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Creativity

Creativity is a crucial skill assessed during case interviews. While traditional case interview preparation often emphasizes analytical and quantitative abilities, creativity is equally important. This skill demonstrates a candidate's ability to think outside the box, develop a wide array of viable ideas, and propose innovative solutions. In this article, we will explore why creativity is vital in case interviews, how interviewers assess it, and strategies to ensure you never run out of creative ideas during your case-solving process.

Table of contents

The Importance of Creativity in Case Interviews

How is Creativity Assessed in Case Interviews?

Demonstrating Creativity in Case Interviews Effectively

Avoiding Creative Blocks in Case Interviews

Key Takeaways

The Importance of Creativity in Case Interviews

Creativity is not just about coming up with any ideas, but about generating a diverse set of sound and practical solutions. During case interviews, candidates are often faced with complex, open-ended questions that require more than just textbook knowledge. These scenarios test your ability to apply common sense, imagination, and innovative thinking to real-world business problems. Demonstrating creativity shows that you can navigate ambiguity and generate strategic insights that could give a company a competitive edge.

💡 Pro Tip: Use our Case Library to familiarize yourself with a variety of business problems and potential solutions. This will help you build a reservoir of ideas to draw from during your interviews.

Company case provided by Company case by

Simon-Kucher

Simon-Kucher Case: GST Cruise Company

Cruise company German Sea Tours (GST) is a successful operator of international cruises. GST currently offers several cruise trips, lasting between 5 and 24 days. Additional services can be booked on board (e.g. excursions at each destination, onboard leisure activities). Customers tend to book their tickets several months in advance. GST has had a long history of revenue growth, but in the past five years, it showed lower growth rates. Board members are not sure whether the market, in general, saw lower growth or whether the problem is specific to GST. GST recognizes that winning new customers and stimulating existing customers to book their vacations with GST is crucial for future growth and therefore has always focused on keeping a close relationship with its (potential) cruise-trip bookers. GST’s chief commercial officer (CCO) Ms. Brown has hired Simon-Kucher & Partners to assess the market environment and competitive positioning for cruise ships and to conduct a subsequent evaluation of potential growth options.

4.5

75.8k times solved

Difficulty: Intermediate

Candidate-led

Growth strategy

Pricing

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Roland Berger

Roland Berger Case: Onlinestar

Onlinestar, an online retailer of furniture and garden products (core business), has grown significantly in recent years as a result of an expansion of its product portfolio. The company mainly imports goods from Chinese manufacturers but also operates its own production of cat lavatories (special business) in Eastern Europe. The company sells its goods via Amazon and eBay, and recently via an online shop on its website. Despite this development, the financial ratios have deteriorated in recent years. In particular, the gross profit margin decreased significantly. Combined with a significant increase in shipping costs, this led to a negative result for the first time in the recently ended fiscal year and a resulting strained financial situation. Against the background of expected stagnating sales for the current financial year, short-term action is required. The board of Onlinestar asks you for an analysis of the reasons for the negative result as well as a derived recommendation for action. As a consultant, you should bring in your knowledge in online trading and develop solutions. In addition, the management board would like to receive a sales and gross profit plan from you for the current financial year.

4.2

116.0k times solved

Difficulty: Intermediate

Candidate-led

Growth strategy

Market analysis

Profitability analysis

Open case

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E.ON Inhouse Consulting

E.ON Inhouse Consulting Case: E-Mobility

Climate change has become one of the biggest challenges in the 21st century, and with roughly 75% of all CO₂ emissions coming from energy, this sector plays a key role in the transition to a reduced carbon footprint. E.ON has taken up on the challenge to promote more sustainable and efficient energy solutions throughout its whole customer spectrum. Correspondingly, a shift towards more sustainable energy consumption is noticed across the globe with many cities having set themselves ambitious climate targets, among those are: - Copenhagen -100% CO₂ emissions by 2025 - Amsterdam -60% CO₂ emission by 2030 - New York -40% CO₂ emissions by 2030 With E.ON focusing entirely on the “new” energy world, we have become the partner of choice for solutions propelling the energy transitions. Mr. Jensen, the mayor of Essen has come to E.ON requesting our help to accelerate the transition for his city. Essen is a city with about 600,000 inhabitants and prides itself as a forward-thinking one with lots of ambitions to become green itself. The economy is well and with his freshly won election the mayor looks forward to put its promised big initiatives into real projects.

3.6

15.8k times solved

Difficulty: Intermediate

Interviewer-led

Market analysis

Market entry

Market sizing

Profitability analysis

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Expert case by

Ian

MBB - Sky China

Sky China, a government-backed Chinese airline, has recently seen profits plummet due to COVID-19. Profits are down 80% in the months of February and March, but are showing early signs of a rebound in April. They've brought you in to first investigate what can be done immediatedly to prevent hemorrhaging cash and surive in the short-term. They are also looking to see how the current situation can be viewed as an opportunity, and what can be done to prepare for the future.

4.3

8.6k times solved

Difficulty: Intermediate

Candidate-led

Capacity change

Competitive response

Growth strategy

Operations strategy

Organizational behavior

Profitability analysis

Public sector

Open case

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Oliver Wyman

Oliver Wyman Case: On the Right Track

TrainCo is a manufacturer of rolling stock, or trains, with production sites in three European countries. The company has seen declining profitability over the past years; however, they are currently in a very good position to bid for and win a big contract for regional trains for a Swiss national rail company. They have asked you advise to them on whether they should place a bid for the contract.

4.4

93.7k times solved

Difficulty: Beginner

Candidate-led

Operations strategy

Profitability analysis

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PrepLounge

Power Pills

Our client is Multifit, a producer of vitamin pills. Their primary customers are health stores and pharmacies. Right now they are considering entering the health foods and beverages market. Your task is to give them a recommendation on what they should do.

4.3

13.1k times solved

Difficulty: Intermediate

Candidate-led

Market analysis

Market entry

Public sector

Open case

Expert case by

Cristian

Russell University - Fresh Attacker on the Online Education Market (McKinsey 1st round)

Russell University, located in the United Kingdom, is one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in the world. They have been educating students for more than two centuries and provide a variety of undergraduate and graduate STEM-focused courses. In an effort to increase revenues and expand their reach, the university has recently begun offering three online postgraduate qualifications. Despite the quality of teaching and effort spent in developing these courses, the response from students in terms of sign-up rates has been modest. Russel University executives believe they are acting too slowly since other prestigious universities, particularly in the US, have successfully leveraged their brand to offer short and affordable online courses to a variety of people. Russell University has hired us to determine whether they should acquire Eduline, a well-established platform that offers STEM-related short courses to its subscribers. The university intends to use Eduline to offer courses on a subscription basis and will then issue online certificates to individuals who successfully complete its courses.

5.0

5.2k times solved

Difficulty: Beginner

Interviewer-led

Competitive response

Growth strategy

Market entry

Mergers & Acquisition

Public sector

Restructuring

Valuation

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Expert case by

Ben

ProfitWizardry: Maximizing Hogwarts University's Magical Margins

Your client is Hogwarts University. Their President, Dr. Albus Dumbledore, is concerned with the university’s profitability and needs your help in determining the best course of action.

0.0

300+ times solved

Difficulty: Intermediate

Candidate-led

Profitability analysis

Public sector

Open case

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SET Management Consulting

SET Case: Strategische Neuausrichtung der Fröhlich Maschinen GmbH

Die Fröhlich Maschinen GmbH, ein mittelständisches Unternehmen mit Sitz in Deutschland, ist auf die Produktion von Spezialmaschinen für die Automobilindustrie spezialisiert. Das Unternehmen hat in den letzten fünf Jahren seinen Umsatz kontinuierlich gesteigert, jedoch ist die Profitabilität stark zurückgegangen. Die Gewinnmarge vor Steuern liegt bei nur 3,75 %, was deutlich unter dem Branchendurchschnitt von 8 % liegt. Gleichzeitig steht das Unternehmen vor internen und externen Herausforderungen: - Interne Herausforderungen: Ein veraltetes ERP-System führt zu ineffizienten Prozessen in der Produktion und Verwaltung. Zudem gibt es Hinweise auf eine unvorteilhafte Kostenstruktur und mangelnde Transparenz bei der Produktprofitabilität. - Externe Herausforderungen: Steigende Rohstoffpreise und ein intensiverer Wettbewerb setzen die Margen zusätzlich unter Druck. Einige Wettbewerber bieten ähnliche Produkte zu niedrigeren Preisen an und diversifizieren schneller in neue Branchen. Die Geschäftsführung hat Ihre Boutique-Beratung beauftragt, die Ursachen für die sinkende Profitabilität zu analysieren und konkrete Maßnahmen zur Verbesserung der Wettbewerbsfähigkeit vorzuschlagen. Ziel Analysieren Sie die Ursachen für die sinkende Profitabilität der Fröhlich Maschinen GmbH und entwickeln Sie konkrete Maßnahmen, um die Rentabilität und Effizienz langfristig zu steigern.

4.4

2.3k times solved

Difficulty: Intermediate

Interviewer-led

Restructuring

Open case

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DHL Consulting

DHL Consulting Case: Local Commerce

DHL aims to create a new E-Commerce business model that combines: - A DHL-owned online marketplace. - Participation limited to local retailers. - Same-day parcel delivery services by DHL. The strategic goal is to strengthen the stationary retail sector as an important customer group. The DHL Consulting team is tasked by the DHL Business Unit "Post & Parcel Germany" (P&P) with identifying a suitable German city for a pilot project and estimating the potential revenue in that city.

4.3

10.7k times solved

Difficulty: Beginner

Interviewer-led

Market entry

Market sizing

Open case

Case by

PrepLounge

Juice producer

A major juice producer sells packaged fruit juice to retail outlets. Normally, the juice is packed and sold in 16-ounce carton containers, but recently the producer added a new machine that packages the juice in 32-ounce plastic containers. So he was selling both the 16-ounce & the 32-ounce products. This allowed the business to grow 18% per year, but as sales continued to rise, profits kept falling. The producer hired us to figure out why profits are falling despite higher revenues.

3.9

5.1k times solved

Difficulty: Beginner

Candidate-led

Profitability analysis

Open case

Case by

PrepLounge

Wohin mit den Schränken?

Der Klient, OSEKA, ist ein profitabler Möbelhersteller aus Spanien. Bisher liefert er seine - in Spanien hergestellten - Möbel auch nur nach Spanien. Kürzlich melden aber einige Möbelhäuser aus Deutschland Interesse an, die Möbel auch verkaufen zu wollen. Der CEO des Unternehmens fragt dich, ob es gut wäre dann auch einen Produktionsstandort in Deutschland zu eröffnen.

4.5

4.7k times solved

Difficulty: Intermediate

Interviewer-led

Capacity change

Growth strategy

Operations strategy

Open case

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SET Management Consulting

SET Case: Your own Management Consultancy

As one of three management consultants with many years of experience, you have SET yourself the goal of founding your own management consultancy. The topics, contents and solution offering with which you can advise and support potential customers are clear. The legal company is already founded and registered in the commercial register. Now you must pitch your business plan to the banks to get the necessary start-up financing! Especially the banks are interested in the underlying rationale of the SET Management Consulting business model. Your goal is to think of relevant financial KPIs and be prepared to explain the underlying revenue and cost streams in more detail.

4.4

20.8k times solved

Difficulty: Intermediate

Interviewer-led

Market entry

Profitability analysis

Open case

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DHL Consulting

DHL Consulting case: Bike Shop

You have been hired to support the owner of a bike-shop as a business consultant. The bike-shop has suffered a significant revenue decline during the last year, and now the owner would like you to assess the situation and options for the way forward. They want to know last year’s profit, i.e. how it was affected by the revenue decline, and what the priority actions are to survive the next year. (short term) In addition they would like to understand the strategic competitive position of the shop better and how to increase revenues again mid- to long-term.

4.4

97.2k times solved

Difficulty: Beginner

Interviewer-led

Growth strategy

Profitability analysis

Open case

Case by

PrepLounge

Paper Print

A printing company is planning to take over another printing company with similar technology and printing machines. The candidate is supposed to evaluate the acquisition by answering a line of questions that are presented in the “suggested approach” section.

4.2

17.7k times solved

Difficulty: Intermediate

Interviewer-led

Mergers & Acquisition

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Case by

PrepLounge

SugarGums

Your client is a chewing gum manufacturer in the United Kingdom and you’re currently at the airport waiting for your flight. In the time that you have, you’re thinking about how big the annual chewing gum market is in the UK in terms of market value.

4.5

8.4k times solved

Difficulty: Beginner

Candidate-led

Market sizing

Open case

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zeb Consulting

zeb case: Quo vadis, customer?

The bank "His Earlship Charles", a domestic retail and private bank is in a difficult situation. Profits have been declining over the past years due to the ongoing low interest rates set by the central bank. Additionally, the bank is suffering from a decreasing number of customers. The board of directors is worried about digitalization and wondering, whether the bank is adequately prepared for it. Please analyze the situation of the client and develop means to sustainably increase profits. Consider the worries expressed by the board of directors.

4.3

82.4k times solved

Difficulty: Advanced

Candidate-led

Operations strategy

Profitability analysis

Open case

Expert case by

Clara

Market entry: Disrupting the New York - Boston railway industry

Currently, there is only one train company operating the Boston – New York route: AMTRAK. The option of traveling by train between the two metropolis is gaining traffic, particularly in winter times, during which it´s the best way to avoid weather-related delays. Furthermore, it´s the most environmentally friendly of all available options. Your client is a powerful investor who is assessing business options in the US (with investment sizes averaging 100M$), and has approached you for advice on starting a new train operation company to compete against AMTRAK. In particular, she wants to start by opening a new service between New York and Boston. Should the investor go ahead and launch the business?

4.9

8.1k times solved

Difficulty: Intermediate

Interviewer-led

Market analysis

Market entry

Operations strategy

Open case

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Volkswagen Group Consulting

Volkswagen Group Consulting Case: Wo soll produziert werden?

Ihr Kunde ist in einem globalen Automobilkonzern dafür verantwortlich ein neues Produkt mit einem Volumen von 140.000 Fahrzeugen über den gesamten Produktionszeitraum auf den Markt zu bringen. Bedingt durch finanzielle Anspannung liegt ein besonderer Fokus auf den Kosten.

4.3

15.2k times solved

Difficulty: Intermediate

Interviewer-led

Market entry

New product

Pricing

Open case

Expert case by

Hagen

Baby Formula

BabyformulaCo is a leading producer of baby formula with a 30% market share in the US that is looking for ways to increase their market share without significantly lowering profitability. Recently, a Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) for low-income women and their children was introduced, which provides vouchers to purchase baby formula. The client is interested in bidding for the tender contracts but needs help in determining the appropriate bidding price.

4.3

20.5k times solved

Difficulty: Intermediate

Candidate-led

Competitive response

Growth strategy

Pricing

Profitability analysis

Open case

How is Creativity Assessed in Case Interviews?

Interviewers typically assess creativity through open-ended questions that lack exhibits or starting information. These questions challenge candidates to think on their feet and come up with multiple solutions independently. For example, you might be asked how to increase a company's market share without being given specific data points or frameworks. The expectation is to generate a variety of ideas, usually aiming for at least five distinct concepts. This not only showcases your creativity, but also your ability to think deeply and broadly about a problem.

💡 Pro Tip: Check out our Brain Teaser Collection to sharpen your creative thinking skills and prepare for unexpected questions.

Brainteasers

Challenge Your Logical and Numerical Thinking

Keep calm!

Demonstrating Creativity in Case Interviews Effectively

While creativity is important, maintaining structure in your answers is equally crucial. Here are some strategies to effectively showcase your creativity during a case interview:

Organize by themes: Instead of listing random ideas as they come to mind, group your thoughts into high-level themes. This approach demonstrates structured thinking and helps you cover different aspects of the problem comprehensively. For instance, if asked to improve customer satisfaction, you might categorize your ideas into themes like product quality, customer service, and marketing strategies.

💡 Pro Tip: Use our Structuring Drills to practice breaking down complex problems into manageable themes. This will help you organize your ideas logically during interviews.

Drills

Structuring, logical, and numerical reasoning drills prepare you for the big day!

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Sense-check ideas: Ensure that your ideas are practical and can be implemented in the given context. It’s important to show that your creative solutions are not just imaginative, but also feasible. Discuss the potential impact and challenges of each idea briefly to indicate your practical understanding.
Differentiate between quick wins and long-term solutions: Highlighting a mix of immediate actions and strategic, long-term initiatives shows that you can think short-term and long-term. Quick wins might include small adjustments that can be implemented quickly with minimal resources, while long-term ideas might involve significant investments or strategic changes.
Summarize and wrap up: After brainstorming, summarize your ideas along the key themes and indicate how they inform your overall answer to the case. This step not only reinforces your structured approach but also helps the interviewer follow your thought process and the rationale behind your recommendations.

Avoiding Creative Blocks in Case Interviews

Running out of ideas can be a challenge during a case interview. Here are some tips to keep the creative juices flowing:

Mind map on how to be creative in Case Interviews with four tips: using frameworks as starting points, being inspired by business news, practicing regularly with cases, and avoiding stress while collecting ideas.

Preparation: Familiarize yourself with common business problems and innovative solutions. Reading case studies and business news can provide a wealth of ideas and inspiration.
Practice: Regularly practice with case scenarios to build your creative muscle. The more you practice, the easier it becomes to generate ideas on the spot.

👉 Participate in Mock Interviews on PrepLounge to simulate real interview conditions and receive feedback on your creative thinking.

Use frameworks: While creativity goes beyond traditional frameworks, they can serve as useful starting points to ensure you cover all bases. Customize and expand upon these frameworks with your unique insights.
Stay calm and positive: Stress can stifle creativity. Stay calm, take a deep breath, and approach each question with a positive mindset.

💡 Pro Tip: Use our Stress Question Tool to improve your ability to stay creative and focused under pressure.

Stress Questions

Be prepared for your personal fit interview and stay calm under pressure.

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Key Takeaways

Creativity is a vital component of case interview success, reflecting your ability to generate diverse, practical, and innovative solutions. By organizing your thoughts into high-level themes, ensuring the feasibility of your ideas, balancing quick wins with long-term strategies, and summarizing your key points, you can effectively showcase your creativity. Preparing thoroughly, practicing regularly, and maintaining a positive attitude will help you keep your ideas flowing. Embrace the creative challenges of case interviews, and you’ll be well on your way to impressing your interviewers and securing that coveted consulting role.

Let's Move On With the Next Articles:

Business Sense

Consulting Skills & Preparation

Business sense refers to the ability to quickly grasp economic dynamics and make decisions that are both strategically and commercially sound. In consulting, it’s not enough to repeat theories from your business degree. What matters is a deep understanding of how companies operate, what drives markets, and what different stakeholders are aiming to achieve. Consultants with strong business acumen can quickly adapt to new industries, understand client needs, and set priorities that make economic sense. They don’t just ask, “What is analytically correct?” – they also ask, “What truly benefits the company?” This mindset often makes the difference in a case interview.

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Presentation and Communication

Consulting Skills & Preparation

The majority and the most obvious part of preparation is, of course, the substantive preparation for your case interview. However, you also need to present what you have learned in a way that gives your interviewer an impression of your personality and character. This means that you must appear confidentand communicate clearly and precisely. The best preparation is useless if you come across as closed-off and insecure. As a consultant, you must always appear trustworthy and confident when interacting with clients to be taken seriously and to enable you and your team to work in a solution-oriented manner. This is already tested in the case interview – albeit indirectly ;)

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General Knowledge

Consulting Skills & Preparation

In case interviews, having solid general knowledge can make a big difference, especially in market sizing questions. Knowing basic facts about regions, population sizes, and economic indicators helps you build stronger arguments. It’s not just about the analysis itself but also about showing interviewers that you understand global trends and can quickly process key information — an important skill in consulting. In a case interview, quick and accurate estimates are essential. For example, if you're asked to evaluate the potential market for a product in a specific country, having solid data — like the population size — is crucial. Without this information, it can be challenging to make a meaningful calculation. In addition to national market data, it's important to know about key global markets. Being familiar with major economic regions like the U.S., China, and the EU is valuable because large consulting firms such as McKinsey and BCG operate extensively in these areas. A solid understanding of these regions shows that you can think about global factors and helps you stand out from other candidates. What Your Knowledge of Population, Economy & Geography Says About You Having strong general knowledge in specific areas not only shows that you are well-prepared, but also that you can quickly understand economic relationships—a crucial skill in consulting. When you have information like population sizes or a country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at your fingertips, you can quickly verify assumptions and make informed decisions, which is exactly what case interviews expect. Additionally, your knowledge of these topics demonstrates a genuine interest in world affairs and your ability to recognize and understand global trends. This insight is vital for evaluating how political, economic, and social changes affect businesses. It also highlights your capability to absorb and use complex data effectively. Population Country/Region Population (approx.) Worldwide 8.05 billion China 1.426 billion India 1.419 billion Europe (EU states) 450 million USA 335 million Indonesia 277 million Brazil 203 million Russia 143 million Japan 124 million Germany 83 million UK 68 million GDP Forecast in USD for 2024 Country/Region GDP 2024 (approx. in trillions USD) Worldwide 105 trillion USD USA 25 trillion USD China 18 trillion USD Japan 4.3 trillion USD Germany 4.5 trillion USD France 3.0 trillion USD UK 3.1 trillion USD India 3.9 trillion USD Italy 2.2 trillion USD Brazil 2.1 trillion USD Canada 2.2 trillion USD Key Data to Know for Your Case Interview In case interviews, making quick and accurate estimates is key. A good grasp of units, along with basic fraction and percentage calculations, is essential for working efficiently. Additionally, being comfortable with time units is important for making rough estimates and calculations. The table of larger and smaller time units below provides a handy overview of commonly needed values. These fundamental skills help you tackle tasks confidently and quickly. Overview of Time Conversions: Days, Weeks and Hours Larger Units Smaller Units Days/Year 365 days (In leap years: 366 days) Days/3 Years 1,095 days Days/4 Years 1,461 days (including 1 leap year) Weeks/Year 52 weeks Hours/Week 168 hours Seconds/Hour 3,600 seconds Conversion of Fractions to Percentages and Decimal Values Fraction Percentage Decimal 1/5 20% 0.20 1/6 16.67% 0.1667 1/7 14.29% 0.1429 1/8 12.5% 0.125 1/9 11.11% 0.1111 1/10 10% 0.10 1/11 9.09% 0.0909 1/12 8.33% 0.0833 1/13 7.69% 0.0769 1/14 7.14% 0.0714 1/15 6.67% 0.0667 1/16 6.25% 0.0625 1/17 5.88% 0.0588 1/18 5.56% 0.0556 1/19 5.26% 0.0526 1/20 5% 0.05 Remember, it’s not enough to just memorize these numbers—you also need to be able to calculate with them effectively! Use our Mental Math Tool to specifically train your math skills and prepare for your next interview.

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