Curiosity Box Hiring Test
Reveal curiosity by giving candidates unfamiliar objects to explore
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Time to result
- ~days to results
- Steps
- 5
- Confidence
- 97%
Applied Invention used a box of strange objects to observe how candidates behaved when no obvious assignment was supplied. The signal was not whether someone could name every item. It was whether the person waited passively for instructions or immediately handled the objects, asked questions, proposed identities, and connected them to prior knowledge. This turns an abstract claim such as “I am curious” into observable behavior. The method is especially useful for interdisciplinary work because it reveals comfort with ambiguity and willingness to learn in real time. Interviewers should resist converting it into a knowledge quiz: recognition can be interesting, but curiosity, engagement, and learning behavior are the traits being tested.
Origin
Danny Hillis described the object box Applied Invention used when recruiting people for work that could span almost any field.
Core principles
- 01Curiosity is more revealing in action than in self-description
- 02Engagement with the unknown matters more than prior knowledge
- 03Open-ended prompts expose whether someone waits or explores
- 04The exercise should invite discovery rather than reward trivia
How to run it
- 1
Build an unfamiliar object set
Assemble safe, unusual objects drawn from several domains so no candidate is likely to know everything.
Pro tip Choose objects that invite handling, questions, and competing hypotheses.
Watch out Do not include dangerous items or objects that require specialist safety knowledge.
- 2
Present without a script
Open the box and leave enough ambiguity for the candidate to choose how to engage.
Pro tip Use the same minimal introduction for each candidate.
Watch out Detailed instructions erase the behavioral signal.
- 3
Observe the first response
Notice whether the person waits, asks permission, starts examining objects, or begins forming questions.
Pro tip Record actions before interpreting them.
Watch out Do not mistake a short moment of caution for a lack of curiosity.
- 4
Probe the exploration
Invite the candidate to explain what interests them, what they think an object might do, and how they would find out.
Pro tip Reward thoughtful uncertainty and useful questions.
Watch out Do not turn the conversation into a trivia contest.
- 5
Score learning behavior
Assess curiosity, engagement, hypothesis formation, and ability to learn rather than the number of correct identifications.
Pro tip Compare evidence from the box with the rest of the interview.
Watch out Avoid hiring solely from one open-ended exercise.
In the wild
Candidates encountered items including a space-shuttle tile, synthetic diamond, laser gyro, and Mogen clamp. Hillis found that likely hires began picking things up, talking about them, and asking questions, while many others waited for instructions.
→ The exercise exposed curiosity, engagement, and willingness to learn across unfamiliar domains.
Common mistakes
Scoring obscure knowledge
Object recognition is not the core signal; the method is intended to reveal curiosity and engagement.
Over-directing the exercise
Telling candidates exactly what to do hides whether they naturally explore ambiguity.
Is it for you?
Best for
Teams hiring inventors, researchers, or generalists who must learn continuously.
Not ideal for
Roles where success depends primarily on a fixed, already-proven technical credential.
From the transcript
“a lot of people would sort of wait for instructions but most of the people that we hire would look at it and say whoa”
“it wasn't a test so much of knowledge it was more a test of curiosity and engagement and ability to learn”
From the episode
#782: Legendary Inventor Danny Hillis (Plus Kevin Kelly) — Unorthodox Lessons from 400+ Patents, Solving the Impossible, Real Al vs. “AI”, Hiring Richard Feynman, Working with Steve Jobs, Creating Parallel Computing, and Much More
Danny Hillis