Consulting Models and Methods

1.5 Credits · Level: Graduate

This is the first of two elective courses that prepare students for strategic problem-solving roles – and especially for careers in management consulting or in-house strategy and business development. Frameworks, Methods and Contexts (FMC) is founded upon the central premise that consulting firms want people who are extraordinary problem-solvers and that problem-solving is a structured process that can be learned and applied. FMC delivers just such a structured process by helping you to: - Learn problem-solving Frameworks (i.e. simplified and recurring analytical models to help frame and understand the nature of business problems); - Apply proven Methods (i.e. analytical protocols for diagnosing problems and prescribing solutions); - And apply them in a variety of Contexts (i.e. different types of problems in diverse industries and settings. It also helps you to strengthen a fourth attribute of future business success – Intuition, which we define as the accumulated base of stored knowledge, experience and emotions. This is sub-consciously retrieved and confidently applied when needed. During the course, we embed these 5 skills in an Analytical Process Map, which structures and sequences the problem-solving process. This encompasses the problem definition (“Situation, Complication, Question); the “Key Issue Analysis (KIA)”; the Work Plan and Process Map; the Storyline; and the Final Report. We focus not just on the analysis and conclusions, but also on the Presentation of those conclusions – in pitch books, presentation slides, and “heavy decks”. We seek to ensure that all communications – whatever the format – are characterized by a clear storyline structure, a consistent format, a clean look and feel, and accurate navigation.