bc case start-up december 1998 copyright© 1998 bain & company, inc. authors:dianna magnani and...

bc

Case Start-Up

December 1998Copyright© 1998 Bain & Company, Inc.

Authors: Dianna Magnaniand Robert Murray

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Copyright© 1998 Bain & Company, Inc.

Case Start-Up

BOS

Agenda

•Elements of Effective Case Start-Up

–Develop an Answer-First Workplan

–Build Strong Relationships

–Run an Effective Caseteam Kickoff Meeting

–Establish an Efficient Process

•Key Takeaways

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Case Start-Up

BOS

Getting your caseteam off to a successful start involves developing an answer-first workplan; building strong relationships with your VP/manager, caseteam members, and clients; running an effective caseteam kickoff meeting; and establishing an efficient process for getting the work done.

•At Bain

•At the client

•Establish clear objectives

•Prepare materials in advance

•Manage the meeting logistics

•Learn about the client and the industry

•Understand the client’s situation and the goals of the case

Build Strong Relationships

Run an Effective Caseteam Kickoff

Meeting

Establish an Efficient Process

Develop an Answer-First Workplan

Case Start-Up Requirements

•With the VP/manager

•With individual caseteam members

•With the client project leader

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Case Start-Up

BOS

Developing an effective answer-first workplan is critical to having a successful case start-up. Some things you should consider when preparing a workplan are:

Understand the Client’s Situation and the Goals of the Case

Learn about the Client and the Industry

Meet with VP/manager to discuss:objectives/deliverables

project scope

major issues

approach

timing/deadlines

client background/ any previous Bain work

Check BRAVA and the BVU to see if Bain has worked for competitors and to become familiar with the industry, analytic frameworks, and any prior work for client

Obtain a copy of:

Contact practice area head for insights and additional materials

Call library to request literature search on client/industry and order relevant subscriptions

Develop a Red Book

Meet with client project leader to confirm understanding of project:

goals key deliverables timingmain elements of approach key decisions that must be made, by whom, when

Develop an Answer-First Workplan

the proposal client annual reportsclient product/service descriptionsclient organizational chartsclient industry overview materials

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Case Start-Up

BOS

Meeting with the VP/manager, caseteam members, and client project leader during start-up will allow you to:

•Agree on case objectives and deliverables

•Establish an overall timeline and first-pass deadlines

•Nail down roles and responsibilities

•Obtain important client information

•Understand team members’ professional development goals

•Discuss work styles

Build Strong Relationships

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Case Start-Up

BOS

• Role of case in overall client relationship

• Key players

• Process for interacting with client (meetings, presentations)

• Background/any previous Bain work

• Sensitivities

• Potential conflicts with other clients

The Client Work Styles

• Your professional development goals

• Staffing

• Team structure and reporting relationships

• Team mapping to client

• Frequency of and method for updates

– between CTL and VP/manager

– between Bain and client

• Degree of VP/manager involvement

– with caseteam– with client

• If multiple VPs/managers, division of responsibilities

• Responsibility for scheduling client meetings, pre-wires, and presentations

• Objectives/deliverables

• Project scope

• Major issues

• Approach

• Timing/deadlines

The Case The Team

The first meeting you should schedule is with the VP/manager. Topics to discuss include:

The preliminary answer-first

workplan

Build a Strong Relationship with the VP/Manager

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Case Start-Up

BOS

• General client background

• Overall case objectives and deliverables

• Timing/deadlines

• Potential workstreams (objectives, types of work, amount of client contact)

The Client and Case

Work Styles (Yours and

Theirs)

• Frequency of and method for updates

• Likes/dislikes – late nights– last minute

crunches–weekend work–early morning

meetings

• Travel preferences

• Previous work experience/Bain cases

• Strengths and weaknesses

• Professional development goals/skill plan/HLAs

• Types of work they like/dislike

The Team Member

Meeting one-on-one with caseteam members gives you an opportunity to communicate your enthusiasm about the case, to learn about their professional development goals, and to discuss work styles.

Build Strong Relationships with Individual Caseteam Members

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Case Start-Up

BOS

One-on-one meetings are the first step in ongoing team management.

Hallway Conversations

One-on-One Meetings

Voicemails Caseteam

Kick-off Meeting

Actively seek opportunities for formal and informal interactions to keep

connected to the team

Ongoing Team Interactions

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Case Start-Up

BOS

• Frequency and means of communicating deliverables

• Client’s role vs. Bain’s role

– provide data – analyze data– prepare

presentations– review presentation

drafts

• First-pass client/Bain team mapping

Bain/Client Relationship

Major Meetings

• Related work (client internal studies, other consultants’ work, purchased studies and data)

• Initial data request

• Key client contacts (names, phone numbers, E-mail addresses)

• Client kick-off meeting

• Major presentations

• Working sessions

• Goals

• Key deliverables

• Timing

• Main elements of approach

• Key decisions that must be made, by whom, when

The CaseClient

Information

Meeting with the client project leader during the start-up phase will enable you to reiterate the case objectives and deliverables, discuss roles and responsibilities, obtain necessary client information, and schedule important meetings.

Build a Strong Relationship with the Client Project Leader

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Case Start-Up

BOS

Extensive preparation is required to have an effective caseteam kick-off meeting.

Run an Effective Caseteam Kickoff Meeting

Prepare Materials in Advance

Bain policies

Content (select slides from proposal, Red Book)

Team logistics/information

Client logistics/Information

– confidentiality– records management– travel– expense guidelines

– contact list – directions– hotel information– flight schedules

– case code– distribution list– calendar with key deadlines

Manage the Meeting Logistics

Attendance (Required of all consultant staff, including VPs. Required of administrative staff during ground rules and logistics discussions.)

Meeting room (reserve for at least two and a half hours)

Breakfast or lunch, as appropriate

Establish Clear Objectives

Outline main goals of case and what each person’s role will be

Seek to appear organized and in control

Consider team ground rules

Think of ways to generate excitement about case

Meeting agenda

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Case Start-Up

BOS

•Team Member Introductions

•Case Background–content–objective–critical issues–approach

•Client Overview–company description –organization –client team members

•Workplan–answer first–deliverables/tasks/activities–team structure–roles and responsibilities

Sample Agenda (1 of 2)

Agenda Item Time Required

15 minutes

15 minutes

20 minutes

30 minutes

Here is a sample agenda for a two and a half hour caseteam kickoff meeting.

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Case Start-Up

BOS

•Team Ground Rules

•Bain Policies –confidentiality–records management–travel–expense guidelines

•Client Logistics/Information–contact list–directions–hotel information –flight schedules

•Team Logistics/Information–case code–distribution lists–calendar with key deadlines

Sample Agenda (2 of 2)

Agenda Item Time Required

15 minutes

25 minutes

15 minutes

15 minutes

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Case Start-Up

BOS

Agenda Item Example Approach

•Team Member Introductions

•Case Background– content– objectives– critical issues– approach

•Client Overview– company description– organization – client team members

•Workplan– answer first– deliverables/tasks/activities– team structure– roles and responsibilities

•Go around room, ask everyone to describe his/her background and interests and what he/she hopes to get out of the case

•Describe case background, tell why you are excited about the case

•Use slides from proposal and start-up materials

•Clarify critical issues and business decisions

• Introduce client company, including important products/services

•Show organizational chart, identifying key clients

•Describe client sensitivities

•Use prepared answer-first logic pyramid, and deliverables and timeline slides (or have team brainstorm hypothesis and answer-first logic pyramid)

•Obtain input from team regarding tasks and activities

•Discuss areas of relative over-emphasis or under- emphasis” based on client context

• Identify critical path activities and potential roadblocks

Bring the Agenda to Life (1 of 3)

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Case Start-Up

BOS

•Team Ground Rules•Brainstorm list of ground rules with team. List should include the following topics:

– importance of punctuality– work styles (nights, weekends)– communication methods (voicemail, E-mail, fax)– communication styles (level of directness, openness)– feedback protocols (frequency, venue) – protocols for working with assistants



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BOS


•Bain Policies/Client Logistics/Team Logistics

•Review rules (use of other caseteams’ materials, research techniques, experience sharing with other teams)

•Review importance of records management and basic procedure for caseteam filing and document archiving and destruction

•Discuss expected frequency of travel, how to get to client, security passes/building access rules

•Review relevant travel and expense guidelines

•Ask for volunteer to coordinate first caseteam event

•Distribute calendars – include project deadlines, scheduled client meetings, holidays– ask team to add vacation schedules, Bain internal activities (e.g., training, recruiting)

•Schedule regular caseteam meetings


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Case Start-Up

BOS

Managing process details at both Bain and the client will ensure a smooth workflow.

At the ClientAt Bain

Ask finance for case code

Work with caseteam assistant to establish production and caseteam filing procedures

Contact MIS/IT to establish caseteam folders on shared drives and discuss any specific MIS/IT requirements

Ensure graphics has client logo

Identify client administration contact to support team

Investigate hotel rates, taxi accounts, and other travel arrangements

Discuss facility requirements at client site (office space, printer and fax access, phone lines, etc.)

Arrange for security passes/building access at client

Establish an Efficient Process

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Case Start-Up

BOS

Agenda

•Elements of Effective Case Start-Up

–Develop an Answer-First Workplan

–Build Strong Relationships

–Run an Effective Caseteam Kickoff Meeting

–Establish an Efficient Process

•Key Takeaways

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Case Start-Up

BOS

•Caseteam leaders must invest heavily during the first couple of weeks of a case to ensure a successful start-up

•Developing an answer-first workplan is critical to focusing the team and the client on the most leveraged issues

•Building strong relationships with your VP/manager, caseteam, and client project leader will facilitate communication and help you create a team environment

•Running an effective caseteam kick-off meeting will help you motivate your team and get them off to a fast start

•Establishing an efficient work process at both Bain and the client will ensure a smooth workflow

Key Takeaways

bc case start-up december 1998 copyright© 1998 bain & company, inc. authors:dianna magnani and...

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