CPTD Sample Test Questions
These sample test questions are made available by the ATD Certification Institute (ATD CI) to
prospective candidates as a way to introduce them to the format and type of question that will appear
on the actual CPTD examination. These items should in no way be used to determine readiness to test,
as they are simply a small sampling for informational purposes.
There are two sections to the CPTD examination. Each section contains a separate type of question. The
first section is made up of traditional, four‐option, multiple‐choice question.
An answer key can be found at the end of second section.
CPTD Multiple‐Choice Questions
1. A talent development professional has identified performance gaps and a need for skill
development in the administrative department of an organization. The employees, however, are
reluctant to attend training. What should the talent development professional do to
communicate the value of the training to the employees and convince them that it will be
beneficial?
a. Befriend the employees from the administrative department
b. Get senior management to endorse the training.
c. Attract employees by offering small rewards to attend the training.
d. Make the training mandatory.
2. When creating a knowledge management system in an organization, a talent development
professional curates information from internal and external sources and creates a process for
periodically updating and evaluating the information in the system. What is the most important
consideration for the talent development professional when using external public domain
content?
a. Determine the review cycle for the content.
b. Determine the shelf life of the content.
c. Determining when the content will be retired.
d. Determining what content should be included.
3. A talent development professional is training a group of managers in coaching techniques to
make them better leaders. Which performance issue should the talent development
professional tell the managers to address through coaching?
a. A team is unable to meet all the goals for the year, as the team has many conflicting
responsibilities.
b. An employee struggles to achieve goals due to lack of appropriate development
activities and access to resources
c. An employee performs poorly due to lack of understanding of the expectations and
priorities for the role.
d. A team performs poorly because the expectations for its projects don’t match its
skillsets.
4. A talent development professional is working with new housekeeping staff in a hospital. The
employees must learn and remember detailed procedures for maintaining hospital equipment.
Which step in the training program would encourage retention according to the cognitive
approach?
a. Allow learners to practice the procedure and give them immediate feedback for each
step.
b. Avoid providing information about the procedures directly but let learners experiment
to discover the best practices themselves.
c. Reward learners when they perform each step in a procedure correctly.
d. Present the procedures to learners logically and explain the reason for each step.
5. Which is the best strategy for selecting a data visualization technique?
a. Ensure the visuals use animation to keep the audience engaged.
b. Use a variety of visuals to present the same data to satisfy multiple audiences.
c. Identify the purpose and audience for the data being presented.
d. Choose the visuals that best project the presenter's agenda for the data.
6. A talent development professional is asked to design a wireframe for a company’s proposed
learning management system (LMS) for a presentation. What should the talent development
professional do?
a. Create a page that looks exactly like the proposed LMS but without interactive
elements.
b. Focus on conveying the page structure and size and position of elements on the page.
c. Include the fonts, font sizes, and colors that will be used on the actual LMS.
d. Make some elements in the LMS interactive or clickable to convey the final experience.
7. A talent development professional has recently joined a company and believes that the
company can be more inclusive in hiring and can increase diversity. What should the talent
development professional highlight to convince senior management to rethink its strategy on
diversity?
a. Diversity will help to reduce high rates of employee turnover.
b. The competition is doing well but could do even better if it had a more diverse culture.
c. The industry trends suggest that the company must be prepared for some major
changes in the next two years.
d. Diversity brings in a wider range of perspectives and enables more innovation and
better decision making.
8. What is the best method for a talent development professional to use to improve active
listening skills for a group of training participants?
a. Use podcasts as listening exercises and ask participants to take notes.
b. Discuss the importance of focusing on the speaker’s words rather than on the speaker's
gestures or tone.
c. Have participants watch a video on active listening skills.
d. Facilitate a role‐play exercise that involves asking and answering questions.
9. A talent development professional facilitates a brainstorming meeting with managers of an
organization to decide on a new rewards and recognition approach. The managers have
proposed different ideas and need to finalize a single approach by the end of the meeting.
During the discussion, there are differing opinions and many participants are arguing for their
own approaches. What should the facilitator do to help them arrive at a decision?
a. Avoid asking tough questions about the options; leave questioning to the participants.
b. Explain their own preferred idea and clearly list the reasons for it.
c. Use prioritization techniques to arrive at the top ideas quickly.
d. Avoid using small groups so that the decision is made by the larger group as a whole.
10. What is the best approach to take when developing a marketing strategy to promote the talent
development function within an organization?
a. Expand the talent development function's purpose within the organization.
b. Create a comprehensive business case supporting the value of talent development.
c. Partner with the organization to become a trusted advisor.
d. Influence a culture of continuous learning in the organization.
< END >
CPTD Case Management Questions
In developing its revised exams, ATD CI wanted to be sure our exams presented modern assessment
tools and reflected real‐world scenarios to assess a candidates abilty to apply their knowledge. As a
result, we have incorporated case management questions into the new CPTD exam.
Case management questions assess your ability to analyze and respond to a situation that talent
development (TD) professional may encounter. Each case has three or four steps. In each step
information is provided on the left side of the screen and a question with several potential actions or
responses is presented on the right side of the screen.
Additional information is added at each step in the case. The information from previous steps remains
on the left side of the screen with new information added below it.
For each step, a candidate selects as many actions or responses as are needed to appropriately respond
to the situation as presented. Candidates should only select actions that are necessary at the current
step or stage. Candidates should not select actions or repsonses that are not needed, not yet needed,
or not appropriate at this point in the scenario.
Candidates MUST select at least one action or response for each step; however, more than one action
or response may be correct.
Those actions or responses that are appropriate for this step which the candidate does select will be
scored as +1 point. Selecting actions or responses that are not needed, not appropriate, or incorrect for
this stage will be scored as ‐1 point. Points are not awarded or lost for actions or responses not selected.
Once a candidates moves to the next step or stage in a case, the candidate CAN NOT go back to previous
steps in that case and change their answer. This is because information provided in the next step may
provide the answer to a previous step. However, the scenario information from the prior steps in each
case is repeated on subsequent steps so you do not have to go back to review previous information.
Once a candidate completes a step and moves forward to the next step, the answer CAN NOT be
changed for a previous step.
Sample Question A
Candidate Name
Calculator
Step 1
A TD professional in a large hospital system What should the TD professional do in the
is tasked with developing and delivering a initial phase of the project prior to the
training for how to use ultrasound selection of a subject matter expert (SME)?
equipment in the emergency room. The TD
professional does not have any clinical or
o Identify the audience for the training
medical equipment expertise.
o Establish learning objectives
o Identify the appropriate learning
approach
o Develop clear guidelines on role and
responsibilities of the SME.
o Select a training location
o Determine training time frame
End Exam Next ‐>
Sample Question A
Candidate Name
Calculator
Step 1
A TD professional in a large hospital What qualifications should the TD
system is tasked with developing and professional require in the SME?
delivering a training for how to use
ultrasound equipment in the emergency
o Relevant healthcare experience
room. The TD professional does not have
any clinical or medical equipment o In‐depth clinical knowledge
expertise. o Recent clinical training on the equipment
Step 2 o Experience with a variety of learning
After identifying the audience for the approaches
training, the TD professional begins the o Knowledge of adult learning principles
process of selecting a technical SME to o Prior mentoring and coaching experience
assist in developing the training content. o Ability to manage difficult learners in a
classroom setting
End Exam Next ‐>
Sample Question A
Candidate Name
Calculator
Step 1 What should the TD professional do while
A TD professional in a large hospital system working with the SME?
is tasked with developing and delivering a
training for how to use ultrasound o Show appreciation of the SME's
equipment in the emergency room. The TD contribution
professional does not have any clinical or o Provide clear guidelines on roles and
medical equipment expertise. responsibilities
Step 2 o Makes the SME part of the instructional
After identifying the audience for the design team
training, the TD professional begins the o Pay attention to the needs of the SME
process of selecting a technical SME to o Encourage the SME to include personal
assist in developing the training content. experiences with the equipment in the
Step 3 training content
The TD professional has selected a technical o Ensure high reimbursement for the SMEs
SME to assist with the development of the time
ultrasound training.
End Exam Next ‐>
< END >
Sample Question B
Candidate Name
Calculator
Step 1 What should the TD manager do?
A mid‐sized manufacturing company has o Start to plan who will attend culture
problems with low trust, high absenteeism, improvement sessions.
and significant turnover. The Chief o Ask the CEO for more detail about the
Executive Office (CEO) asks the talent source of the problems.
development (TD) manager to develop a o Plan a needs analysis to determine the
culture improvement program to help root causes of the issues.
people work better together and reduce o Identify which teams are at odds with
conflict between teams. other teams.
o Discuss with the CEO the vision for
success of the culture improvement
program
o Prepare a list of potential company
values for the CEO to select
End Exam Next ‐>
Sample Question B
Candidate Name
Calculator
Step 1 How should the TD manager react to this
A mid‐sized manufacturing company has input?
problems with low trust, high
absenteeism, and significant turnover. o Start designing training for the teams
The Chief Executive Office (CEO) asks the identified by the CEO.
talent development (TD) manager to o Suggest a meeting with the senior
develop a culture improvement program leadership team to discuss the results of
to help people work better together and the research
reduce conflict between teams. o Conduct an organization‐wide survey to
Step 2 find out the true cause of the problem.
The needs analysis is now complete and o Provide the CEO with examples of the role
indicates that and many employees lack of senior leadership in culture
confidence in leadership. The CEO improvement
reviews the needs analysis and agrees o Recommend that leadership team
that the marketing team ignores the members participate in the training
production team, the research team does sessions.
not trust the engineering team, but o Inform the CEO that just training the
disagrees that there are problems at the identified teams may not resolve the
senior leadership level. The CEO cultural issues.
requests that the training begin as soon
as possible.
End Exam Next ‐>
Sample Question B
Candidate Name
Calculator
Step 1 What should the TD professional do?
A mid‐sized manufacturing company has
problems with low trust, high absenteeism, o Coach the CEO about the CEO's role in
and significant turnover. The Chief developing a positive corporate culture.
Executive Office (CEO) asks the talent o Recommend no further action on the
development (TD) manager to develop a program until the CEO and the leadership
culture improvement program to help team recognize their contribution to the
people work better together and reduce problems.
conflict between teams. o Conduct a confidential survey of the senior
Step 2 leadership team to determine the
The needs analysis is now complete and corporate culture problems.
indicates that and many employees lack o Suggest that the CEO evaluate and
confidence in leadership. The CEO reviews reorganize the senior leadership team
the needs analysis and agrees that the o Recommend that the CEO champion a
marketing team ignores the production senior leadership coaching program
team, the research team does not trust the
engineering team, but disagrees that there
are problems at the senior leadership level.
The CEO requests that the training begin as
soon as possible.
Step 3
The CEO agrees to a meeting with the TD
professional and senior leaders. None of
the leadership team publicly validates that
the culture problem is at their level.
End Exam Next ‐>
Sample Question B
Candidate Name
Calculator
Step 1 What should the TD manager do?
A mid‐sized manufacturing company has
problems with low trust, high absenteeism, o Conduct an employee engagement survey
and significant turnover. The Chief o Review HR records on turnover
Executive Office (CEO) asks the talent o Create a report on employee absenteeism
development (TD) manager to develop a o Plan to administer the same training
culture improvement program to help annually
people work better together and reduce o Conduct employee focus groups
conflict between teams.
o Conduct one‐on‐one interviews with
Step 2 members of the leadership team
The needs analysis is now complete and o Perform employee observations
indicates that and many employees lack
confidence in leadership. The CEO reviews
the needs analysis and agrees that the
marketing team ignores the production
team, the research team does not trust the
engineering team, but disagrees that there
are problems at the senior leadership level.
The CEO requests that the training begin as
soon as possible.
Step 3
The CEO agrees to a meeting with the TD
professional and senior leaders. None of
the leadership team publicly validates that
the culture problem is at their level.
Step 4
Nine months later, the employee training is
complete and the leadership coaching is
ongoing.
End Exam Next ‐>
< END >
Answer Key for the Multiple‐Choice Questions
1. B
2. D
3. C
4. D
5. C
6. B
7. D
8. D
9. C
10. B
Answers for the Sample Case Management Questions
Sample Question A:
Step 1:
What should the TD professional do in the initial phase of the project prior to the selection of a
subject matter expert (SME)?
o Identify the audience for the training (+1)
o Establish learning objectives (‐1)
o Identify the appropriate learning approach (‐1)
o Develop clear guidelines on role and responsibilities of the SME (+1)
o Select a training location (‐1)
o Determine training time frame (‐1)
Step 2:
What qualifications should the TD professional require in the SME?
o Relevant healthcare experience (+1)
o In‐depth clinical knowledge (+1)
o Recent clinical training on the equipment (‐1)
o Experience with a variety of learning approaches (‐1)
o Knowledge of adult learning principles (‐1)
o Prior mentoring and coaching experience (‐1)
o Ability to manage difficult learners in a classroom setting (‐1)
Step 3:
What should the TD professional do while working with the SME?
o Show appreciation of the SME's contribution (+1)
o Provide clear guidelines on roles and responsibilities (+1)
o Makes the SME part of the instructional design team (‐1)
o Pay attention to the needs of the SME (+1)
o Encourage the SME to include personal experiences with the equipment in the training
content (+1)
o Ensure high reimbursement for the SMEs time (‐1)
Sample Question B:
Step 1:
What should the TD manager do?
o Start to plan who will attend culture improvement sessions. (‐1)
o Ask the CEO for more detail about the source of the problems. (+1)
o Plan a needs analysis to determine the root causes of the issues. (+1)
o Identify which teams are at odds with other teams. (‐1)
o Discuss with the CEO the vision for success of the culture improvement program (+1)
o Prepare a list of potential company values for the CEO to select (‐1)
Step 2:
How should the TD manager react to this input?
o Start designing training for the teams identified by the CEO. (‐1)
o Suggest a meeting with the senior leadership team to discuss the results of the research (+1)
o Conduct an organization‐wide survey to find out the true cause of the problem. (‐1)
o Provide the CEO with examples of the role of senior leadership in culture improvement (+1)
o Recommend that leadership team members participate in the training sessions. (+1)
o Inform the CEO that just training the identified teams may not resolve the cultural issues. (+1)
Step 3:
What should the TD professional do?
o Coach the CEO about the CEO's role in developing a positive corporate culture. (+1)
o Recommend no further action on the program until the CEO and the leadership team
recognize their contribution to the problems. (‐1)
o Conduct a confidential survey of the senior leadership team to determine the corporate
culture problems. (‐1)
o Suggest that the CEO evaluate and reorganize the senior leadership team (‐1)
o Recommend that the CEO champion a senior leadership coaching program (+1)
Step 4:
What should the TD manager do?
o Conduct an employee engagement survey (+1)
o Review HR records on turnover (+1)
o Create a report on employee absenteeism (+1)
o Plan to administer the same training annually (‐1)
o Conduct employee focus groups (+1)
o Conduct one‐on‐one interviews with members of the leadership team (+1)
o Perform employee observations (‐1)
