In the training programs of top management consultancies, learning progress is typically not measured by formal performance assessments such as exams/tests, essays, graded role-plays, etc.  Rather, the expectation is that the skills learned can be successfully applied in practice and result in good performance.  Each consultant’s individual performance is evaluated every three to six months through a formal project evaluation (Rusche 2021), which at McKinsey & Company is called an Engagement Performance Review (Hattori 2016, p. 19).  This project review is primarily a tool for direct feedback in the project, but it is also used by the relevant HR committees alongside other inputs (mainly interviews) in promotion and ranking discussions.  It is therefore used to assess a consultant’s career progress and to make decisions about possible promotion, to identify strengths and weaknesses (including recommendations for targeted development) in an evidence-based manner, and to determine salary adjustments and, if applicable, the amount of the bonus (PrepLounge n.d., posts by “Ken,” “Robert” and “Henning” on October 27, 2020, and “Ian” on October 29, 2020).  As shown in the Exhibit, project managers are typically evaluated in three main categories in such a project evaluation: Analytical/problem-solving skills, client-oriented skills, and organizational and management strengths (e.g., My Consulting Offer 2022).*  For each sub-criterion, the project manager being evaluated receives a rating on a multi-level scale (e.g., “excellent/outstanding performance,” “strong performance,” “solid performance,” “below expectations/serious problems”).  If a sub-criterion cannot be adequately rated, the supervisor chooses the neutral category “not relevant/not sufficiently observable.”  Ideally, a short text is provided for each criterion describing the performance expected to achieve that rating level.  This is to ensure that the ratings provided by different people are based on the same standards and benchmarks, thus making the ratings for different consultants comparable.