NCOA ACTUAL 2026 EXAM QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS
RATED A+
✔✔Cynefin Simple Domain's Characteristics: - ✔✔- Patterns are clear and recognizable
- Clear cause and effect evident to everyone
- At least one right answer is easily seen
✔✔Cynefin Simple Domain Leader's Job - ✔✔Sense, Categorize, Respond
- Ensure proper procedures are in place
- May delegate
- Use best practices
- Communication is clear and direct
- Leader understands that extensive communication may not be necessary
✔✔Cynefin Simple Domain Danger Signals - ✔✔- Complacency and comfort
- Desire to over-simplify a complex problem
- Easy to fall into group think and/or confirmation biases
- Overreliance on best practices if the situation shifts in complexity
✔✔Cynefin Simple Domain Response to Danger Signals - ✔✔- Create communication
culture and channels that can challenge best practices
- Stay connected without micromanaging
- Don't assume things are always simple
- Recognize the value and limitations on over-reliance on best practices
✔✔Cynefin Complicated Domain Characteristics - ✔✔- Expert skills are needed
- Cause and effect relationships aren't obvious immediately
- Analysis is needed to discover connections
- There may be more than one right way to solve problem
✔✔Cynefin Complicated Domain Leader's Job - ✔✔Sense, Analyze, Respond
- Call in internal and external subject matter experts on various aspects of the issue
- Listen to conflicting advice
✔✔Cynefin Complicated Domain Danger Symbols - ✔✔- Experts overconfident in their
own solutions or rely on past solutions that may not fit current situation
- Analysis paralysis
- Viewpoints of "non-experts' excluded
✔✔Cynefin Complicated Domain Response to Danger Signals - ✔✔- Encourage all
stakeholders, both internal and external to challenge expert opinions to combat
groupthink or confirmation biases
- Encourage people to think outside of the best practices, good practices for solutions to
the situation
, ✔✔Cynefin Complex Domain Characteristics - ✔✔- Cause and effect not evident:
unpredictability
- No right answers readily available
- Test to find emergent patterns
- There are many competing ideas on what to do
- Need for creative and innovative approaches
✔✔Cynefin Complex Domain Leader's Jobs - ✔✔Probe, Sense, Respond
- Create environments to allow patterns to emerge
- Welcome interactions and communication from internal and external agencies and
SMEs
- Generate diverse ideas and invite open discussion
- Encourage questions from all involved
✔✔Cynefin Complex Domain Danger Signals - ✔✔- Temptation is to fall back into
habitual, linear command and control mode rather than allowing patterns to emerge
- Desire for accelerated resolution of problems
✔✔Cynefin Complex Domain Response to Danger Signals - ✔✔- Be patient and allow
time for reflection
- Use approaches that encourage interaction so that patterns can emerge
✔✔Cynefin Chaotic Domain Characteristics - ✔✔- Novel: not seen before: Wicked
problem
- No clear cause and effect relationships
- Possibly no right answers
- Many decisions to make and no time to think
- High anxiety and tension
✔✔Cynefin Chaotic Domain Leaders Job - ✔✔Act, Sense, Respond
- Look for what works instead of the "right" answer
- Take immediate action to reestablish order
- Provide clear, direct communication
- Customize skill sets to the chaos at hand
- Improvise and be agile
- Seek leverage points (events, things, or people)
✔✔Cynefin Chaotic Domain Danger Signals - ✔✔- Applying a Command and Control
approach longer than needed
- Missed opportunities for innovation and problem-solving
- Chaos unabated
✔✔Cynefin Chaotic Domain Response to Danger Signals - ✔✔- Set up mechanisms to
take advantage of opportunities afforded by the chaotic environment
- Encourage advisors to challenge your point of view once the crisis is abated
RATED A+
✔✔Cynefin Simple Domain's Characteristics: - ✔✔- Patterns are clear and recognizable
- Clear cause and effect evident to everyone
- At least one right answer is easily seen
✔✔Cynefin Simple Domain Leader's Job - ✔✔Sense, Categorize, Respond
- Ensure proper procedures are in place
- May delegate
- Use best practices
- Communication is clear and direct
- Leader understands that extensive communication may not be necessary
✔✔Cynefin Simple Domain Danger Signals - ✔✔- Complacency and comfort
- Desire to over-simplify a complex problem
- Easy to fall into group think and/or confirmation biases
- Overreliance on best practices if the situation shifts in complexity
✔✔Cynefin Simple Domain Response to Danger Signals - ✔✔- Create communication
culture and channels that can challenge best practices
- Stay connected without micromanaging
- Don't assume things are always simple
- Recognize the value and limitations on over-reliance on best practices
✔✔Cynefin Complicated Domain Characteristics - ✔✔- Expert skills are needed
- Cause and effect relationships aren't obvious immediately
- Analysis is needed to discover connections
- There may be more than one right way to solve problem
✔✔Cynefin Complicated Domain Leader's Job - ✔✔Sense, Analyze, Respond
- Call in internal and external subject matter experts on various aspects of the issue
- Listen to conflicting advice
✔✔Cynefin Complicated Domain Danger Symbols - ✔✔- Experts overconfident in their
own solutions or rely on past solutions that may not fit current situation
- Analysis paralysis
- Viewpoints of "non-experts' excluded
✔✔Cynefin Complicated Domain Response to Danger Signals - ✔✔- Encourage all
stakeholders, both internal and external to challenge expert opinions to combat
groupthink or confirmation biases
- Encourage people to think outside of the best practices, good practices for solutions to
the situation
, ✔✔Cynefin Complex Domain Characteristics - ✔✔- Cause and effect not evident:
unpredictability
- No right answers readily available
- Test to find emergent patterns
- There are many competing ideas on what to do
- Need for creative and innovative approaches
✔✔Cynefin Complex Domain Leader's Jobs - ✔✔Probe, Sense, Respond
- Create environments to allow patterns to emerge
- Welcome interactions and communication from internal and external agencies and
SMEs
- Generate diverse ideas and invite open discussion
- Encourage questions from all involved
✔✔Cynefin Complex Domain Danger Signals - ✔✔- Temptation is to fall back into
habitual, linear command and control mode rather than allowing patterns to emerge
- Desire for accelerated resolution of problems
✔✔Cynefin Complex Domain Response to Danger Signals - ✔✔- Be patient and allow
time for reflection
- Use approaches that encourage interaction so that patterns can emerge
✔✔Cynefin Chaotic Domain Characteristics - ✔✔- Novel: not seen before: Wicked
problem
- No clear cause and effect relationships
- Possibly no right answers
- Many decisions to make and no time to think
- High anxiety and tension
✔✔Cynefin Chaotic Domain Leaders Job - ✔✔Act, Sense, Respond
- Look for what works instead of the "right" answer
- Take immediate action to reestablish order
- Provide clear, direct communication
- Customize skill sets to the chaos at hand
- Improvise and be agile
- Seek leverage points (events, things, or people)
✔✔Cynefin Chaotic Domain Danger Signals - ✔✔- Applying a Command and Control
approach longer than needed
- Missed opportunities for innovation and problem-solving
- Chaos unabated
✔✔Cynefin Chaotic Domain Response to Danger Signals - ✔✔- Set up mechanisms to
take advantage of opportunities afforded by the chaotic environment
- Encourage advisors to challenge your point of view once the crisis is abated
