180 Degrees Consulting DDUC

7 Step Framework
Global Consulting Team

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 Case study 2

John is the Managing Director of a medium-size Helena is the CEO of a not-for-profit organisation
charity that relies mostly on volunteers. He that is mostly funded by Government grants.
would like to attract more volunteers, and asks a She would like to attract social investors to
consultant to develop a new marketing campaign diversify her sources of funding. She asks a
for that purpose. The consultant does an consultant to identify high net worth individuals
excellent job and designs a successful marketing and funds likely to invest in her organisation.
campaign that immediately boosts the number of The consultant identifies a long list of potential
enquiries received by the charity. However, on investors, but they are reluctant to contribute
the long-term, John notices that the number of their capital to Helena’s organisation since there
volunteers stagnates. When analysing the is little evidence that it is producing a positive
situation further, the consultant realises that impact. The consultant realises that Helena
volunteers are often poorly inducted into the should rather focus on measuring her
organisation and rarely retained on the organisation’s impact before seeking social
long-term. The problem was actually due to poor investors.
operations rather than a lack of marketing.

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 6 steps that help define a problem rigorously and
systematically.
Problem definition in 6 steps

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

Test your problem definition Identify and classify stakeholders

6 1
with your client

Articulate the problem in a Problem Understand their vision and

5 definition
2
SMART way long-term objectives

Review the literature 4 3 Understand their current situation

1. Identify and classify stakeholders

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
Example Stakeholder mapping matrix

High
Role in program
Students
Ben runs a program whereby volunteers delivery

help young refugees learn and improve Volunteers Core

on their English. The program only
serves 80 young people at the moment,

Influence on program success

Direct

but Ben aims to grow it nationally in the Indirect

next 2 years. The consultant who helps Local community Parents

him do so prepares the matrix on the

Medium
right-hand side to map all the
Schools
stakeholders involved. While he knew
Governement
that the growth would involve getting
more students and volunteers on board,
he also realises that involving the
parents, the schools and the Government Friends

will also be critical. Potential employers

Low
Low Medium High
Interest in program success
2. Understand their vision and long-term objectives

The second step is to understand your client’s Example

vision and long-term objectives. The problem As mentioned in the previous slide, Ben
you will identify and the recommendations would like to grow his program nationally in
you will make could differ greatly depending the next 2 years. This may require getting
on your client’s aspirations. In order to the Government’s support and seeking
provide useful insight that your client will grants. If Ben wanted to turn his program
truly benefit from, you need to understand into a social business, the steps he would
how your assistance will help the organisation need to take would be different. They may
achieve its long-term objectives. involve measuring the organisation’s impact,
or seeking initial investment to kick-start the
business.
What all questions do you need to answer for
measuring the vision?
1) Who is the base population for your goal? Describe specifically who
or what your organisation is trying to impact.
2) What did you hope to achieve with this population? Describe,
ideally in language a 10-year-old would understand, what that
impact looks like.
3) Within this population, how many persons achieved it? This is the
kind of data you’ll capture to quantify the impact.
4) And if you want a rate: Divide the number at Step 3 by the number
of those in the base population from Step 1 (if you know that
population size).
3. Understand their current situation

You will also need to understand your client’s Example

current situation. What activities do they The consultant talks to Ben to understand
perform daily? What are some of the common what his typical day looks like, and what are
problems they face? What is preventing them some of his frustrations. Ben mentions that
from achieving their long-term objectives? he often faces difficulties recruiting new
When gathering this information, you may students into the program, because people
discover some issues that the client did not from culturally and linguistically diverse
previously share with you. 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.
How to judge the current situation?

Step 1 : Customer Analysis

Make a profile of the customers
-> Who are they ?
-> How did they find us ?
-> What they want to know ?
-> What they don’t know ?
-> What do they want from us ?
->Plain points
Step 2 : Product and Product Distribution Situation
Examine your current products and services and their ability to cater to the needs of your customers.

If you have distributors, you should also analyze them in terms of distribution channels, the needs of distributors, type and size
of distributors and also the various benefits received by the distributors and the company itself.

Step 3 : Analyze the Competitive Advantage

Conduct Different types of analysis like SWOT, PESTLE, Porter's 5 Forces, 5 C’s analysis
In or to determine your competitive advantage, you need to identify your core competitors, their product positioning, their strengths
and weaknesses.

Step 4 : Scan Your Environment

Investigate how internal factors such as available resources, skills of employees etc. and external factors such as
economic and political trends, can affect the performance of your organization.

The PESTLE analysis as well as the SWOT analysis can serve as useful environmental scanning tools.

At the end of a proper environmental scan you will be able to identify the opportunities and challenges in the face of
new development.
4. Review the literature

Before “re-inventing the wheel”, conduct a Example

quick review of the literature available. It is The consultant reviews the literature
possible that the problem you are starting to available to find some inspiration. He gathers
identify has occurred somewhere else. some useful insight about engaging with
Reviewing the way others have framed the culturally and linguistically diverse
problem and solved it can bring helpful populations, about common challenges for
insight to your analysis. mentoring programs, and about keys to
success to teach English. All these will help
1. Collect Relevant data him shape the problem and will inform his
2. Analyze the collected data analysis later on.
3. Engage with the employees for feedbacks
4. Analyze communication channels and
strategies
5. Look for the implementation of protocols
or workflows
5. Articulate the problem in a SMART way

Once you have completed all those steps, you Example of “problem”
will have a greater understanding of the How to grow the program so that at least
problem. It is time to articulate the 20% of the eligible population is enrolled in it
“problem”, meaning the basic question to be across all states within 2 years?
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
6. Test your problem definition with your client

Leaving your client out of the problem Example

definition step creates a greater risk of The consultant gets Ben’s feedback on the
misinterpreting the problem. While you problem he drafted. While Ben is overall
should not need to much time or efforts to satisfied with it, he adds some details thus
test your understanding with your client, it is guaranteeing that the problem has been
a crucial step. It can lay the foundation for a defined comprehensively.
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.
Final tips

Do’s Don’ts
- Analyse all information with an open mind - Do not think you know what the problem is
and question all your assumptions. straight away.

- Engage with your clients; they know their - Define the problem in isolation of the
organisation better than anyone else! Test client. Your analysis should not be a “black
your understanding and your analysis with box” or a “secret” that you reveal at the
them, and give them an opportunity to end of your consulting assignment.
correct you if you’re making false
assumptions.
- Define the problem in isolation of your
team mates. If you think you have a great
- Brainstorm and discuss with your team idea, then you should feel confident
mates. testing it with others.
 Pause and Reflect

Conduct an exercise and frame the problem definition of your life.

Take the following assumptions :
1. Suppose that in place of the organization you have placed yourself.
2. Identify the stakeholders in your life.
3. What is your long term vision and objectives.
4. Understand your current situation
5. Review your daily operations
6. Articulate your problem in SMART way
7. Ask yourself and your peers so you can test the problem
 Pause and Reflect

You’re a consultant working at a MBB, the executives of Flipkart want you to

analyze their company and form a hypothesis/ problem statement for them.

(Go about in the same way, and articulate your problem statement that why
Flipkart is going into loss)
Global Consulting Team

7 Step Framework Training

Step 2: Break the problem into issues
The 5 why ?
When applying the 5 Whys technique, you
want to get to the problem's essence and
then fix it. Actually, the 5 Whys may show
you that the source of the problem is quite
unexpected.
Often, issues that are considered a
technical problem actually turn out to be
human and process problems.
This is why finding and eliminating the root
cause is crucial if you want to avoid
iteration of failures.
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 is an issue tree and when is it useful?

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
How to build a good issue tree?
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
🡪 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 women
🡪 NOT MECE: rich women can also be part of the two other groups
A B C A 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?
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?
WHY? Key Advantages

▪ Facilitates planning ▪ Facilitates ▪ Facilitates

– Working in parallel problem-solving communication
possible – Parts of problem – Concentration on
– Difficulties easier to easier to handle key topics
detect – Ensures – Context clearer
– Scheduling more completeness
transparent – Focused topics more
– Goal-oriented approach easily recognizable

Exercise End product

Idea 1

▪ Structure the following problem by

means of an issue tree Time: Qu. Idea 2
– How can I have more money at the 5 min
end of the month without running
up debts?
Idea 3
Example – Potential Solution
Inheritance
Legal
Receive an unexpected Lottery win
windfall
Illegal
Increase Achieve a higher in-
income come from investments Overtime
Work longer hours
Second job
Earn more money at work
Earn more per Take on a better job
hour Other industry with higher pay
How can I have more
money at the end of
the month without Buy products of
running up debts? lesser quality
Pay less for the same
quantity
Take advantage
of special offers

Reduce Food
expenditures

Buy less Equipment

Entertainment

Other
Exercise – Increase Profit Margin

How can Food S.A. increase the

profit margin by 2 %-points by
2015?
Exercise – Potential Solution
Increase price
Increase
marketing
Grow sales
Add new
products
Increase volume
How can Food S.A. Change product
increase the profit assortment
margin by 2 %-points
by 2015? Automatic
cashier
Increase
automation
Reduce Stocktaking
costs/unit
Increase private
label
Global Consulting Team

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
The 4 pillars of prioritization The 80-20 Rule

Use judgment/intuition Involve your team Polishing

Focusing
on impact

Time and Benefit for

Do back-of-the- effort problem solving
Take risks
envelope calculations 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
Issue 1 ▪ First step in constant,
iterative refinement
process
Issue 2 ▪ Prioritizes your effort on
what is most important
Problem
statement ▪ Helps ask “so what” . . .
Issue 3 but also ask what you’ve
forgotten
▪ Is the key to working
efficiently and having a
Issue 4
better lifestyle
How and when to use prioritization?
Good prioritization is key in order to solve a complex problem in an efficient and effective
way

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

1. Decide on the items you want to prioritize 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)
E.g. To-do lists, investments, strategic options, etc.

2. Identify the dimension(s) you want to prioritize the issues on. 2. The most common dimension when prioritizing issues of
the tree is impact (i.e. which issue most likely has the
E.g. Costs, time/urgency, ROI, importance, effectiveness, impact, largest impact on the problem)
feasibility, quick-wins, risk, etc.
3. Rank issues of the tree according to the dimension (e.g.
3. Evaluate items according to the identified dimension. If multiple impact/effectiveness). Use desk research, common
dimensions are important a prioritization matrix can be build. sense or expert opinion for this purpose

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

4. Develop a working plan and start with the most
4. Start working your way down the prioritization matrix as far as
promising issue of the tree
resources allow

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.)
Examples of prioritization matrices ....

When should I do what? Which solution should be implemented first?

Urgency vs. importance Anticipated benefit vs. ease of implementation

Very High
Do it next Do it now 2nd priority 1st priority
urgent benefit

Not Do it never Do it later Low 4th priority 3rd priority

urgent benefit

Not Very Difficult Easy

important important
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 enough

information 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 for social projects ....

Low cost Easy/likely

Financial viability

Implementation
Medium Plausible

High Challenging
cost /unlikely

Low Medium High Low Medium High

Social impact Social impact

In-depth example of issue prioritization (1/2)
Ideas for prioritization

• Step 1: Select ideas for prioritization Disconnect/ Use control/time switch systems
dismantle
installations Dismantle/disconnect superfluous
energy consumers
Reduce energy
consumers
Optimize regulating systems
Reduce capacity
level Reduce/replace energy consumers/
Cut power generators
consumption Increase technical efficiency of
system parts
Increase efficiency
Extend/renew technological basis
How can the Improve use
company reduce of energy Intensify recovery (e.g., heat
energy costs by Minimize loss exchangers)
20% by the middle of energy
of next year, Improve insulation
without
compromising Capture advantages of bundled
production Optimize purchasing
quality? providers' tariffs
Beat down prices to market level
Use cheaper energy
providers
Contract from regional providers
Reduce Substitute energy
costs/unit provider
Contract from national providers
Optimize the mix
of energy carriers
In-depth example of issue prioritization (2/2)
• Step 2: Use prioritization matrix Estimated
financial
"Just contribution
No. Idea €m p.a.
needs to
be done" Disconnect/dismantl
1 190
e installations
High
5 6
2 Reduce capacity 280

"Difficult,
important Focus
1 3 Increase efficiency 380
Feasibility lever" of further
work
7 Minimize loss of
4 4 410
energy
2
3 Optimize providers'
5 350
Low tariffs

Low High Substitute energy

6 provider 400
Financial contribution

Optimize the mix

7 230
of energy carriers
Global Consulting Team

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.
Issue(s) Hypotheses Supporting rationales Analyses Sources End-product

List the Explain Specify the

elements what likely Specify
List the Make
that make should be location or what the
issue(s) that hypothese
you think explored means of end-prod
your team s on how
each to confirm obtaining uct
has to solve to solve
hypothesis or refute data to should
for the client the issues
is a the carry out be
possibility hypothesis analysis
Global Consulting Team

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 Include all the Think about your Attribute each
that your team will end-products that the timeframe: sequence hypothesis and
analyse team aims to deliver tasks and set end-product to a team
deadlines member
The building blocks in more details
1. Hypotheses 3. Timeframes 4. Accountability

As per the “issue analysis plan” (see Step Once you have listed all the hypotheses Make sure you attribute each of the
4-a), make sure that all hypotheses taken and end-products, think about the end-product to one or several team
into account are included in your work timeframes necessary to complete them. members. That way, it is clear who is
plan. Start by setting a timeline for each of doing what and when.
them (see example in the next slide). Make sure to clarify people’s availability
2. End-products Work backward, from the deadline of your throughout the period, and try to
final end-product to today, to decide what accommodate any constraint they may
deadline each of them should be bound have.
The second building block consists in to.
going back to your “issue analysis plan”,
and listing all the end-products that the Think about the sequence of each tasks:
team will have to deliver. 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.
Global Consulting Team

7 Step Framework Training

Step 5: conduct analyses
Exercise – what types of analyses can you use to
prove or disprove hypotheses
• industry reports – research from people who have expertise in this
area
• What are the • interview based work – qualitative information
types of - phone interviews/surveys with customers/stakeholders

analysis that • scenario analysis

- models should be based on reasonable assumptions – only as
you can do in good as what is put in
order to - provide range and sets of assumptions for particular situation to
realize
develop a
• market research
fact-based • analogous reasoning – sometimes need to look for something similar
answer? - does not necessarily have to be in the same field, just need to
ensure that they share similar characteristics (e.g. – compare bank
• What types of v telecoms due to large customer base)
analysis have • benchmarks – e.g.: global best practices, public reports (financial
you used statements analysis)
• media analysis
before?
• 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
Example analysis – social impact matrix
Financial viability

Low cost

Medium

High cost

Low Medium High

Social impact

53
Global Consulting Team

7 Step Framework Training

Step 6: synthesize findings
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
Summary Synthesis
I have lost my keys and passport I have been sloppy
and am behind on my tax return

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
Summary Synthesis
Social Enterprise is not having The Social Enterprise is missing
many conversations on social out on the social media
media, despite much of its target opportunity
audience using it

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
Global Consulting Team

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

Overarching
recommendation

What? Why? or
Action or Action or Action or
How? reason reason reason

How do you know Fact/ Fact/ Fact/ Fact/ Fact/ Fact/

that? analysis analysis analysis analysis analysis analysis
Structured recommendations
Sequence your arguments in a logical way
Below is an example illustrating the structure presented in the previous slide.

The NGO should

invest in a social
media engagement
strategy

The NGO should target The NGO should focus its

The NGO should focus on
‘conversation drives’ around efforts on platforms that are
driving and taking part in
key organisation events heavily used by the target
online discussions
audience

There are not Social media Target audience

Target audience Events provide Target audience The NGO has
many conversations will mainly engages
has control over suitable topics for are interested in limited resources
conversations help promote on a few
the message conversations these events to leverage
occurring events platforms
Structured recommendations
Sequence your arguments in a logical way
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 THE CLIENT ISSUE AS WE THE CURRENT MAKEUP OF

HIGH- LEVEL THOUGHTS UNDERSTAND IT IS (THAT THE NATIONAL GROCERY
THEY ARE LOSING SHARE OF MARKET IS THIS
MARKET)

THOSE WITH A LARGER THE CLIENT CURRENTLY HAS THE CLIENT RANK WITHIN
SHARE OF MARKET HAVE THESE QUALITIES IN THE NATIONAL GROCERY
THESE QUALITIES IN COMMON MARKET IN THESE WAYS
COMMON

THE DYNAMICS WITH THE THIS IS HOW THE CLIENT IS THIS IS HOW THE HIGHEST
NATIONAL GROCERY DISCTINCTIVE RANKING GROCER IS
MARKET ARE DISTINCTIVE
Structured recommendations
Sequence your arguments in a logical way

Your report’s introduction should also be structured clearly. This increases your chances to ‘hook’ the reader into
reading more of the report.
Introducti
on Situati
The introduction should tell a story, which includes
on
the following elements: Complicati
▪ Situation: gives the context and key facts in an on
Questi
objective manner on
▪ Complication: what happened (next) to trigger
Recommendations
the question

▪ Question: what the consulting report will attempt

to address

▪ Recommendations: what you recommend the

client should do
Comprehensive recommendations
Cover all aspects of the problem

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.

Check that:
Aspects of the problem you considered:

▪ Your recommendations correspond

Perspective/ Stakeholders and
1 2 to the question you are trying to
context? processes?
solve.
▪ Your recommendations are within
Criteria for Scope of solution scope.
3 4
success? space?
▪ Any barrier to implementing your
recommendations have been
Barriers to considered.
5
impact?
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
Back-up information
 Think impact:
What do we
When do we need to know?
KNOW what that
is? 1 2 3
Define the Break the pro- Prioriti
problem blem into ze
issues issues
Problem

4 5 6 7
Build a Conduct Interpret Tell the
detailed work critical find- story
plan analyses ings and Do it
build again!
argument
Overview of steps
Example Below is an example of issue analysis plan. And note, this is a team exercise!

Supporting
Issues Hypotheses rationales Analyses Sources End-product

Issue #1: Hypothesis #1.1: Rationale #1.1: For both hypotheses: For both hypotheses: For both hypotheses:
An NGO would Conduct a one-off Easier & quicker way - Conduct a literature - Publicly available - A 4-page summary of
like to know what social impact to measure impact review resources the literature review
is the best way evaluation - Summarise the key - Resources provided by - A matrix mapping each
for them to features of each impact the NGO (annual method’s features
measure their Hypothesis #1.2: Rationale #1.2: measurement method reports, etc.) against the NGO’s
social impact. Establish a More complex but - Cross-check against the - Consultations with key priorities
framework for more comprehensive organisation’s priorities stakeholders of the
ongoing impact solution NGO
measurement

Issue #2: Hypothesis #2.1: Rationale #2.1: For both hypotheses: For both hypotheses: For both hypotheses:
They also would Train/recruit staff to Value-for-money for - Identify and value all - Publicly available - The Excel sheet
like to know what measure impact the organisation on the costs attached to each resources showing all calculations
is the most in-house long-run hypothesis - Resources provided by and sources of cost
cost-efficient way - Identify and value the the NGO (annual information
for them to do Hypothesis #2.2: Rationale #2.2: benefits where possible reports, etc.) - A short summary of all
so. Outsource the work Value-for-money on - Compare both options’ - Consultations with key qualitative benefits and
to consultants the short-term & overall cost-benefit ratio stakeholders of the a 1-page report
independence of NGO presenting the final
findings cost-benefit ratios
Example
See below an example of work plan. We recommend that you use Excel to prepare yours.
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 grants
2. Collecting money on the streets
3. 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)