Patrick Noonan - How to Approach Problems Like a Management Consultant - Summary 🔗

This is my summary of the video, mostly quoting the slides.

Structured Problem Solving Process (SPS) 🔗

Analysis: breaking apart
Synthesis: putting together

Step 1: Define the problem 🔗

Focus: What is the problem really about?

Foreground (Situation)
Trigger (Need for Change / Complication)
Central Issue (Key Question)

Step 2: Break down the problem 🔗

Focus: How should we break down the key question into pieces that can deepen our understanding, and shape our work?

MECE:

mutually exclusive (no overlaps)
collectively exhaustive (no gaps)

Step 3: Plan the work 🔗

Focus: How can we turn the issues into coherent, manageable work plans?

Step 4: Work the plan 🔗

Focus: How can we move forward effectively, pivoting from questions to insights to answers?

“So what?” brings analysis back to reality and connects it to action.


Facts	pieces of unprocessed information	What do we know? What data do we have?
Findings	objective results of the analysis of the facts	What do the data say? What is the direct result of the analysis?
Conclusions	implications of applying business judgment to the findings	What is the significance of this? How might the analytical results matter to the business question?
Recommendation	prescribed decisions and actions, based on the conclusions	What should we do? Which direction is best?
Implementation	specific process steps for making the recommended direction a reality	How should we move forward? What are the steps?

Step 5: Build the case 🔗

Focus: How do we assemble and strengthen the case for our recommendations?

The Answer
Summary Arguments
Sub-Arguments and/or Evidence

Step 6: Make the case 🔗

Focus: How can we provide others with the clarity and confidence needed to make decisions and take action?

Step 7: Start the change 🔗

Focus: How can we further increase the value that will be created by our work?

Principles 🔗

Have a process 🔗

Structured Problem Solving Process above.

Be intentional 🔗

Why are you doing it that way?

Have the right fight at the right time 🔗

Facilitate constructive conflict: focused on tasks and progress.

Let questions do the heavy lifting 🔗

Asking good questions is the heart of every step of the process.

Disambiguate 🔗

Getting clarity is essential to making progress.

Synthesize 🔗

Simplifying is not so simple.

Keep it simple and start 🔗

Good work is iterative.

Generate
Organize
Evaluate

Do the right thing 🔗

Ethical and moral behavior remain central.

Play well with others 🔗

Internal: develop a high-performance problem-solving team
External: facilitate a high-quality conversation with key players