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7 Step Framework Training Step 1: Define the problem

Why does it matter?

In this training section, we will explore how to best define the problem when starting a consulting assignment.

The follow slide has 2 case studies. Read the case studies and reflect on why problem definition matters.

Why does it matter?

Case study 1

John is the Managing Director of a medium-size charity that relies mostly on volunteers. He would like to attract more volunteers, and asks a consultant to develop a new marketing campaign for that purpose. The consultant does an excellent job and designs a successful marketing campaign that immediately boosts the number of enquiries received by the charity. However, on the long-term, John notices that the number of volunteers stagnates. When analysing the situation further, the consultant realises that volunteers are often poorly inducted into the organisation and rarely retained on the long-term. The problem was actually due to poor operations rather than a lack of marketing.

Case study 2

Helena is the CEO of a not-for-profit organisation that is mostly funded by Government grants. She would like to attract social investors to diversify her sources of funding. She asks a consultant to identify high net worth individuals and funds likely to invest in her organisation. The consultant identifies a long list of potential investors, but they are reluctant to contribute their capital to Helena’s organisation since there is little evidence that it is producing a positive impact. The consultant realises that Helena should rather focus on measuring her organisation’s impact before seeking social investors.

Pause and reflect: what do these situations have in common and how could they have been avoided?

Why does it matter?

We will now go through six steps that help define a problem rigorously andsystematically.

Problem definition in 6 steps

The 6 steps below will help you understand and frame the problem you need to solve.

6 1

4 3

25 Problemdefinition

Identify and classify stakeholders

Understand their vision and long-term objectives

Understand their current situationReview the literature

Articulate the problem in a SMART way

Test your problem definition with your client

A stakeholder is any actor that has an effect on, or is affected by the scope of activities being analysed.

Your first step will be to identify all of the stakeholders related to your client’s organisation or program.

The example on the next slide will demonstrate how to map and identify the key stakeholders.

1. Identify and classify stakeholders

1. Identify and classify stakeholders

Example

Ben runs a program whereby volunteers help young refugees learn and improve on their English. The program only serves 80 young people at the moment, but Ben aims to grow it nationally in the next 2 years. The consultant who helps him do so prepares the matrix on the right-hand side to map all the stakeholders involved. While he knew that the growth would involve getting more students and volunteers on board, he also realises that involving the parents, the schools and the Government will also be critical.

Low HighLo

wH

igh

MediumM

ediu

m

Infl

uen

ce o

n p

rog

ram

su

cces

s

Interest in program success

Parents

Schools

Potential employers

Friends

Volunteers

Students

Local community

Core

Direct

Indirect

Role in program delivery

Governement

Stakeholder mapping matrix

2. Understand their vision and long-term objectives

The second step is to understand your client’s vision and long-term objectives. The problem you will identify and the recommendations you will make could differ greatly depending on your client’s aspirations. In order to provide useful insight that your client will truly benefit from, you need to understand how your assistance will help the organisation achieve its long-term objectives.

ExampleAs mentioned in the previous slide, Ben would like to grow his program nationally in the next 2 years. This may require getting the Government’s support and seeking grants. If Ben wanted to turn his program into a social business, the steps he would need to take would be different. They may involve measuring the organisation’s impact, or seeking initial investment to kick-start the business.

3. Understand their current situation

You will also need to understand your client’s current situation. What activities do they perform daily? What are some of the common problems they face? What is preventing them from achieving their long-term objectives?When gathering this information, you may discover some issues that the client did not previously share with you.

ExampleThe consultant talks to Ben to understand what his typical day looks like, and what are some of his frustrations. Ben mentions that he often faces difficulties recruiting new students into the program, because people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds are not used to getting assistance from charitable programs, and can be difficult to reach. The consultant understand that this will constitute part of the problem.

4. Review the literature

Before “re-inventing the wheel”, conduct a quick review of the literature available. It is possible that the problem you are starting to identify has occurred somewhere else. Reviewing the way others have framed the problem and solved it can bring helpful insight to your analysis.

ExampleThe consultant reviews the literature available to find some inspiration. He gathers some useful insight about engaging with culturally and linguistically diverse populations, about common challenges for mentoring programs, and about keys to success to teach English. All these will help him shape the problem and will inform his analysis later on.

5. Articulate the problem in a SMART way

Once you have completed all those steps, you will have a greater understanding of the problem. It is time to articulate the “problem”, meaning the basic question to be resolved. Make sure it is phrased in a “SMART” way, as described below:

- Specific: formulated precisely- Measurable: expressed in figures- Action-oriented: geared towards action- Relevant: related to the main problem- Time-related: schedule is defined

Example of “problem”How to grow the program so that at least 20% of the eligible population is enrolled in it across all states within 2 years?

6. Test your problem definition with your client

Leaving your client out of the problem definition step creates a greater risk of misinterpreting the problem. While you should not need to much time or efforts to test your understanding with your client, it is a crucial step. It can lay the foundation for a successful consulting assignment and generate trust with your client.

A half-an-hour face-to-face contact or a phone conversation could suffice to check you are on the right track.

When you and your client mutually agree on the problem to be solved, it is good practise to document the final output and put it in writing.

ExampleThe consultant gets Ben’s feedback on the problem he drafted. While Ben is overall satisfied with it, he adds some details thus guaranteeing that the problem has been defined comprehensively.

Final tips

Do’s- Analyse all information with an open mind

and question all your assumptions.

- Engage with your clients; they know theirorganisation better than anyone else! Test your understanding and your analysis withthem, and give them an opportunity tocorrect you if you’re making falseassumptions.

- Brainstorm and discuss with your team mates.

Don’ts- Do not think you know what the problem

is straight away.

- Define the problem in isolation of the client. Your analysis should not be a “black box” or a “secret” that you reveal at the end of your consulting assignment.

- Define the problem in isolation of yourteam mates. If you think you have a greatidea, then you should feel confidenttesting it with others.


7 Step Framework Training Step 2: Break the problem into issues

Introduction – How do you eat an elephant

… one small piece at a time!

Structured problem solving helps to cut the elephant into smaller pieces

WHAT? Definition

▪ An issue tree (or logic tree) is a graphical breakdown of a question or problem that dissects it into its different components (issues) vertically and that progresses into details as it reads to the right

WHEN? Usefulness

▪ Issues trees are most useful in complex and ambiguous situations as they help to see how each piece fits into the whole picture of a problem

▪ They are useful in problem solving to structure the problem and to identify the root causes of a problem as well as to identify its potential solutions

What is an issue tree and when is it useful?

HOW? Key characteristics of issue trees

▪ Mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive (MECE)

– Mutually exclusive means that the occurrence of one event effectively precludes the occurrence of another

– Collective exhaustion means that all possible options are listed at least once. It is imperative to have complete information on a problem in order to solve it optimally and hence collective exhaustion is extremely important

▫ Example 1: Issue tree for total costs = marketing costs, wages, production costs à NOT MECE: many kinds of costs are missing such as rent, raw materials, etc.

▫ Example 2: Potential customers = old people, mid-aged people and rich womenà NOT MECE: rich women can also be part of the two other groups

A B CA B C

MECE thinking is perhaps the most important concept in problem solving as it enables one to look at the big picture while being aware of the finer details at the same time

How to build a good issue tree?

How to build a good issue tree?WHERE? Important sources of information

▪ Client Requests: Initial starting point. It’s best to spend some time thinking about everything you might possibly need as the project evolves, since you don’t want to use too much of your client’s time. Examples: Financial data (budgets, prices, accounts), personnel data, market research, operational/logistical data, etc.

▪ Comparable Organizations: Oftentimes, you’ll look at what comparable (successful) organizations are doing to help move your client in the right direction. Be careful about looking for real peers, not just the best-in-class, to set attainable goals.

▪ Social Impact Information Material: Journals like the Stanford Social Innovation Review, or the McKinsey Quarterly, provide solid analyses for common problems and solutions facing nonprofits.

▪ Clients’ Social Media: You can get a surprising amount of information from the social media presence of your client. Specifically, you get information on how they brand themselves, who they interact with, what their presence is like, etc.

▪ Mentor Research: If your branch works with consulting mentors, they’re definitely sitting on research about social impact groups and how they work, especially in niche areas.

Why are issue trees useful in consulting projects?

Exercise End product

Qu. Idea 2

Idea 1

Time:5 min

Idea 3

▪ Structure the following problem by means of an issue tree– How can I have more money at the

end of the month without running up debts?

WHY? Key Advantages

▪ Facilitates problem-solving– Parts of problem

easier to handle– Ensures

completeness– Focused topics more

easily recognizable

▪ Facilitates communication– Concentration on

key topics– Context clearer

▪ Facilitates planning– Working in parallel

possible– Difficulties easier to

detect– Scheduling more

transparent– Goal-oriented approach

Example – Potential Solution

How can I have more money at the end of the month without running up debts?

InheritanceLottery win

Overtime

Second job

Take on a better job

Other industry with higher pay

Food

Equipment

Entertainment

Other

Take advantageof special offers

Legal

Illegal

Work longer hours

Earn more per hour

Buy products of lesser quality

Receive an unexpected windfall

Achieve a higher in-come from investments

Earn more money at work

Pay less for the same quantity

Buy less

Increase income

Reduceexpenditures

Exercise – Increase Profit Margin

How can Food S.A. increase the profit margin by 2 %-points by 2015?

Exercise – Potential Solution

Increase private label

Increase automation

Increase volume

Increase price

Grow sales

Reduce costs/unit

Increase marketing

Change product assortment

Automatic cashier

Add new products

Stocktaking

How can Food S.A. increase the profit margin by 2 %-points by 2015?


7 Step Framework Training Step 3: Prioritize issues

What is prioritization about?Prioritization is about arranging items, problems or solutions according to their relative importance

Use judgment/intuition

Do back-of-the-envelope calculations

Involve your team

Take risks

20

80

80

20

Time and effort

Focusing on impact

Polishing

Benefit for problem solving

The 4 pillars of prioritization The 80-20 Rule

Rationale: By applying the 80/20 rule you focus your effort on a few promising issues

(20%) because they will most likely have the strongest impact (80%) on the problem

Prioritize issues by cutting off non-essential branches

Purpose

▪ First step in constant, iterative refinement process

▪ Prioritizes your effort on what is most important

▪ Helps ask “so what” . . . but also ask what you’ve forgotten

▪ Is the key to working efficiently and having a better lifestyle

Problemstatement

Issue1

Issue2

Issue3

How and when to use prioritization?Good prioritization is key in order to solve a complex problem in an efficient and effective way

Prioritization = Evaluation or ranking of a group of items according to one or more prioritization dimensions; necessary due to a limited availability of resources (time, money, manpower, etc.)

1. Decide on the items you want to prioritize

E.g. To-do lists, investments, strategic options, etc.

2. Identify the dimension(s) you want to prioritize the issues on.

E.g. Costs, time/urgency, ROI, importance, effectiveness, impact, feasibility, quick-wins, risk, etc.

3. Evaluate items according to the identified dimension. If multiple dimensions are important a prioritization matrix can be build.

E.g. Rank strategic options from highest ROI to lowest

4. Start working your way down the prioritization matrix as far as resources allow

1. The items to be prioritized can be the issues of the issue tree (which can be either a list of possible root causes of a problem or possible solutions to a problem)

2. The most common dimension when prioritizing issues of the tree is impact (i.e. which issue most likely has the largest impact on the problem)

3. Rank issues of the tree according to the dimension (e.g. impact/effectiveness). Use desk research, common sense or expert opinion for this purpose

4. Develop a working plan and start with the most promising issue of the tree

Step by step guide to prioritization … this process applied to the 7-Step Framework:

Key characteristics of prioritization

Start with the most promising issue taking the available information into account

Move to the next step/issue as soon as you have gathered enoughinformation and do not get lost in the details (enough, not all information)

Be flexible and adapt your current prioritization strategy as soon as available data suggest so

Make use of informal and qualitative information to secure efficient and effective working (e.g. expert interviews)

Examples of prioritization matrices ....

When should I do what?Urgency vs. importance

Do it next Do it now

Do it never Do it later

Which solution should be implemented first?Anticipated benefit vs. ease of implementation

Veryurgent

Noturgent

Veryimportant

Notimportant

2nd priority 1st priority

4th priority 3rd priority

Highbenefit

Lowbenefit

EasyDifficult

Examples for social projects ....

Social impact

High cost

Medium

Low cost

Low Medium High

Fina

ncia

l via

bilit

y

Impl

emen

tatio

n

Challenging/unlikely

Plausible

Easy/likely

Social impact

Low Medium High

In-depth example of issue prioritization (1/2)• Step 1: Select ideas for prioritization

Howcanthecompanyreduceenergycostsby20%bythemiddleofnextyear,withoutcompromisingproductionquality?

Reducecosts/unit

Cutconsumption

Usecontrol/timeswitchsystems

Dismantle/disconnectsuperfluousenergyconsumers

Optimizeregulatingsystems

Reduce/replaceenergyconsumers/powergenerators

Contractfromnationalproviders

Contractfromregionalproviders

Intensifyrecovery(e.g.,heatexchangers)

Improveinsulation

Increasetechnicalefficiencyofsystemparts

Extend/renewtechnologicalbasis

Beatdownpricestomarketlevel

Captureadvantagesofbundledpurchasing

Reducecapacitylevel

Disconnect/dismantleinstallations

Optimizeproviders'tariffs

Substituteenergyprovider

Minimizelossofenergy

Increaseefficiency

Optimizethemixofenergycarriers

Usecheaperenergyproviders

Improveuseofenergy

Reduceenergyconsumers

Ideasforprioritization

In-depth example of issue prioritization (2/2)• Step 2: Use prioritization matrix

Minimizelossofenergy

Financialcontribution

Reducecapacity

Increaseefficiency

Optimizeproviders'tariffs

Substituteenergyprovider

Optimizethemixofenergycarriers

Estimatedfinancialcontribution€mp.a.

280

380

410

350

400

230

No. Idea

Focusoffurtherwork

HighLow

Low

High

Feasibility

6

24

7

5

3

1"Difficult,importantlever"

4

3

2

Disconnect/dismantleinstallations

1901

5

6

7

"Justneedstobedone"


7 Step Framework Training Step 4-a: Issue analysis plan

Sequence of Step 4-a and 4-b

Step 4-a “Issue analysis plan” will show you how to go about solving your client’s problem.

Step 4-b “Work plan” will show you how to best work in teams; it is rather a project management tool.

Why does it matter?

The “issue analysis plan” helps the team answer the question: “how to solve the most pressing issues that our client is facing?”. Once issues have been prioritised and selected (see Step 3 presentation), the team needs to find a way to solve them. In this training section, we will explore how to best develop and use an issue analysis plan. As an introduction, read the case study below and reflect on why issue analysis plans are important. In the next slides, we will explain how to develop a work plan in 6 steps.

Case study

A team of 5 is working on a project, exploring options for a charity to raise funds. Team members start conducting research straight away, without preparing an issue analysis plan first. Each student researches an aspect of the problem, and potential solutions such as organising a large fundraising event, recruiting regular donators, and seeking Government grants. As the deadline approaches, the group starts realising that they haven’t delved into one aspect of the problem: corporate partnerships for fundraising. The last few days before the deadline are stressful and the team rushes to incorporate that last aspect in their report. Some team members are a bit disappointed with the end-result.

Pause and reflect: how could this stress have been avoided, and how could the quality of the final report have been improved?

Developing an issue analysis plan in 6 steps

The situation presented in the case study could have been avoided if the team had built an issue analysis plan at the beginning. The diagram below shows you how to do so in 6 key steps.

This issue analysis plan is helpful to:- Ensure that all aspects of the problem we are trying to solve are being considered;- Clarify what analysis is conducted and how; and- Highlight any missing sources of information.

The 6 steps below will help you develop your own issue analysis plan.

List the issue(s) that your team has to solve for the client

Make hypotheses on how to solve the issues

List the elements that make you think each hypothesis is a possibility

Explain what should be explored to confirm or refute the hypothesis

Issue(s) Hypotheses Supporting rationales Analyses Sources

Specify the likely location or means of obtaining data to carry out analysis

Specify what the end-product should be

End-product

Example Below is an example of issue analysis plan. And note, this is a team exercise!

Issues HypothesesSupporting rationales Analyses Sources

Issue #1:An NGO would like to know what is the best way for them to measure their social impact.

Issue #2:They also would like to know what is the most cost-efficient way for them to do so.

Hypothesis #1.1:Conduct a one-off social impact evaluation

Hypothesis #1.2:Establish a framework for ongoing impact measurement

Hypothesis #2.1:Train/recruit staff to measure impact in-house

Hypothesis #2.2:Outsource the work to consultants

Rationale #1.1:Easier & quicker way to measure impact

Rationale #1.2:More complex but more comprehensive solution

Rationale #2.1:Value-for-money for the organisation on the long-run

Rationale #2.2:Value-for-money on the short-term & independence of findings

For both hypotheses:- Conduct a literature review- Summarise the key features of each impact measurement method- Cross-check against the organisation’s priorities

For both hypotheses:- Publicly available resources- Resources provided by the NGO (annual reports, etc.)- Consultations with key stakeholders of the NGO

For both hypotheses:- Identify and value all costs attached to each hypothesis- Identify and value the benefits where possible- Compare both options’ overall cost-benefit ratio

For both hypotheses:- Publicly available resources- Resources provided by the NGO (annual reports, etc.)- Consultations with key stakeholders of the NGO

End-product

For both hypotheses:- A 4-page summary of the literature review- A matrix mapping each method’s features against the NGO’s priorities

For both hypotheses:- The Excel sheet showing all calculations and sources of cost information- A short summary of all qualitative benefits and a 1-page report presenting the final cost-benefit ratios

Issues


7 Step Framework Training Step 4-b: Work plan

Why does it matter?

A work plan is an essential tool that enables teams to work efficiently and track progress.In this training section, we will explore how to best develop and use a work plan. You will see that a work plan is based on an issue analysis plan (described in Step 4-a). As an introduction, read the case study below and reflect on why work plans are important. In the next slides, we will describe the 4 building blocks that any good work plan should contain.

Case study

A team of 5 is working on a project, exploring options for a charity to raise funds. Team members start conducting research straight away, without preparing a work plan first. Each student researches a stand-alone option, and the group communicates on findings regularly. As the deadline approaches, the group starts wondering how they will collate their findings into one coherent document. Some team members realise that they covered similar pieces of research and that they could have sequenced their work better to be more efficient. The last few days before the deadline are stressful and the team rushes to finalise their report. Some team members are a bit disappointed with the end-result.

Pause and reflect: how could this stress have been avoided, and how could the quality of the final report have been improved?

4 building blocks to a good work plan

The situations presented in the case study could have been avoided if the team had built a work plan at the beginning. A work plan is a project and team management tool, that will help you deliver your end-products on time. It outlines the hypotheses and end-products listed in the issue analysis plan, and lines them up against a timeline. It also attributes each end-product to a team member to build accountability. It contributes to:- Shaping high-performing teams that use their efforts and time efficiently;- Tracking progress against timeframes; and- Clarifying what is expected from each team member and when.

The 4 building blocks below will help you develop your own work plan.

Hypotheses End-products Timeframes Accountability

Include all hypotheses that your team will analyse

Include all the end-products that the team aims to deliver

Think about your timeframe: sequence tasks and set deadlines

Attribute each hypothesis and end-product to a team member

The building blocks in more details

1. Hypotheses

As per the “issue analysis plan” (see Step 4-a), make sure that all hypotheses taken into account are included in your work plan.

2. End-products

The second building block consists in going back to your “issue analysis plan”, and listing all the end-products that the team will have to deliver.

3. Timeframes

Once you have listed all the hypothesesand end-products, think about the timeframes necessary to complete them.Start by setting a timeline for each of them (see example in the next slide).Work backward, from the deadline of your final end-product to today, to decide what deadline each of them should be bound to. Think about the sequence of each tasks: do some end-products need to be completed before than others starts? Can several hypotheses be analysed at the same time?Make sure you also pre-empt the time necessary for the client to provide you with some information, or any review time necessary between draft products and final ones.

4. Accountability

Make sure you attribute each of the end-product to one or several team members. That way, it is clear who is doing what and when. Make sure to clarify people’s availability throughout the period, and try to accommodate any constraint they may have.

ExampleSee below an example of work plan. We recommend that you use Excel to prepare yours.


7 Step Framework Training Step 5: Conduct Analyses

Exercise – what types of analyses can you use to prove or disprove hypotheses

• What are the types of analysis that you can do in order to develop a fact-based answer?

• What types of analysis have you used before?

• industry reports – research from people who have expertise in this area

• interview based work – qualitative information- phone interviews/surveys with customers/stakeholders

• scenario analysis- models should be based on reasonable assumptions – only as good as what is put in- provide range and sets of assumptions for particular situation to realize

• market research• analogous reasoning – sometimes need to look for something similar

- does not necessarily have to be in the same field, just need to ensure that they share similar characteristics (e.g. – compare bank v telecoms due to large customer base)

• benchmarks – e.g.: global best practices, public reports (financial statements analysis)

• media analysis • sit down with client and observe at a more operational level – useful

as at a certain high level up, they can tell you what should be happening but not what is happening

44

Example analysis – social impact matrix

Social impact

High cost

Medium

Low cost

Low Medium High

Fina

ncia

l via

bilit

y

Example analysis – ratio analysis (1/2)

• Often non-profits questions such as ‘What is the best way to raise funds?’ and ‘Which of our programs should we focus on?’

• To work out what activities an organisation should prioritise, one can compare the benefit and costs of different activities within a group.

• Costs include both the direct costs (expenditure on an activity) and indirect costs (e.g. value of labour hours spent on the activity).

Example analysis – ratio analysis (1/2)

• Example:• Say an organisation has three main ways they raise funds:

1. Applying for government grants2. Collecting money on the streets3. Holding a fundraising ball

• In each case, calculate:• (Money Raised) ÷ (Direct and Indirect Cost of Raising Money)• The activity with the highest ratio should in general be prioritised

• Other examples:• (Social Impact of the Program) ÷ (Cost of the Program)• (Social Impact of the Type of Good) ÷ (Cost of Distribution)


7 Step Framework Training Step 6:

Importance of synthesizing the findings

• A synthesize is NOT a number of facts- Fact are just descriptions of the created insights

• A synthesize is NOT a summary- A summary is a merely compiling the gathered facts to one general problem

• Synthesing all comes down to asking ‘so what’ questions- What implications to our findings have?

Many consultant teams do not invest sufficient time in synthesizing their findings. However, this often is one of the highest value-adding components of the consulting methodology.

Synthesis adds an insight that advances your thinking: daily example

SummaryI have lost my keys and passport and am behind on my tax return

SynthesisI have been sloppy

Facts▪ I have mislaid my keys ▪ My passport is not where I thought it

was▪ I am 2 months behind on my tax

return

Synthesis adds an insight that advances your thinking: Social Enterprise (SE) example

SummarySocial Enterprise is not having many conversations on social media, despite much of its target audience using it

SynthesisThe Social Enterprise is missing out on the social media opportunity

Facts▪ The Social Enterprise has low social

media engagement▪ A majority of the SE’s target

audience use social media frequently▪ Online cconversations about the SE

are happening without its input


7 Step Framework Training Step 7: Develop Recommendations

Why does it matter?

In order to convert all your hard work into valuable advice for your client, your recommendations should be concise, structured and comprehensive.In this training section, we will explore how to best develop recommendations. As an introduction, read the case study below and reflect on why well-formulated recommendations are important. In the next slides, we will go through techniques to write recommendations at best.

Case study

A team of 5 is working on a project, exploring options for a charity to raise funds. Team members work hard, are passionate about the cause, and collaborate with the client throughout the project. The latter is very pleased to see the project unfold and is impressed by the quality of the students’ reasoning. However, when he receives their final report and reads through the recommendations’ section, he is somewhat disappointed. The points that the consultants are trying to make are not clear to the client. He finds the recommendations too long, confusing and poorly structured. He goes back to them and asks for greater clarity.

Pause and reflect: how could the students have written clear recommendations from the start?

Key points

Your recommendations need to be:

• Concise: deliver your message clearly, using the least amount of words possible.• Structured: arrange your recommendations in a logical way, to help the reader understand your reasoning.• Comprehensive: make sure you provide recommendations for all aspects of the problem you are solving.

The next slides present techniques for you to develop such recommendations.

Concise recommendationsSay more with less

Just like in the example below, try to use fewer words to deliver the same message. The reader will understand your point better and your recommendations will have a greater impact.

Structured recommendationsSequence your arguments in a logical way

Overarching recommendation

How do you know that?

Fact/ analysis

Fact/ analysis

Fact/ analysis

Fact/ analysis

Fact/ analysis

Fact/ analysis

What? Why? or How? Action or

reasonAction or reason

Action or reason

When turning your recommendations into the final report, make sure they follow a certain structure, such as the one illustrated in the diagram below.


Below is an example illustrating the structure presented in the previous slide.

The NGO should invest in a social

media engagement strategy

Target audience mainly engages on a few platforms

The NGO has limited resources to leverage

There are not many conversations occurring

Target audience has control over the message

Events provide suitable topics for conversations

Social media conversations will help promote events

Target audience are interested in these events

The NGO should target ‘conversation drives’ around

key organisation events

The NGO should focus its efforts on platforms that are heavily used by the target

audience

The NGO should focus on driving and taking part in

online discussions


The storyboard is an additional planning tool that can be used to verify that your recommendations flow on from a structured reasoning. When scrolling through your final report or presentation, the action headlines should form a story guiding the client through your analysis, findings, and all the way to your recommendations.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY WITH HIGH- LEVEL THOUGHTS

THE CLIENT ISSUE AS WE UNDERSTAND IT IS (THAT THEY ARE LOSING SHARE OF MARKET)

THE CURRENT MAKEUP OF THE NATIONAL GROCERY MARKET IS THIS

THOSE WITH A LARGER SHARE OF MARKET HAVE THESE QUALITIES IN COMMON

THE CLIENT CURRENTLY HAS THESE QUALITIES IN COMMON

THE CLIENT RANK WITHIN THE NATIONAL GROCERY MARKET IN THESE WAYS

THE DYNAMICS WITH THE NATIONAL GROCERY MARKET ARE

THIS IS HOW THE CLIENT IS DISCTINCTIVE

THIS IS HOW THE HIGHEST RANKING GROCER IS DISTINCTIVE


Your report’s introduction should also be structured clearly. This increases your chances to ‘hook’ the reader into reading more of the report.

Recommendations

The introduction should tell a story, which includes

the following elements:

▪ Situation: gives the context and key facts in an

objective manner

▪ Complication: what happened (next) to trigger

the question

▪ Question: what the consulting report will attempt

to address

▪ Recommendations: what you recommend the

client should do

Situation

Complication

Question

Introduction

Comprehensive recommendationsCover all aspects of the problem

Check that:

▪ Your recommendations correspond to the question you are trying to solve.

▪ Your recommendations are within scope.

▪ Any barrier to implementing your recommendations have been considered.

Aspects of the problem you considered:

Scope of solution space?4Criteria for

success?3

Perspective/context?1 Stakeholders and

processes?2

Barriers to impact?5

Check that you haven’t missed any aspect of the problem you are trying to solve when making recommendations. That way, your analysis will be comprehensive and truly valuable.

Final tips

When writing recommendations, make sure you:

1. Keep it short • Aim to be as succinct as possible• Don’t include background information or general research unless it

is absolutely essential

2. Make it specific • Resist tendency to be vague and offer numerous different options• Recommendations should outline HOW to change not just WHAT to

change

3. Make it easy to read • Use numerous subtitles, bullet points, tables, graphs• Limit use of technical jargon or academic references


7 Step Framework Training Case Studies

§ Define the problem

§ Structure/ Break down the problem

§ Prioritize issues

§ Analysis plan & work plan

§ Conduct analysis

§ Synthesize findings

§ Develop recommendations

§ Problem statement: How can the NGO improve its operations in order to engage and retain its volunteers better?

§ Elements of the problem could be: a dysfunctional board of directors, the lack of induction and retention processes, and poor communication with volunteers.

§ Based on all the prioritization principles, it was concluded that the greater impact would be generated by: first revamping the board of directors, and second improving communication.

§ Develop an analysis plan detailing each issue, hypothesis, analysis, source and end-product. The work plan will specify who is responsible for delivering which end-product.

§ We are trying to prove that organizations with well-functioning boards and clear communication processes tend to engage and retain volunteers better.

§ More volunteers will be expected to be active and stay involved in the NGO, which will enable the organization to serve more vulnerable people and generate a greater impact.

§ The NGO should restructure its board by recruiting more members to it and by clarifying the duties and objectives of the president and vice-president. Communication could be improved by using social media and newsletters.

ACTIVITY RESULT OF THIS STEP

§ Think impact: What is the question you are trying to answer?

§ Think disaggregation and early hypothesis: What could be the key elements of the problem?

§ Think speed: Which part of the tree seems most important to the problem?

§ Think efficiency: Where and how should the team spend its time on?

§ Think evidence: What are we trying to (dis)prove?

§ Think So What: What are the implications of our findings?

§ Think potential solution: What should be done to best respond to the problem?

HOW-TO?

Initial situation of the client: The client complaints about having very inefficient operations. In addition, their volunteers are leaving the organization quite fast, often not very satisfied. The client suspect that there might be a relation between these two factors

§ Define the problem

§ Structure/ Break down the problem

§ Prioritize issues

§ Analysis plan & work plan

§ Conduct analysis

§ Synthesize findings

§ Develop recommendations

§ Problem statement: “What can charity X do to increase donation-income from status quo (20 million p.a.) to 35 million p.a. by next year?”

§ An issue tree where donation income is broken down into: a. Own website donations b. Crowd-funding-website donations c. Other online donations d. Charity event donations e. Other non-online donations (this tree is based on the “source of donations”, but one could also break down by region, size of donor, etc.

§ Prioritization of issues: a, e, b, c, d. Based on: E.g. informal expert interview (e.g. because the charity already does much events but little online fundraising effort, etc.) The dimension of prioritization is which is: 1. how much is the potential impact of this issue to the problem? And 2. How fast can it generate returns?

§ Analysis Plan:

§ Work Plan

§ Text

§ Text

§ Text

ACTIVITY RESULT OF THIS STEP

§ Think impact: What is the question you are trying to answer?

§ Think disaggregation and early hypothesis: What could be the key elements of the problem?

§ Think speed: Which part of the tree seems most important to the problem?

§ Think efficiency: Where and how should the team spend its time on?

§ Think evidence: What are we trying to (dis)prove?

§ Think So What: What are the implications of our findings?

§ Think potential solution: What should be done to best respond to the problem?

HOW-TO?

Initial situation of the client: Charity X is not happy with the amount of donations they receive and want to increase it in the very near future.

Global Consulting Team - 180dc.org

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