Case Study Workshop Slides 21oct

WELCOME!
BCG CASE STUDY WORKSHOP
1
Introducing today's BCG team
Ravi Hanspal James Burrow Jonas Hermans

Project Leader Consultant Associate
Copyright © 2017 by The Boston Consulting Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
Jessica Hart Matt Sarre Heather Cameron-Watt
Associate Associate Senior Associate
Bryony Bunker Jasper Lim

Claire Eason
University Recruiter Senior Associate
University Recruiter
2
Our consulting interview comprises 3 components...
Interview stage What we look for in candidates

The personal interview (10-25 mins) Opportunity to highlight and provide detail on
An open discussion on your prior experiences, experiences from your CV
accomplishments and motivations • Including updates on various pursuits
The Case Study (20-25 mins) Promising range of consulting skills

Focus for today
Work through a typical business problem you would • Effective communication
confront at BCG • Structured thinking
• Data analysis/processing
• Business intuition and problem solving
Q&A (5-10 mins) Not a test: our chance to provide answers to

Your chance to ask questions lingering questions about the job
3
Tips on preparing for the case interview
Personal Start thinking about answers to common questions

interview
• Discuss a time when you had to work in a team / exercise leadership
• Example of a conflict or challenge you had to overcome
• Where do you see yourself in 5-10 years?
• What is your biggest strength / weakness?
• Tell me about yourself!
Case study Practice makes perfect!
• Practice with family and friends to get comfortable with expressing yourself
• Get feedback on your communication skills
• Practice giving interviews to a friend and observe their communication style
• Read through example cases to familiarise yourself with different situations
• Use online resources for additional tips and tricks
4
Five key BCG success factors for problem solving
Focus for this session
1. Define the real 2. Generate and 3. Plan your work 4. Selectively focus 5. Always have an
problem structure hypotheses your work answer
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1. Make your problem SCQ
Situation | Complication | Question
Situation Complication Question

Definitions Recognized stable situation Something went wrong What did we do?
Something could go wrong How can we prevent it?
Something changed What should we do?
Something could change How should we react?
Here’s what you might expect Do we find it?

to find
In this situation we have Who is right?
three alternatives
Example Company A has been the undisputed However, in the last year, Company A How can we effectively compete with
market leader for 10 years has lost 10% share to new market Competitor X to maintain our position
entrant, Competitor X as market leader?
Source: Barbara Minto, The Pyramid Principle 6

1. EXERCISE 1 | Formulating SCQ
We will discuss results in 5 minutes
Company A has a market forecasting system that gives inaccurate forecasts, which lead to
inefficiencies within the supply chain. Stock levels and production planning could be more
Exercise 1A efficient if the forecasts were more accurate. Therefore, Company A wants to increase accuracy
of forecasts
To manage manufacturing processes according to defined standards, Company B is working with
a procedures manual that describes how each process should be executed. Various people within
Exercise 1B the company can make additions to the manual and update procedures. To ensure compatibility
among the different procedures, it is important that all updates are done in the same way, but it
is not clear how to ensure this
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1. EXERCISE 1 | Formulating SCQ
How can SCQ be applied while at university?
Situation | The present forecasting system is X

Exercise 1A Complication | The system gives inaccurate forecasts
Question | What should we change to make it work properly?
Situation | We have a manual covering activities in which nonconformity of action would be
detrimental. From time to time this manual needs updating
Exercise 1B Complication: |To ensure compatibility, it is important to follow the same procedure
Question | What should be this unique procedure?
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2. Generate and structure hypotheses
Apply the pyramid principle
The Pyramid Principle states that ideas are easier to grasp if they
• Are organized as a pyramid under a single point
• Are directed toward the question in your audience’s minds
• Are MECE—Mutually exclusive, collectively exhaustive
• No more than seven arguments in a group
MECE Pyramid
This structure results in a clear, concise message
• Grasped quickly by the audience
• Developed with minimum hassle by the creator
• Leading to action where required
• Saving time at all levels of a project team
Saves you from “boiling the ocean”

Source: Barbara Minto, The Pyramid Principle. 9
2. Exercise 1 | What is wrong here?
I need
groceries
I need I need I need I need I need I need I need

I need milk
bananas spinach carrots yogurt grapes apples butter
How could this hypothesis tree be improved?

10
I need
groceries
I need
I need fruit I need veg.
dairy
I need I need I need I need I need I need I need

I need milk
bananas grapes apples yogurt butter spinach carrots
There should be no more than seven arguments in one group

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If we stop
production at site
X, we can dispose
of all assets
All machinery, The plant manager Operators can be

We can sell the
equipment, and can replace the used at site B The foremen can be
site and building to
staff can be re-used retiring manager at where throughput is used in new site C
party Y
at other sites site A growing
12
We can become
more profitable by
expanding into the
wine industry
We have the We have the

The wine industry is Other industries are
capabilities to resources to expand
profitable not as attractive
expand into wine into wine
13
Try to apply How much money was spent on TVs
this structure in London in the last year?
to the following How many litres of petroleum were
purchased in the UK in the last year?
questions How many people are in the air on

commercial planes right now?
14
The services and materials provided by The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) are subject to BCG's Standard Terms
(a copy of which is available upon request) or such other agreement as may have been previously executed by BCG.
BCG does not provide legal, accounting, or tax advice. The Client is responsible for obtaining independent advice
concerning these matters. This advice may affect the guidance given by BCG. Further, BCG has made no undertaking
to update these materials after the date hereof, notwithstanding that such information may become outdated
or inaccurate.

The materials contained in this presentation are designed for the sole use by the board of directors or senior
management of the Client and solely for the limited purposes described in the presentation. The materials shall not be
copied or given to any person or entity other than the Client (“Third Party”) without the prior written consent of BCG.
Disclaimer
These materials serve only as the focus for discussion; they are incomplete without the accompanying oral commentary
and may not be relied on as a stand-alone document. Further, Third Parties may not, and it is unreasonable for any
Third Party to, rely on these materials for any purpose whatsoever. To the fullest extent permitted by law (and except
to the extent otherwise agreed in a signed writing by BCG), BCG shall have no liability whatsoever to any Third Party,
and any Third Party hereby waives any rights and claims it may have at any time against BCG with regard to the
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this document shall be deemed agreement with and consideration for the foregoing.
BCG does not provide fairness opinions or valuations of market transactions, and these materials should not be relied on
or construed as such. Further, the financial evaluations, projected market and financial information, and conclusions
contained in these materials are based upon standard valuation methodologies, are not definitive forecasts, and are not
guaranteed by BCG. BCG has used public and/or confidential data and assumptions provided to BCG by the Client.
BCG has not independently verified the data and assumptions used in these analyses. Changes in the underlying data or
operating assumptions will clearly impact the analyses and conclusions.
15
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WELCOME!

BCG CASE STUDY WORKSHOP

Ravi Hanspal James Burrow Jonas Hermans

Bryony Bunker Jasper Lim

Interview stage What we look for in candidates

The Case Study (20-25 mins) Promising range of consulting skills

Q&A (5-10 mins) Not a test: our chance to provide answers to

Personal Start thinking about answers to common questions

Focus for this session

Situation Complication Question

​Something could go wrong ​How can we prevent it?

​Something changed ​What should we do?

​Something could change ​How should we react?

​Here’s what you might expect ​Do we find it?

Source: Barbara Minto, The Pyramid Principle 6

​Situation | The present forecasting system is X

​Saves you from “boiling the ocean”

I need I need I need I need I need I need I need

​How could this hypothesis tree be improved?

I need I need I need I need I need I need I need

​There should be no more than seven arguments in one group

All machinery, The plant manager Operators can be

We have the We have the

to the following How many litres of petroleum were

questions How many people are in the air on

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Something could go wrong How can we prevent it?

Something changed What should we do?

Something could change How should we react?

Here’s what you might expect Do we find it?

Situation | The present forecasting system is X

Saves you from “boiling the ocean”

How could this hypothesis tree be improved?

There should be no more than seven arguments in one group