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.