on the spot to the judging criteria so they feel included.

Let another team member handle the situation while you continue managing the round to keep the event on schedule.

Scifinity Q3. During the first Scifinity round, one station becomes overcrowded because participants find it especially exciting. The assigned member looks overwhelmed, and the waiting participants are getting restless. If not managed, this could delay the entire round. How do you handle it?

Step in to help manage the flow, splitting participants into smaller groups and ensuring the member gets support.

Allow the station to continue as is, since the crowd shows high engagement, and trust the member to handle it.

Reassign one or two additional volunteers to the station temporarily to manage participants and keep things on schedule.

Ask participants to spread out to other stations and promise they can come back later, even if it disrupts the scoring balance.

Scifinity Q4. Halfway through PSIFI, some team members look drained and are less responsive to participants. The atmosphere at certain stations is starting to feel dull, which could affect the participants’ overall experience. How do you respond?

Motivate the team with a quick huddle, acknowledge their effort so far, and encourage them to bring their energy back for the remaining rounds.

Ignore it since the stations are running fine and participants will eventually move on to more engaging parts of the event.

Quietly rotate tired members out for short breaks while assigning fresher volunteers to their stations.

Ask participants to be more self-directed so the team doesn’t need to expend as much energy.

RC Q1. During a test flight a few hours before the official competition, your RC plane crashes badly, damaging some critical parts. You don’t have much time before the actual flight round. What do you do?

Withdraw from the competition since the plane is no longer flight-ready.

Stay calm, quickly assess the damage, and attempt emergency repairs or part replacements with available spares.r

Ask another team to lend you their spare parts or tools, and focus on making the plane minimally functional for flight.

. Focus on writing a detailed report for the judges explaining why your team cannot participate.

RC Q2. While preparing for extended practice flights, your team realizes the LiPo batteries are almost drained, and charging them fully will take longer than the slot you’ve been allocated. Without batteries, testing won’t be possible. What do you do?

Cancel the practice and wait until batteries are fully charged, even if it means losing valuable test time

Use partially charged batteries for shorter test flights, focusing only on critical maneuvers.

Borrow or rent batteries from another team or organizer, if allowed by the rules.

Adjust your test plan to ground checks only (e.g., motor thrust and control surfaces) until batteries are ready.

RC Q3. Two of your teammates strongly disagree on which wing design is better for stability. One favors a dihedral wing while the other insists on a flat wing for performance. The debate is dragging on and slowing progress. What do you do?

Let both members continue the debate until they reach their own consensus, so the decision is well thought out.

Encourage them to quickly prototype or simulate both ideas, then decide based on evidence.

Step in as a leader, make a firm decision, and instruct the team to follow it to keep the project moving.

Suggest delaying the decision until later, focusing on other parts of the plane in the meantime.

RC Q4. On the day of a scheduled long-distance test flight, the wind speed suddenly picks up, making the conditions less than ideal. Your team has been waiting weeks for this test window, and postponing might delay the entire project. What do you do?

Proceed with the flight as planned, trusting the pilot to handle difficult conditions.

Conduct only a short and low-altitude flight to gather limited but safe data.

Postpone the flight despite delays, prioritizing the safety of the aircraft.

Switch focus to indoor testing or simulations until conditions improve.

Techwars Q1. A delegate is telling you that they have no experience with coding at all, and continuously asks for assistance, as they would feel very embarrassed if their team gets 0 points. What would you do?

Offer the delegate assistance, as they have no chance of winning, but at least this would save them from embarrassment.

Bring this case up with the rest of the Techwars team, to form a consensual opinion about what to do.

Tell the delegate that it was their responsibility to prepare for the contest in advance, as all requirements were clearly listed.

Contact the heads, if they are nearby, and describe the situation to them.

Techwars Q2. A delegate comes to you to complain about another team, claiming that they have used plagiarism. The other team is adamant that they have not and offers you compelling proof.

Tell the accusing delegate that it is wrong of them to make such assumptions as it ruins the atmosphere of the event.

Tell the accused delegate that Techwars has a no-cheating policy, and that even the slightest chance of cheating will have them disqualified.

Tell both delegates that the team will look into it, while moving on to more important tasks in the event

Tell both delegates that Techwars has a strict policy against cheating and harassment both, reporting both of them to the Techwars Heads.

Techwars Q3. A delegate contacts you, telling you that their cigarettes were snatched away by the staff, even though they had no intention of using them.

Tell the delegate that Psifi has a strict policy against smoking and vaping, and that no exceptions can be made.

Contact the Head of Security and apologise on behalf of the delegate, then return the contraband to them and give them a stern warning to make sure they do not bring the contraband again.

Contact the Techwars heads and inform them of the situation, telling the delegate that they will be updated shortly.

Give the delegate the contact information of the Head of Security, telling them to forward their query there.

Techwars Q4. A less engaged team member delivers weak work. It’s functional, but beneath team standards.

Request a redo while offering guidance; quality matters more than comfort.

Accept it to preserve relationships, but don’t assign critical tasks to them again.

Improve it yourself quietly to maintain standards without drama.

Escalate the issue to leadership to address engagement more broadly.

Security Q1. During an event, a delegate suddenly collapses. At the hospital, doctors inform you that she has a seizure disorder (unknown to the society beforehand). Her parents cannot come. She needs overnight hospital admission. Her chaperone insists on leaving her in your care, but as a society member, you cannot legally take responsibility for a minor. What do you do?

Stay at the hospital yourself overnight to ensure she isn’t alone.

Ask another society member to stay behind with her and the chaperone while you return to the venue.

Call the parents repeatedly until they agree to come or send someone else from the family.

Insist the chaperone stay, as the official guardian, while you provide support and coordinate communication with the parents.

Security Q2. Two delegates get into a heated argument that escalates into shoving and shouting during the event. A crowd gathers, making the situation worse. If not handled quickly, it could turn into a bigger scene. How do you respond?

Immediately separate them physically and warn them both of disqualification.

Separate them calmly, move them away from the crowd, de-escalate by hearing both sides and inform your directors

Call the head of security and let them handle it while you focus on crowd control.

Ignore the situation unless it gets violent, since delegates should manage themselves.

Security Q3. While doing rounds at night, you find a group of delegates sneaking around outside their hostel after curfew. They refuse to show their delegate IDs and insist you can’t make them go back. How do you respond?

Firmly tell them that refusal to show ID or follow curfew rules will be officially reported, then escort them back to their hostel to ensure compliance.

Calmly but assertively walk them back to their hostel, avoid confrontation about the IDs for now, and report the incident in detail later to the Security Head.

Pretend to be a fellow delegate, casually make conversation to get their names and team info, then reveal your role and escort them back.

Call for backup immediately, surround them with more security members, and insist on confiscating their belongings until IDs are shown.

Security Q4. You notice a person without a delegate ID lingering near the competition area. They claim they are “just here to meet a friend” and refuse to leave when asked. This could be a security risk. What do you do?

Politely but firmly explain that entry without an ID is prohibited, request them to step outside, and stay with them until they comply.

Ask them to wait on the side while you quickly verify their story with the friend and any higher management before deciding next steps.

Immediately alert the security team, and together escort the person out of the restricted area while documenting the incident.

Let them stay under your watch until their friend arrives, since removing them could cause a scene in front of delegates.

HR Q1. Some members who were initially enthusiastic have stopped attending meetings and don’t reply to messages. Their absence is causing extra workload for others. If it continues, committed members might lose motivation too. How do you handle this?

Reach out privately to check if workload, scheduling, or personal reasons are affecting their commitment, while reassuring them that their contribution is valued.

Bring up the issue in the next general meeting as a reminder about commitment, keeping it broad so no one feels targeted but everyone understands accountability.

Allow the absenteeism to play out naturally, assuming those who truly want to stay will return when they can, and avoid adding pressure.

Quietly adjust their responsibilities behind the scenes so active members carry on smoothly, without directly confronting them.

HR Q2. One of your most reliable members, who usually handles multiple tasks, now looks exhausted, misses deadlines, and seems detached. Their situation could affect the department’s output if not managed carefully. How do you help?

Privately recognize their past contributions, ask what’s overwhelming them, and offer to personally help reorganize or cover some of their tasks.

Suggest to them that stepping back temporarily might restore their energy, even if it means short-term disruption for the team.

Bring up workload redistribution during a team check-in so tasks shift more evenly, without focusing directly on one person’s struggles.

Encourage them to push through this phase with stronger time management and assure them that the heavy workload is temporary.

HR Q3. Two hours before PSIFI, half the volunteers refuse to work, saying they feel disrespected by seniors. Without their support, the event will collapse. What do you do?

Address the group collectively, acknowledge their concerns, and request cooperation until the event ends, promising proper dialogue afterward.

Divide leadership roles: one negotiates with the walkout group respectfully while you reorganize the remaining volunteers to cover urgent tasks.

Call an emergency huddle with the seniors accused of “bossiness,” asking them to immediately adjust their tone so volunteers feel heard enough to return

Quickly seek replacements from nearby attendees or other societies to fill volunteer gaps, even if they lack training, to protect the event.

HR Q4. A new member confidentially reports that a respected senior made inappropriate remarks. The senior is crucial for tomorrow’s flagship event. There are no witnesses or direct evidence, but the complainant is visibly uncomfortable. How do you proceed?

Escalate discreetly to the Executive Council, separate their event duties temporarily, and assure the complainant that a formal process will follow after the event.

Privately confront the senior, share that their behavior has raised concerns, and firmly remind them of professional conduct expectations.

Assign the complainant to a different role so they won’t interact with the senior, while quietly monitoring the senior’s behavior during the event.

Issue a general reminder to all members about respectful conduct before the event without naming anyone, and prepare a confidential inquiry afterward.

Engineering Q1. A circuit board suddenly stops working during testing. What is the most logical first step?

Replace all the components

Check power supply and connections

Order a new board immediately

Test only the software code

Engineering Q2. During a project discussion, you strongly disagree with a teammate’s idea. What is the most effective approach?

Ignore the idea and continue with your own

Criticize the idea immediately in front of everyone

Suggest testing both approaches and compare results

Stay quiet to avoid conflict

Engineering Q3. You are behind schedule on your task. What is the best action?

Hide it and hope you catch up later

Inform the team and ask for support

Blame another teammate

Skip testing to save time

Engineering Q4. In a team meeting, someone presents a new approach you don’t understand. What should you do?

Stay silent and ignore it

Interrupt and say it makes no sense

Ask them to explain it further

Reject it immediately

AI/ML Q1. During a model training session, the code suddenly starts throwing errors right before a demo. The issue isn’t obvious, and time is short. What do you do?

Panic and restart everything from scratch, hoping the error goes away.

Ask for help from teammates, explain the issue clearly, and try debugging together.

Comment out the error-causing parts and present an incomplete version to save time.

Stay calm, check logs systematically, and try quick fixes (like dataset paths or dependencies) before escalating.

AI/ML Q2. You notice one team member is contributing significantly more to the AI/ML project than others. This is creating an imbalance. How do you address it?

Let it continue since the project is progressing faster

Publicly call out the less-active members to pressure them into working

Privately discuss workload distribution with the team, and reassign tasks according to strengths.

Ask the overworking member to slow down so others can “catch up.”

AI/ML Q3. The project requires using a new ML library (e.g., PyTorch Lightning) that most members, including you, haven’t used before. What’s your approach?

Ignore the new tool and stick with what you already know, even if it’s less efficient.

Assign one member to learn it fully and just rely on them.

Divide learning among the team, share tutorials/resources, and hold a quick knowledgesharing session.

Postpone learning the tool until later in the project, once basics are complete.

AI/ML Q4. While building a sentiment analysis model, you realize the dataset has clear gender and cultural biases. What do you do?

Ignore the issue since fixing it will delay results.

Mention the bias in documentation but keep using the dataset.

Raise the issue with the team, suggest ways to balance or augment the dataset, and explain why it matters.

Try to fix it silently without informing the team, to avoid conflict.

Drones Q1. During a test flight, the drone crashes. One group member insists on redesigning the entire system before trying again, while another argues to fix only what’s broken and move on. Both approaches have risks: delaying the project vs. overlooking deeper issues. If you were in this scenario, how would you help the team decide the best path forward?

Facilitate a structured discussion where each side presents pros/cons, then guide the team toward a balanced compromise.

Suggest a short round of quick fixes first, to test assumptions and keep momentum.

Support the full redesign, emphasizing long-term reliability over immediate results

Prioritize team morale by choosing whichever option keeps members most engaged.

Drones Q2. Some members of your drone team are taking on most of the technical workload, while others are mostly silent in meetings and contribute little. This is starting to demotivate those who are working hard. As a team player, how would you handle this imbalance so that everyone feels involved and the workload is shared fairly?

Initiate an open conversation where members can express their challenges and redistribute tasks based on interest and skill.

Pair quieter members with experienced ones so they can contribute while learning.

Encourage those carrying heavier loads to delegate tasks more actively.

Accept that contributions will vary but make sure to celebrate the most active members.

Drones Q3. After weeks of work, the drone’s navigation system fails repeatedly during testing. The team is demoralized, and some suggest scaling down the project. Others want to push through but are visibly burned out. What would you do or say to help the team regain motivation and continue working effectively?

Remind the team of the progress already made and reframe setbacks as part of innovation.

Suggest a short break to recover energy before returning with renewed focus.

Reorganize tasks to reduce pressure on burned-out members while continuing.

Temporarily scale down the project scope to rebuild confidence before returning to the bigger vision.

Drones Q4. Two sub-teams are arguing about whether the drone should prioritize longer flight time or heavier payload capacity. Both cannot be maximized due to resource limitations. The argument is escalating and stalling progress. If you were mediating, how would you resolve this conflict and help the team reach a decision?

Organize a data-driven comparison of both options (cost, feasibility, impact), and let evidence guide the decision.

Suggest building a simple prototype with one priority first, then iterate toward the other later.

Propose a middle-ground compromise that partially satisfies both sides.

Encourage the team to step back and align on the project’s bigger purpose before deciding.

Obs Q1. During your first observation night, a senior asks you to help set up a telescope. Another new member suggests adjusting the knobs quickly to save time, even though you’re unsure how delicate the equipment is. What do you do?

Try adjusting things carefully on your own — you’ll learn faster by doing, even if you’re not 100% sure.

Wait for the senior to give direct instructions before touching anything.

Ask the senior to walk you through one step so you can contribute properly.

Step back entirely and let others handle it to avoid mistakes.

Obs Q2. The club is tracking a meteor shower, and you’re asked to help record times and directions. After a while, you get tired, and a friend suggests, “Just jot something down quickly so you can take a break.” What do you do?

Keep recording carefully, even if it slows you down, since accuracy is important.

Write down approximate times to keep up, but let others know your notes aren’t exact.

Switch tasks with another member so you can rest but the notes stay reliable.

Stop recording for a while and catch up later from memory.

Obs Q3. At a public outreach night, visitors ask about the planets. One person asks you something you don’t know, and people are waiting for your reply. What do you do?

Give your best guess, but phrase it as a possibility rather than a fact.

Admit you’re not sure and suggest checking a resource or asking a senior member together.

Redirect the conversation to something you do know about, like the Moon or stars.

Note the question down, say you’ll look it up, and follow up later if possible.

Obs Q4. During a group activity, everyone is taking turns looking through the telescope at Saturn. A few members cut the line for extra turns, and someone suggests you should too so you don’t “miss out.” What do you do?

Cut in just once — it’s harmless if others are already doing it.

Wait patiently for your turn, even if it means less time at the eyepiece.

Suggest that the group reorganize so everyone gets equal time.

Step aside and let others go, even if it means you may not get a chance at all.

Rockets Q1. It’s your first time helping at a rocket test launch. You’re checking bolts on the launch pad, but some teammates are joking around and say you don’t need to be so serious. What do you do?

Check carefully anyway, even if it slows you down

Do the task quickly so you don’t look uptight in front of others.

Ask the supervisor if the bolts need to be double-checked

Ease up a little — balance being careful with not overdoing it.

Rockets Q2. After a long session in the workshop, people start leaving with tools and wires still lying around. You’re tired too, but no one has said anything about cleanup. What do you do?

Clean up thoroughly before leaving, even if it takes extra time.

Pack away only what you used and leave the rest.

Remind a few others nearby and try to do a quick group clean.

Leave as is — you’ve done your part by showing up to work.

Rockets Q3. During a workshop, you’re asked to connect wires for the avionics system. You don’t fully understand the instructions, but the rest of the team is moving fast. What do you do?

Ask a teammate nearby to quickly explain, even if it slows things slightly.

Try to figure it out yourself by observing others and imitating.

Step aside until you’re more confident, then rejoin later.

Attempt the task your own way — mistakes are part of learning.

Rockets Q4. After a recovery drill, one member tells seniors it was “their idea,” even though you had an important part (packing the parachute). What do you do?

Let it go — you’ll have more chances to show your value.

Mention your contribution politely so seniors know you helped too.

Bring it up privately with the member later and ask them to acknowledge the team.

Speak up right away so credit is fairly shared on the spot.

Design Q1. A teammate rushes through a poster design and misses key event details. The deadline is tomorrow. What’s your best response?

Fix the errors yourself to save time, without mentioning it.

Point out the missing details, ask them to correct it, and support them in meeting the deadline.

Post it as is since perfection isn’t possible under time pressure.

Replace them with someone else immediately to avoid future mistakes.

Design Q2. Your design team is split: half want a minimalist approach for an Instagram campaign, the other half want a vibrant, detailed style. How do you proceed?

Pick the side you personally prefer and move on.

Organize a quick test run with both styles and decide based on audience/branding alignment.

Combine both approaches into one design, even if it looks inconsistent.

Let the louder voices on the team have their way.

Design Q3. A new designer submits their first banner design. It looks amateurish, but they clearly put in effort and are excited to contribute. What’s your best move?

Thank them for their effort but reject the design entirely.

Offer constructive feedback, suggest improvements, and assign them a small revision task

Use the design anyway to encourage them, even if it lowers quality standards.

Redo the design yourself and ask them to watch for “learning purposes.”

Design Q4. If a teammate stops responding to you last minute on a task you were supposed to do together, how you can handle it?

Call them out angrily in the group.

Quietly take all the work on yourself without saying anything.

Do your best to complete the task, inform the lead of the situation, and later check in with your teammate.

Refuse to do the task since they left you alone.

Pixel Q1. You’re responsible for 5 volunteers assigned to help with logistics. On the event day, 3 don’t show up. Delegates are arriving, and tasks are piling up. What’s your instinct? Rank the answers

Take over the missing volunteers’ duties yourself, even if you’re overloaded.

Redistribute tasks among the 2 present volunteers and keep things moving.

Immediately call the absent volunteers and pressure them to show up.

Report the issue to your Event Head and wait for backup and instructions.

Pixel Q2. During the Filmmaking round, teams present one by one in the main auditorium. Due to limited space, a backup auditorium is used as a holding area for teams waiting their turn. Since there’s no screening or activity, restlessness, confusion about the order, or missed cues may occur. You’re the team member assigned to the backup room. How would you manage the waiting teams and ensure smooth coordination with the main auditorium? Rank the answers with respect to their importance.

Set firm ground rules — keep the room quiet, enforce strict seating, and make sure everyone stays alert so no one misses their call.

Actively engage the delegates — chat with them, answer questions, maybe even start small icebreakers to keep the atmosphere light while they wait.

Organize the teams into a clear lineup, write down the presentation order on a visible sheet/board, and update them calmly as the schedule moves.

Suggest a quick, low-effort group game (like trivia or riddles) to pass time, while keeping an ear out for updates from the main hall. →

Pixel Q3. During the round, a delegate accidentally injures themselves somehow. The injury isn't severe, but they are in pain and refuse to go to the medical centre, saying they want to finish the round. Time is running short, and your event heads are busy elsewhere. As a team member, how would you handle the situation while ensuring the delegate’s safety, respecting their choice, and keeping the round on track?

Take a firm stance — insist they go to the medical centre immediately with one of your teammates, and award 5 extra minutes.

Stay with the delegate briefly, give them the bandage from a first aid kit, then let them continue with the round

Respect their choice, reassure them, and quietly keep an eye on them while they continue working in case the injury worsens.

Call another teammate to handle the first aid so you can keep the round running smoothly .

Pixel Q4. The round is about to begin in 2 minutes. Your Event Heads, who are also the judges, are ready to start and expect you to hand over the score files. You suddenly realize the files are missing, and the judges are waiting for you to act quickly.As a team member, how would you handle the situation?

Improvise immediately by giving the judges blank sheets while another teammate fetches the official files.

Inform the judges and delegates about a short delay, and send a teammate to search for the files.

Offer the judges digital copies of the sheets while sending a teammate to search for the official files

Apologize to the judges for the delay, explain the situation, and ask for their opinion on how to proceed.

Marketing Q1. At your flagship event, a sponsor shows up expecting VIP treatment (seating, constant attention, branded shoutouts) that wasn’t part of the agreement. When these aren’t provided, they threaten to withdraw their support mid-event. What do you do?

Tell them clearly that their expectations are unreasonable and not part of the deal.

Calmly address them, offer immediate small gestures (reserved seats, on-stage acknowledgment), and promise a post-event meeting to strengthen ties.

Ignore the threat and focus on running the event smoothly.

Publicly announce their contribution during the event to appease them, even if unplanned.

Marketing Q2. You successfully signed a major sponsorship deal with a leading tech company for your society’s flagship event. However, the CCA office refuses to approve the deal, citing conflicts with existing university policies. This puts you in a difficult position as your event budget heavily relied on this sponsor. What do you do?

Respect the CCA’s decision, cancel the deal, and quickly rework the budget by cutting down expenses to stay within approved limits.

Request a formal meeting with the CCA office to clarify the policy conflict and explore if adjustments (e.g., reducing visibility, changing activation rights) can make the deal acceptable.

Approach alternative sponsors who are more aligned with CCA policies, leveraging the credibility gained by securing a big brand earlier.

Negotiate with the tech sponsor to restructure the partnership (e.g., in-kind support, product demos, or low-profile contribution) so it can bypass the conflict and still add value

Marketing Q3. While talking to a potential sponsor, you got excited and promised deliverables (e.g., a full Instagram campaign) without checking if SPADES can actually provide them. Later, you realize it’s unrealistic and beyond the team’s capacity. What should you do?

Stay silent and hope no one notices, since the sponsor may not follow up.

Inform your department lead immediately, explain the mistake, and ask for guidance on how to correct it.

Try to fulfill the promise yourself, even if it means overworking, so the sponsor doesn’t get upset.

Admit your mistake to the sponsor directly, apologize, and let them know you’ll check with your team before confirming deliverables.

Marketing Q4. After an event, a corporate sponsor complains that SPADES didn’t deliver enough visibility (e.g., logo placement, shoutouts) compared to what was promised in the agreement. They threaten not to collaborate in the future. How do you handle this?