The Hidden Truth About Frameworks

Frameworks can be dangerous. Why? Because many candidates try to read up on as many frameworks as they can (that's how I failed my first at bat with BCG when I was interviewing as an undergrad).

The real problem, is that they are so busy trying to scan their memory for the "perfect" framework, that they sacrifice actively listening and critically thinking about the specific case problem at hand. In other words, they are "doing," rather than "thinking." It's the #1 problem.

Case questions are rarely ever "cookie-cuter" and the nuance given in the case set-up matters. So it's much more important to do the following 3 best practices when you're given the case prompt, which include:

  1. Writing down key pieces of case setup (“secret hints”)
  2. Jotting down the question(s) and underline keywords
  3. Not being be too quick to type case as a “standard” problem

Recall the 3 common mistakes in the case structure:

  1. A “canned” framework
  2. Framework too broad or narrow
  3. Talking about drivers in isolation

Recall the 3 strategies on how to do great in the case structure:

  1. Deeply understand the question and case context
  2. Identify the relevant 1st level issues
  3. Recognize and contextualize the 2nd level drivers

You must spend those 1-2 minutes you have in silence to really think about the problem, and not just do. You need to use some of that silence and critical thinking, not mindless doing (that is the #1 problem). So here are some tips to help with that:

  1. Ensure you carve out some of that silence to spend time really “thinking” about the problem
  2. Check for the “hints” to help uncover relevant topics to include
  3. Don't create just one framework if there are two or more key questions to answer