Hi,

Let me try to break it down for you (long answer):

Frameworks: more open-ended, usually involving many different areas that need to be analyzed (interviewer is assessing structure/MECEness)

• Example: should a fashion retailer invest in a new Flagship store in the center of London city?
• High-level approach:
  1. Ask clarification questions (it's very important to ask about anything you didn't understand, and to crearly understand the situation)
  2. Ask for some time to think about the question, gather your thoughts and define the categories in your structure
  3. Define the key questions in each category that you need to answer in order to get to the root cause of the client's problem. These should be specific to the case in question. Avoid generic questions that apply to every industry like “Who are the client's customers”
  4. While thinking about the key questions, you should also build your hypotheses in the back of your mind. Each question should be asked with the goal of proving an hypothesis is right or wrong - don't ask questions just for asking
  5. Now depending on the type of interview, you migh need to highlight the areas you consider a priority or it will be pointed out by your interviewer. In any case, be prepared to discuss the analyses you would do to test your hypotheses.

Brainstorming: more specific questions, usually related to one single topic (interviewer is assessing creativity/business acumen)

• Example: A fashion retailer sees a sudden increase in online sales but a decrease in store visits. What could be some reasons for this shift in consumer behavior?
• High-level approach:
  1. Don't just say a laundry list of ideas that come to your mind. Although you're not supposed to take time to structure your answer, you are still supposed to be structured in the way you share your thoughts, but using much more simple structures (vs. framework questions)
  2. Use issue trees to quickly divide your question into 2-3 simple blocks (doing this quickly on your feet requires some pratice, but it's possible). For the example question, you could look at “1. Internal changes” and “2. External changes”, and inside 1. you could look at “1.1. Changes in online stores” and “1.2. Changes in physical stores”. Then populate each block with some ideas (e.g., “1.1.1. Improvements in delivery” inside “1.1. Changes in online stores”)
  3. Prioritize the key idea(s) you think was the main driver of the problem. Bonus points if you add some more structure to this idea (e.g., split 1.1. into “1.1.1 Drop in delivery price”, “1.1.2 Increase in speed”, “1.1.3 Better geographical coverage”)
  4. Create your ideas/hypotheses for each of the prioritized blocks (e.g., “New express next day delivery” inside 1.1.2)

I know this is a long answer, but hopefully can help you better understand the differences between the two types of questions, and how a very strong candidate would answer each. Of course remember this is a theorethical approach that you should practice at home to create the righ mindset for the interview day, but be flexible to adapt if needed during the real interview.

Feel free to DM me if you have any additional questions!

Best,

Tiago

(edited)

Hi,

When we talk about the structure of a case, we're referring to the systematic approach to analyzing and solving the problem. On the other hand, structuring (as a verb) is a common tool used in various contexts by business professionals. You can structure anything—your verbal communication, written content, or an email.

When we say you need to structure your brainstorm, we mean organizing your ideas systematically. It's not about randomly shooting ideas, but about using a methodical approach to list and organize your thoughts. This means you can (and definitely should) be creative in your thoughts, just be structured in the way you communicate them.

Best,

Oliver

Hi there,

Both questions belong to Structuring in the broader sense.

The way you approach them should be very similar with regards to

• Steps to get there (logical approach)
• Thinking techniques (to generate ideas)
• Communication

The main difference is that the framework at the beginning of a case should help you analyze the issue/find an answer to the case question, whereas brainstorming is more of a narrow deliberation of a specific topic.

For instance, at the beginning of a case, you might have to analyze why the profit of a company has gone down. Later on, you find out that customer satisfaction has dropped, which led to lower sales. As a follow-up brainstorming, the interviewer might ask about potential issues with the customer experience you can think of or ways to improve customer satisfaction.

The main mistake that I see with new clients with regards to brainstorming is that they treat it as a laundry list of ideas, rather than a structured thinking exercise (where they should go broad and deep).

All the best,

Florian

Hi there,

1) Is brainstorming more of a sub-structuring where you focus on one specific area/topic from your structuring framework?

A brainstorming question is simply a question asked during the case, related to identifying multiple drivers responsible for an outcome (eg Tell me 5 ways to increase volume). Whether the brainstorming question is related to the original question or not is irrelevant (sometimes the interviewer might go off-topic). To answer a brainstorming question, you should ideally use a structure. 

2) Is it common for interviewers to ask for some time to come up with a structure on brainstorming?

Yes, it is totally fine to ask for time if they ask to brainstorm during the case. 

Best,

Francesco

Structuring is a skill. 

The initial framework of a case and the brainstorming case you sometimes get later in the case, are examples of where you can exercise that skill. 

And yes, for both the upfront framework and the brainstorming question, you can and should take time. 

FYI - sometimes you are asked a brainstorming question in the beginning rather than a framework question. 

You might also find this article helpful: 

• Expert Guide: Mastering Structuring & Brainstorming

Best,

Cristian