fmc analytical process map 16 01-01 - georgetown...

Frameworks, Methods & Contexts

FMC Toolkit

© K.E. Homa

Proprietary Material

Professor Ken HomaGeorgetown University

Analytical Process MapThinking Like a Consultant

Incomplete Without Extensive Oral Elaboration

Analytical Process MapSummary

• Four interconnected case tools:SCQ Analysis (Problem Definition)KIA Analysis (Key Issues Analysis)Work Plan (Responsibilities & Dates)Storyboard (“Ghost” Presentation)

• Geared to problem solving efficiency

• Highly iterative analytical process

• Strong end-product orientation:the final report and presentation

Case starting point is problem definition …

A facilitating tool for problem definition is SCQ Analysis:

Situation, Complication, Question

• Sometimes pronounced “seek analysis”

• Derived from basic story writing method

• Popularized by Pyramid Principle author Barbara Minto (McKinsey)

A facilitating tool for problem definition is SCQ Analysis:

Situation, Complication, Question

Minto, Pyramid Principle

Typical Format

Details

• Contextual … sets the study’s backdrop

• Self-sufficient … a standalone summary

• Fact-based … multi-sourced, verified

• Incontrovertible … elicits broad agreement

• Non-problematic … sets-up the Complication

Situation Complication Question

• Completes the case’s context(by adding a dose of tension)

• Summarizes the disruption to the status quo or the need for change

• Isolates a single key factor or dynamic(which is often a “Disturbing Event”)



“A Disturbing Event is what happens -- or what could happen or what would be likely to happen --in the near or far future -- to threaten the relatively stable situation described in the Situation, and thus, to potentially trigger an undesired result.”



A Disturbing Event can be …

• External: a change initiated elsewhere in the environment within which the structure/process takes place, e.g.

– Emergence of a new competitor– Conversion to a new technology– Shift in government or customer policy





• Internal: a change initiated by the company, e.g.– Revised a business process– Expanded into a new market– Repositioned the product line





• Internal: a change initiated by the company, e.g.– Revised a business process– Expanded into a new market– Repositioned the product line

• Metrics-revealed: an evident need for change, e.g.– Sub-par operating results– Ineffective policy or process– Shifting customer attitudes.


As in Jeopardy, always state your answer in the form of a question…

The SCQ’s Complication (or Disturbing Event) tees-up a case’s pivotal Question …

• Captures the scope & essence of the case

• Logically follows from the context established by the Situation and Complication

• Requires validation as the “right” question… type, subject, scope, impact

• Subject to iterative restatement for clarification or redirection … i.e. getting the question right


Some generic questions often get asked:

• Why isn’t what we are doing working?

• In this situation, what should we do?

• Should we do what we’re considering?

• How should we do what we’re considering?


The SCQ can be visualized as the first component on an Analytical Process Map …

Analytical Process Map

© K.E. Homa

The pivotal case Question from the SCQ Analysis is a direct linkage to, and the starting point for, the Key Issues Analysis (KIA) …

KeyQuestion

Details re: the KIA =>


© K.E. Homa

• The linkage between the SCQ and the Key Issues Analysis (KIA) is the SCQ Question.

• The KIA identifies and documents important sub-issues, related hypotheses and required analyses.

• Drill down from the SCQ Question

• MECE: Mutually Exclusive (no overlaps), Collectively Exhaustive (no gaps)

• Several supportive methods, including“5 Whys” and Logic Trees (Mind Maps)

Issues Hypotheses Analyses

Key Issues Analysis (KIA)Key Question:

• For efficiency, consultants’ problem solving methodology is generally hypothesis-driven

• That is, they conjecture likely answers and then try to validate or refute them

• Hypotheses are subject to iterative revision as facts and insights become available.

• Process focuses analytical efforts (versus broad scope exploratory investigations)




• Goal: proving or disproving hypotheses

• Fact-gathering via info searches, interviews and raw data collection.

• Extensive data set “mashing” and “cutting the data” … e.g. clustering

• Continual 80-20 re-focusing for efficiency

• Mindset: insights, not just calculations



The Key Issues Analysis (KIA) is often the basis for clarifying or redirecting the SCQ’s pivotal case question …

KeyQuestion

Sub-Issues

ProblemRestatement


© K.E. Homa

And, the Key Issues Analysis (KIA) is the basis for the case’s work plan …

KeyQuestion

Analyses

to Work Plan

Sub-Issues

ProblemRestatement


© K.E. Homa

A case’s work plan can be a “content map” that simply extends the KIA to assign responsibilities and due dates …

Issue Hypothesis Analysis Who / When

Key Issue Analysis – Work Plan

Acid Test: Is the list of KIA Issues Collectively Sufficient to answer the Key Question (and-or the client’s question)

Or, case work plans can be “process maps” that document responsibilities and due dates on Gantt Charts …

Work Plan – Process Map

Regardless of whether the case’s work plan is a content map or a process map, it’s tightly linked to the Key Issues Analysis…

KeyQuestion

Analyses

to Work Plan

Sub-Issues

ProblemRestatement


© K.E. Homa

Further, the Key Issues Analysis (KIA) is foundational to the case storyline …

KeyQuestion

Hypotheses

to Storyline

Sub-Issues

ProblemRestatement

Analyses

to Work Plan


© K.E. Homa

• Initially, a “ghost out” of the final presentation showing logic flows, slide headers & footers, illustrative proof points and charts

• Development starts early on in the process… within the cases first few days

• Generally organized following the “Pyramid Principle” … a conclusions-first hierarchal structure applying inductive & deductive logic

• Key supportive methodology is storyboarding

Case Storyline

Inductive

Deductive

Storyboarding

Eventually, the case storyline evolves to the final report’s pivotal conclusions and actionable recommendations …

KeyQuestion

Hypotheses

to Storyline

Sub-Issues

ProblemRestatement

Analyses

to Work Plan

Final Report


to Final ReportConclusions, Recommendations

© K.E. Homa

Importantly, during the problem solving process, storylining the final report may surface logic gaps or inconsistencies in the Key Issues Analysis …

KeyQuestion

Hypotheses

to Storyline

Sub-Issues

ProblemRestatement

Analyses

to Work Plan

Final Report

Logic Gaps



© K.E. Homa

And, storylining the final report may surface “evidence gaps” that call for additional fact-gathering or analyses …

KeyQuestion

Hypotheses

to Storyline

Sub-Issues

ProblemRestatement

Analyses

Final Report

Logic Gaps

to Work Plan

Evidence Gaps



© K.E. Homa

Again, the case storyline evolves to the final report’s pivotal conclusions and actionable recommendations …

KeyQuestion

Hypotheses

to Storyline

Sub-Issues

ProblemRestatement

Analyses

to Work Plan

Final Report



Logic Gaps

EvidenceGaps

© K.E. Homa

Closing the loop, the final step is verifying that the final report fits the SCQ’s context (Situation and Complication) and answers the Question …

KeyQuestion

Hypotheses

to Storyline

Sub-Issues

ProblemRestatement

Analyses

Final Reportto Final Report

Logic Gaps

toWorkPlan

EvidenceGaps


Answered Question?

Conclusions, Recommendations

© K.E. Homa

Putting it all together…

Analytical Process MapGeneral TakeAways

• Four interconnected case tools:SCQ, KIA, Work Plan, Storyline

• KIA is central to the APM … connectedto SCQ, Storyline and Work Plan

• Geared to problem solving efficiency

• Highly iterative analytical process

• Strong end-product orientation:the final report and presentation

Summarized on the APM =>

KeyQuestion

Hypotheses

to Storyline

Analyses

to Work Plan

Logic Gaps

Evidence Gaps

Sub-Issues

ProblemRestatement

Final Report


to Final Report

AnsweredQuestion?

Conclusions, Recommendations

© K.E. Homa

Frameworks, Methods & Contexts

FMC Toolkit

© K.E. Homa

Proprietary Material

Professor Ken HomaGeorgetown University

Analytical Process MapThinking Like a Consultant

Incomplete Without Extensive Oral Elaboration

fmc analytical process map 16 01-01 - georgetown...

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