Cracked it!: How to solve big problems and sell solutions like top strategy consultants

Chapter 1. The most important skill you never learned

·         Fast and slow problem solving

·         Problem solving and the expertise trap

·         Complex problems and "unknown unknowns"

·         The need for a disciplined problem solving process

·         Chapter 1 in one page

Chapter 2. The five pitfalls of problem solving

·         Case 1: When the music industry went out of tune

·         Pitfall 1: Flawed problem definition

·         Case 2: The Grameen-Danone strengthening yogurt

·         Pitfall 2: Solution confirmation

·         Case 3: The call center story

·         Pitfall 3: Wrong framework

·         Case 4: New strategy at J.C. Penney

·         Pitfall 4: Narrow framing

·         Case 5: A fat chance for sugar

·         Pitfall 5: Miscommunication

·         Chapter 2 in one page

Chapter 3. The 4S method

·         Where does the 4S method come from?

·         An overview of the 4S method

·         State: A problem well posed is half-solved

·         Structure: The architecture of problem solving

·         Solve: Between analysis and creativity 

·         Sell: Choose the approach that suits your audience

·         Chapter 3 in one page

Chapter 4. State the problem: the TOSCA framework

·         Trouble: What makes this problem real and present?

·         Owner: Whose problem is this?

·         Success criteria: What will success look like, and when?

·         Constraints: what limitations and trade-offs constrain the problem-solving process and the solution?

·         Actors: who has a say in the way we solve this problem, and what do they want?

·         Singing TOSCA as a choir

·         Chapter 4 in one page

·         Hypothesis-driven problem structuring

·         Hypothesis-driven problem structuring: pros and cons

·         Issue-driven problem structuring

·         Growing issue trees

·         Growing a tree or building a pyramid?

·         Chapter 5 in one page

Chapter 6. Structure the problem: analytical frameworks

·         The power of frameworks: MECE breakdowns of generic problems

·         The danger of frameworks: Frameworks as mental models

·         Industry frameworks: value drivers

·         Functional frameworks

·         When all else fails, try good old logic

·         Chapter 6 in one page

Chapter 7. Solve the problem: eight degrees of analysis

·         From structuring to analyses

·         Eight degrees of analysis

·         Planning the work

·         Conducting the analysis

·         Chapter 7 in one page

Chapter 8. Redefine the problem: the design thinking path

·         Design thinking, and when to use it

·         Five phases, one mindset

·         Phase 1: Empathize

·         Phase 2: Define

·         Chapter 8 in one page

Chapter 9. Structure and solve the problem using design thinking

·         Phase 3: Ideate

·         Phase 4: Prototype

·         Phase 5: Test

·         Chapter 9 in one page

Chapter 10. Sell the solution: core message and storyline

·         Don't tell the story of the search, tell the story of the solution

·         The pyramid principle

·         Manage communications throughout the problem-solving process

·         Create an effective, modular report

·         Develop the content pages

·         Use conceptual charts sparingly

·         Trim the deck ruthlessly

·         Quality control

·         Beyond slide presentations

·         Chapter 11 in one page

Chapter 12. The 4S method in action