project-585fe5f7

byBala Subramaniam

Consulting Frameworks Comprehensive methodologies used by top consulting firms (McKinsey, BCG, Bain, Accenture) for problem-solving, strategy, and business transformation. How to Consult When applying this skill, act like an engagement manager, not an encyclopedia: Clarify before analyzing. If the problem is vague, ask up to 3 questions about scope, success criteria, and constraints — or state your assumptions explicitly and proceed. Lead with a Day-1 hypothesis. State your initial answer early, then use analysis to test it. Don't survey frameworks hoping an answer emerges. Pick 1–3 frameworks, not many. Choose the ones that fit the question (use the Quick Framework Selection below) and apply them deeply. Listing frameworks is not analysis. Show your structure. Render issue trees and matrices as ASCII diagrams so the user can challenge the breakdown. Keep every breakdown MECE. Quantify wherever possible. Rough numbers with stated assumptions beat qualitative hand-waving. Sanity-check estimates top-down and bottom-up. End every analysis with "So what?" Conclusions must be recommendations the user can act on, not observations. Structure final answers with the Pyramid Principle: answer first, then 3–5 supporting arguments. Offer a deliverable. When a template matches the work (SWOT report, business case, project charter, RACI, BMC), offer to fill it in. Framework Categories Category Frameworks File Problem-Solving MECE, Pyramid Principle, Issue Tree, Hypothesis-Driven, McKinsey 7-Step, SCQ, Storyboarding, 80/20 problem-solving.md Strategic Analysis McKinsey 7S, Porter's 5 Forces, SWOT, BCG Matrix, 3C, 4P, Value Chain, PESTEL, Ansoff, GE-McKinsey, Blue Ocean, VRIO, Porter's Generic Strategies strategy.md Case Frameworks Profitability, Market Sizing, M&A/Due Diligence, Pricing, Market Entry cases.md Business Design Business Model Canvas, Design Thinking, Customer Journey, STP design.md Project & Change WBS, RACI, Kotter's 8 Steps, ADKAR, Risk Matrix, Stakeholder Analysis, Balanced Scorecard, OKRs, McKinsey Horizons projects.md Financial Analysis ROI, NPV, IRR, Payback, Break-even, Sensitivity Analysis, Business Case finance.md Operations Lean (8 Wastes, 5S), Six Sigma (DMAIC), Process Mapping, Root Cause (5 Whys, Fishbone), Pareto, PDCA operations.md Quick Framework Selection "I need to solve a complex problem" → McKinsey 7-Step Process + MECE + Issue Tree See: problem-solving.md "I need to structure a presentation" → Pyramid Principle + SCQ + Storyboarding See: problem-solving.md "I need to analyze a company or market" → PESTEL (macro) + Porter's 5 Forces (industry) + SWOT (company) + 3C (positioning) See: strategy.md "I need to evaluate growth options" → Ansoff Matrix + GE-McKinsey Matrix + BCG Matrix See: strategy.md "I need to create a new strategy" → Blue Ocean + VRIO + Porter's Generic Strategies See: strategy.md "Why are profits declining?" → Profitability Framework (Revenue × Volume breakdown) See: cases.md "How big is this market?" → Market Sizing (Top-down + Bottom-up) See: cases.md "Should we acquire this company?" → M&A Framework + Due Diligence + Synergy Analysis See: cases.md "What price should we set?" → Pricing Framework (Cost-plus, Value-based, Competitive) See: cases.md "Should we enter this market?" → Market Entry Framework + Porter's 5 Forces + Profitability See: cases.md "I'm designing a new product or business" → Business Model Canvas + Design Thinking + Customer Journey See: design.md "I'm managing a project" → WBS + RACI + Risk Matrix + Stakeholder Analysis See: projects.md "I'm driving organizational change" → Kotter's 8 Steps + ADKAR + Stakeholder Analysis See: projects.md "I need to set goals and measure performance" → OKRs + Balanced Scorecard + KPIs See: projects.md "I need to make an investment decision" → NPV + IRR + Payback + Sensitivity Analysis See: finance.md "I need to improve operations" → Process Mapping + Root Cause Analysis + Lean + Six Sigma See: operations.md The Complete Consulting Flow 1. RECEIVE PROBLEM └── Clarify, scope, failure criteria and success criteria ↓ 2. CREATE DAY-1 ANSWER └── Initial hypothesis based on experience ↓ 3. DEFINE PROBLEM (SCQ) └── Situation, Complication, Question ↓ 4. STRUCTURE (MECE + Issue Tree) └── Break into testable components ↓ 5. PRIORITIZE (80/20) └── Focus on high-impact branches ↓ 6. BUILD WORKPLAN └── Who, what, when, how ↓ 7. STORYBOARD (Ghostpack) └── Design the end deliverable ↓ 8. CONDUCT ANALYSES └── Test hypotheses with data ↓ 9. SYNTHESIZE ("So What?") └── Extract insights and implications ↓ 10. STRUCTURE COMMUNICATION (Pyramid) └── Answer-first, supporting arguments ↓ 11. PRESENT & DELIVER └── Communicate, get approval, implement Framework Combinations Strategic Planning PESTEL → Porter's 5 Forces → 3C → SWOT → Issue Tree → Recommendations New Market Entry Market Sizing → Porter's 5 Forces → 3C → Market Entry Framework → Financial Analysis M&A Evaluation Strategic Rationale → Target Analysis → Due Diligence → Synergies → Valuation → Integration Plan Business Turnaround Profitability Analysis → Root Cause → Value Chain → Cost Reduction → Quick Wins → Transformation Roadmap Product Launch Market Sizing → STP → Business Model Canvas → Pricing → Go-to-Market → OKRs Transformation Program Current State → Gap Analysis → Kotter's 8 Steps → WBS → RACI → Balanced Scorecard Available Templates See templates/ for ready-to-use documents: SWOT Analysis Report Business Model Canvas Business Case Template Project Charter RACI Matrix Framework Index (Alphabetical) Framework Category Primary Use 3C Framework Strategic Competitive positioning 4P Marketing Mix Strategic Marketing strategy 5 Whys Operations Root cause analysis 5S Operations Workplace organization 80/20 Rule Problem-Solving Prioritization ADKAR Change Individual change management Ansoff Matrix Strategic Growth strategy Balanced Scorecard Execution Strategy measurement BCG Matrix Strategic Portfolio management Blue Ocean Strategy Strategic Market creation Business Model Canvas Design Business model design Customer Journey Design Customer experience Design Thinking Design Innovation process DMAIC Operations Process improvement Due Diligence Case M&A evaluation Fishbone Diagram Operations Root cause analysis GE-McKinsey Matrix Strategic Portfolio prioritization Hypothesis Tree Problem-Solving Testing theories Issue Tree Problem-Solving Problem decomposition Kotter's 8 Steps Change Organizational change Lean / 8 Wastes Operations Waste elimination M&A Framework Case Acquisition evaluation Market Entry Case New market decisions Market Sizing Case Opportunity sizing McKinsey 7-Step Problem-Solving Problem-solving process McKinsey 7S Strategic Organizational analysis McKinsey Horizons Execution Growth portfolio MECE Problem-Solving Structuring NPV/IRR/ROI Financial Investment analysis OKRs Execution Goal setting Pareto Analysis Operations Prioritization PDCA Cycle Operations Continuous improvement PESTEL Strategic Macro environment Porter's 5 Forces Strategic Industry analysis Porter's Generic Strategies Strategic Competitive strategy Pricing Framework Case Price setting Process Mapping Operations Workflow visualization Profitability Framework Case Profit analysis Pyramid Principle Problem-Solving Communication RACI Matrix Project Role clarity Risk Matrix Project Risk prioritization SCQ Problem-Solving Storytelling Sensitivity Analysis Financial Risk assessment Six Sigma Operations Quality improvement Stakeholder Analysis Project Stakeholder management Storyboarding Problem-Solving Presentation planning STP Design Market targeting SWOT Analysis Strategic Situation assessment Value Chain Strategic Activity analysis VRIO Strategic Resource advantage WBS Project Work decomposition do one correction, in the RECEIVE PROBLEM include failure criteria └── Clarify, scope, failure criteria and success criteria