I was reading an article and found this question. I'm trying to make the most MECE structure and eliminative but turns out not quite exact. Anyone please help
Imagine you’re doing a project with Amazon and they’re complaining about a surge in theft in their warehouses – what could be causing this surge in theft?”
Here are a few questions to consider:
Are there any external factors contributing to the surge in theft? For example, is there an increase in organized crime or theft in the surrounding area where the warehouses are located?
Could there be weaknesses in the security systems and protocols in place at the warehouses? Are there any gaps in surveillance, access control, or employee monitoring that could be exploited by potential thieves?
Is there a possibility of internal theft? Are there any disgruntled employees or contractors who may be involved in stealing from the warehouses? Are there any issues with employee morale, training, or supervision that could contribute to this?
Are there any specific products or categories of products that are being targeted more frequently? Are there any patterns or trends in the stolen items that could provide insights into the motives behind the theft?
Could there be issues with inventory management or tracking systems that are leading to discrepancies and making it easier for theft to go unnoticed?
Are there any challenges with the physical layout or design of the warehouses that could make it easier for thieves to access and steal items without detection?
Remember, the goal is to think critically and consider all possible factors that could contribute to the surge in theft. By asking these questions and exploring different angles, you can develop a more comprehensive and MECE structure for your analysis.
If you have any further questions or need additional guidance, feel free to ask
Thank you for sharing! A great example of what McKinsey often challenges their candidates with. Love it!
My general philosophy: The magic lies in the actual ideas i.e. content of the structure for these kinds of questions i.e. requiring hypotheses and creativity. The structure itself is merely a vessel for the magic. Hence, I like to keep the structure simple and focus on the ideas. That being said, the structure also needs to be effective to expand your ideas to a wide spectrum.
My approach for this question: Much like a normal market place, theft in this warehouse must follow some sort of supply and demand principle. I would translate demand → motive and supply → opportunity. Demand and supply (aka motive and opportunity) is powerful because it‘s simple and 100% MECE and works like a charm if filled with actual ideas.
Importantly, whenever you answer such a question you need to balance being top down and to the point with being an actual story teller who makes this come alive. Don’t just give single word answers or loose yourself in an overly complex but ultimately hollow structure.
Hope this helps a bit. Best of luck!
Moritz
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Lots of great answer below.
For these sorts of questions, you can also play around with ChatGPT. Ask it to give you several alternative ways of structuring the same problem and this way you get to also elevate your structuring skills.
Sharing with you also a guide on structuring and brainstorming techniques. Hope you'll find it helpful:
Best,
Cristian
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Hello,
Not repeating what others said but one concrete tip I've found to be highly effective, both for myself and my coachees, is to visualize the problem. In many cases, the topics under discussion lend themselves to a visual representation, such as a customer journey or a business process.
Here's the drill: Mentally trace this journey step by step, immersing yourself in the process. As you do so, keenly observe any pain points, bottlenecks, or critical junctures where issues may arise. These observations often hold the key factors you are looking for. Once you've identified them, cluster these factors logically to form a structured framework for your analysis.
I'd be happy to offer you a free coffee chat to delve deeper into this technique and practice it together. It can be an excellent way to refine your McKinsey-style problem-solving skills in one focused session.
Warm regards, Frederic ☕
Hi there,
I like Mortiz's framework here.
You could also implement a people, processes, tools approach (hire the right people and don't hire the wrong ones, adjust your processes to prevent theft, and implement tools to prevent theft)
^can reword from “implement” and actions into “what aspects are causing"
