Skip to main content

Part II

PART II: Decipher The Case

Chapter 3: Don’t Solve the Case Until You Understand the Case

Video: How to Read a Case the Right Way: Stop Wasting Time and Start Seeing What Matters

Before you reach for a framework, stop. Ask: What is this case really about? A case may contain:

  • declining sales;
  • a new competitor;
  • unhappy employees;
  • changing customer preferences;
  • financial problems;
  • operational challenges;
  • technological disruption;
  • sustainability concerns;
  • or dozens of other facts.

But the case rarely asks you to solve all of them. Your first job is to decipher the case.

What Does “Decipher” Mean?

Deciphering means turning a large amount of information into a clear understanding of:

  1. What is happening?
  2. Why does it matter?
  3. What is the real problem?
  4. What decision needs to be made?
  5. What constraints matter?
  6. What does success look like?

The objective is not to analyse everything. The objective is to identify what deserves analysis.

The Deciphering Questions

Before beginning detailed analysis, ask:

  • The Organization
    • Who are we advising?
    • What does the organisation actually do?
    • How does it create value?
    • How does it make money or create impact?
    • Who are its most important stakeholders?
  • The Situation
    • What is happening now?
    • What has changed?
    • What is driving the change?
    • What happens if nothing changes?
  • The Problem
    • What is the central challenge?
    • What is the symptom?
    • What is the root cause?
    • Which issue matters most?
  • The Decision
    • What decision must management make?
    • What are they deciding between?
    • What constraints exist?
    • What criteria should determine the decision?
  • The Future
    • What happens if the organisation succeeds?
    • What happens if it fails?
    • What would the organisation need to accomplish for the solution to work?

Deciphering Case Characteristics

Not every case should be solved the same way. A major case-solving skill is recognising the case's characteristics. Ask yourself:

  • Is this primarily a growth problem? You may need to investigate:
    • customers;
    • markets;
    • products;
    • channels;
    • pricing;
    • competitive position;
    • market size.
  • Is this primarily a profitability problem? You may need to investigate:
    • revenue;
    • pricing;
    • volume;
    • costs;
    • margins;
    •  operations;
    • customer mix.
  • Is this primarily a strategic choice? You may need to focus heavily on:
    • alternatives;
    • decision criteria;
    • strategic fit;
    • capabilities;
    • risk;
    • financial impact.
  • Is this primarily an implementation problem? The analysis may be less about finding the idea and more about determining:
    • resources;
    • capabilities;
    • timing;
    • ownership;
    • dependencies;
    • risks;
    •  KPIs.
  • Is this a stakeholder problem? You may need to understand:
    • stakeholder interests;
    • competing objectives;
    • power;
    • influence;
    • incentives;
    • trade-offs.
  • Is this a crisis?
    • Speed, risk, liquidity, reputation, and immediate action may matter more than long-term optimisation.

The point is not to label the case perfectly. The point is to recognise: What kind of thinking does this case require?

The Case-Solving Rule

Don’t start with a framework. Start with a question.

Then select the framework that helps answer that question.

 Chapter 4: What Business Are They Really In?

Video: Where Do We Even Start: The Steps to Solve a Case

Resource: There is a case-solving tool developed in Excel by Cam Welsh that follows this process, available at https://buymeacoffee.com/treadsoftly.

Before analysing an organisation, understand its business model. One of the most useful questions you can ask is: What business is this organisation really in? The obvious answer may not be the strategic answer. For example, an organisation may appear to sell a particular product, but the real source of value may be:

  • convenience;
  • access;
  • relationships;
  • data;
  • distribution;
  • trust;
  • experience;
  •  infrastructure;
  • or another capability.

The answer changes the way you analyse the organisation.

The Business Decode

Complete this sentence:

This organization is really in the business of __________ because __________.

Then answer:

  • The organization creates value by __________.
  • The organization captures value by __________.
  • Its most important customers/stakeholders are __________.
  • Its biggest current challenge is __________.

This simple exercise can prevent your team from analysing the wrong problem.

Back to top