Get Active in Our Amazing Community of Over 451,000 Peers!

Schedule mock interviews on the Meeting Board, join the latest community discussions in our Consulting Q&A and find like-minded Case Partners to connect and practice with!
Meeting Board
Consulting Q&A
Case Partner

McKinsey Common Case Question

MBB McKinsey
New answer on Feb 24, 2021
2 Answers
763 Views
Anonymous A asked on Feb 23, 2021

Hello

A common question I faced in 2 of my interviews as I am going through the process and I have not seen covered in any case book or any case on prep lounge is : "what could have happened ..."

Example : Your colleague called you and said we estimated the production capacity at 2000 units per day and we just calculated 2500 units per day, what could have happened and caused this discrepancy ?"

How would you answer this question in a "structured" format ?

P.S.: You do not need the full case for this question.

Best,

(edited)

I want to be notified about updates regarding this question via email

Overview of answers

Upvotes
  • Upvotes
  • Date ascending
  • Date descending
Best answer
Ian
Expert
Content Creator
 replied on Feb 23, 2021
#1 BCG coach | MBB | Tier 2 | Digital, Tech, Platinion | 100% personal success rate (8/8) | 95% candidate success rate

Hi there,

This is a great question that really tests your ability to react quickly and think in a structure way!

First tip: If you're struggling to come up with something on the spot, don't hesitate to ask for 10-20 seconds to think about it!

Personally, I can think of the following things:

Estimation Error - i.e. our calculation of 2,000 is wrong

Output measurement error - i.e. their measurement of 2,500 is wrong

Production "glitch" - i.e. some sort of bottleneck built up at the end of a day at the end of the line and was quickly resolved/pushed through the following day

Average vs. distribution/variation - i.e. 2,000 is the average production but production is inconsistent across days (just look at current vaccine production rates by Moderna + Pfizer, or Tesla production rates)

Was this answer helpful?
21
Book a coaching
Clara
Expert
Content Creator
 replied on Feb 24, 2021
McKinsey | Awarded professor at Master in Management @ IE | MBA at MIT |+180 students coached | Integrated FIT Guide aut

Hello!

It´s a great question indeed.

however, I don´t think we can give a good generic answer, without knowing the intrinsics of each case. I believe good answers are the ones rooted in the problem itself and the info about it that has been previously shared (e.g., your colleague called you and said we estimated the production capacity at 2000 units per day and we just calculated 2500 units per day. This signals how plants have been underutilized so far, due to 3 key factors that we have seen in the problem so far, X, Y and Z.

Hope it helps!

Cheers,

Clara

Was this answer helpful?
15
Book a coaching
Anonymous A on Feb 25, 2021

Actually it was the very first question after structuring, the interviewer caught me off guard with this one. the following question was to estimate the demand increase.

Related Products

Prepped and Primed 3

5.0
31 Reviews
  • 3 1-on-1 Coaching Sessions
  • Fully tailored and customized
  • 100+ video course included
USD 1,107 USD 989
Buy now Add to cart
Ian
New

McKinsey Solve Game Simulation Package by Francesco

5.0
4 Reviews
  • Play for Real the Ecosystem Game (Coral Reef & Mountain Ridge)
  • Play for Real the Redrock Game (All 4 Phases Included)
  • Receive for FREE the Imbellus Solve Combo and McKinsey Imbellus Game Secrets Guide
USD 384 USD 197
Buy now Add to cart
Francesco

Break Into Consulting - Strategy Consulting Firm's All-In-One by Alexandre

0.0
0 Reviews
  • Created by 2 BCG consultants
  • Covers most strategy consulting firms
  • Get you to the backstage of the strategy world
USD 29 USD 25
Buy now Add to cart
Alexandre

Break Into Consulting - Industry Overviews by Alexandre

4.9
7 Reviews
  • Created by 2 BCG consultants
  • 15+ industries covered
  • Practical tips to master any industry
USD 29 USD 25
Buy now Add to cart
Alexandre

Break Into Consulting - Frameworks I wish I knew by Alexandre

4.6
9 Reviews
  • Created by 2 BCG consultants
  • Covers most interview cases
  • Practical tips to crack the case
USD 29 USD 25
Buy now Add to cart
Alexandre

Imbellus Solve Combo: Guide + Videos by Francesco

4.9
279 Reviews
  • Watch how to Crack the Ecosystem Game in 23 Minutes
  • Find Out how to Master each of the 4 Phases of the Redrock
  • Receive for FREE the McKinsey Imbellus Game Secrets Guide
USD 187 USD 99
Buy now Add to cart
Francesco

Imbellus Test at McKinsey – Guide by Luca

5.0
10 Reviews
  • Detailed and full game analysis
  • Hands-on example to solve the game and support you
  • Practical tips to crack the game
USD 99 USD 69
Buy now Add to cart
Luca

McKinsey Imbellus Solve Game Secrets by Francesco

4.7
173 Reviews
  • Learn the Exact Steps to Crack the 6 Games of the Imbellus
  • Discover the Proven Way to Master the 5 Skills Tested in the Game
  • Create your Ecosystem Chain Automatically with the Automated Excel Included
USD 88 USD 59
Buy now Add to cart
Francesco

The Secret McKinsey PEI Cheat Sheet by Robert

3.3
12 Reviews
  • Learn how to correctly prepare and structure your McKinsey PEI
  • Impress your McKinsey interviewer with a perfect PEI
  • Save tons of time in your PEI prep
USD 9
Buy now Add to cart
Robert

Integrated FIT Guide for MBB by Clara

4.6
69 Reviews
  • Combines key concepts review and a hands-on methodology
  • Contains printable worksheets to prepare your stories
  • Includes 20+ real examples and 50+ practice questions
USD 69 USD 49
Buy now Add to cart
Clara

Prep Guide for McKinsey PST by PrepLounge

4.3
3 Reviews
  • McKinsey PST preparation guide incl. 13 pages of useful tips
  • Created by ex-McKinsey consultants
  • Detailed information on test structure, question types & core skills
USD 15
Buy now Add to cart
PrepLounge

McKinsey PST #3 by Riccardo

0.0
0 Reviews
  • PST with 26 questions about "Delicious Juice Case"
  • Created by ex-MBB consultant Riccardo
  • Industries: Beverage, tourism, pharma
USD 39
Buy now Add to cart
Riccardo

McKinsey PST #2 by Gaurav

4.0
1 Review
  • PST with 26 questions about "WeKlin Case"
  • Created by ex-McKinsey consultants
  • Industries: Retail, energy, franchise
USD 39
Buy now Add to cart
Gaurav

McKinsey PST #1 by PrepLounge

5.0
1 Review
  • PST with 26 questions about "FloraFashion Case"
  • Created by ex-McKinsey consultants
  • Industries: Retail, energy, franchise
USD 39
Buy now Add to cart
PrepLounge

Related Articles

Consulting Interview Questions

Example Questions and Answers for Your Interview

The Differences between MBB and the Big Four

Learn them here!

MBB Consulting Salary

Get insights from a top consultant!

The Pros and Cons of Working at a Top Consulting Firm

Make the right decision

Application Deadlines for MBB Consulting Firms in the US 2023

Find out the Application Deadlines for MBB Consulting Firms.

The Most Interesting Consulting Firms Besides MBB

Acquire the information.

MBB Hiring Hacks: Behind the Curtain Secrets

Deepen your knowledge.

Consulting Salaries in the United States 2024

Discover more.

Related Cases

Company case by Bain & Company

Bain Case: Old Winery

Style:
Candidate-led (usual style)
Topics:
Growth strategy, Market analysis, Market sizing, Mergers & Acquisition Growth strategy, Market analysis
Rating:
4.3
You have inherited the “Old Winery” from your grandfather, a winery that has been family-owned for five generations and can be dated back to the 16th century.Half of the eleven hectares are used to grow white grapes, the other half to grow red grapes. They are grown in a conventional way, i.e. they ... You have inherited the “Old Winery” from your grandfather, a winery that has been family-owned for five generations and can be dated back to the 16th century.Half of the eleven hectares are ... (Open whole case)
118.2k
Times solved
4.3
2.0k Ratings
Intermediate
Difficulty
Expert case by Francesco

MBB Final Round Case - Smart Education

Style:
Interviewer-led (McKinsey style)
Topics:
Growth strategy, Market analysis, Market entry, New product Growth strategy, Market analysis
Rating:
4.6
Our client is SmartBridge, a nonprofit educational institution offering face-to-face tutoring services. The client operates in the US.The mission of SmartBridge is to help as many students as possible to complete studies and prevent that they drop from the school system, in particular in disadv ... Our client is SmartBridge, a nonprofit educational institution offering face-to-face tutoring services. The client operates in the US.The mission of SmartBridge is to help as many stude ... (Open whole case)
31.6k
Times solved
4.6
600+ Ratings
Advanced
Difficulty
Expert case by Bernard

MBB Case: COVID-19 Vaccine

Style:
Interviewer-led (McKinsey style)
Topics:
Market analysis, Market sizing, Operations strategy, Organizational behavior, Public Sector Market analysis, Market sizing
Rating:
4.6
The COVID-19 pandemic has killed millions of people worldwide and led to devastating economic impact. A vaccine is one of the biggest hopes for stopping the pandemic. The World Health Organization (WHO) is working with multiple stakeholders to ensure groups at higher risk of becoming infec ... The COVID-19 pandemic has killed millions of people worldwide and led to devastating economic impact. A vaccine is one of the biggest hopes for stopping the pandemic. The World Hea ... (Open whole case)
18.3k
Times solved
4.6
300+ Ratings
Advanced
Difficulty
Expert case by Luca

Espresso, Whatelse?

Style:
Interviewer-led (McKinsey style)
Topics:
Market analysis, Operations strategy, Pricing, Profitability analysis Market analysis, Operations strategy
Rating:
4.6
Espresso Whatelse is an Italian company that produces coffee and espresso machines since 1908. It is the Italian market leader and has a strong presence overall in Europe. In 2019, Espresso Whatelse has increased its revenues but it has seen declining profit margin.Your client wants to understa ... Espresso Whatelse is an Italian company that produces coffee and espresso machines since 1908. It is the Italian market leader and has a strong presence overall in Europe. In 2019, Espr ... (Open whole case)
17.4k
Times solved
4.6
500+ Ratings
Advanced
Difficulty
Expert case by Francesco

Bain 1st Round Case – BlissOttica

Style:
Candidate-led (usual style)
Topics:
Growth strategy, Market analysis, Market entry, Profitability analysis Growth strategy, Market analysis
Rating:
4.1
Our client is a BlissOttica, an Eyewear Manufacturer that is looking to reach a 10% increase in profits. How would you help our client? Our client is a BlissOttica, an Eyewear Manufacturer that is looking to reach a 10% increase in profits. How would you help our client? (Open whole case)
13.6k
Times solved
4.1
100+ Ratings
Intermediate
Difficulty

Related Case Interview Basics article(s)

Case Interview Basics

McKinsey Growth Pyramid

Structured framework for sustainable corporate development, including market penetration, product development, market development and diversification.

Case Interview Basics

Influence Model

The Influence Model by McKinsey emerged in the early 2000s and is the result of practical experience of the consultants at McKinsey & Company.

Case Interview Basics

McKinsey Imbellus Game

Find out what the McKinsey Imbellus Game is all about. Get specific insights on how to ace your case interview at McKinsey.

1 related question
Case Interview Basics

7S-Framework of McKinsey

Discover what McKinsey's 7S framework is and how it helps companies maximize their strengths and identify weaknesses while focusing on 7 internal elements.

Similar Questions

Re-application to MBB after being counseled to leave.

2 answers

Ideas for short-term, remote ways to gain consulting experience prior to MBB application?

2 answers

Experiences with McKinsey Solve?

2 answers
Ian gave the best answer
Show information

Ian

Content Creator
#1 BCG coach | MBB | Tier 2 | Digital, Tech, Platinion | 100% personal success rate (8/8) | 95% candidate success rate
1,096
Meetings
77,431
Q&A Upvotes
232
Awards
5.0
151 Reviews
Book a coaching
Visit the profile of Ian

Related Products

Prepped and Primed 3

McKinsey Solve Game Simulation Package by Francesco

Break Into Consulting - Strategy Consulting Firm's All-In-One by Alexandre

Break Into Consulting - Industry Overviews by Alexandre

Break Into Consulting - Frameworks I wish I knew by Alexandre

Imbellus Solve Combo: Guide + Videos by Francesco

Imbellus Test at McKinsey – Guide by Luca

McKinsey Imbellus Solve Game Secrets by Francesco

The Secret McKinsey PEI Cheat Sheet by Robert

Integrated FIT Guide for MBB by Clara

Prep Guide for McKinsey PST by PrepLounge

McKinsey PST #3 by Riccardo

McKinsey PST #2 by Gaurav

McKinsey PST #1 by PrepLounge

Related Articles

Consulting Interview Questions

Example Questions and Answers for Your Interview

The Differences between MBB and the Big Four

Learn them here!

MBB Consulting Salary

Get insights from a top consultant!

The Pros and Cons of Working at a Top Consulting Firm

Make the right decision

Application Deadlines for MBB Consulting Firms in the US 2023

Find out the Application Deadlines for MBB Consulting Firms.

The Most Interesting Consulting Firms Besides MBB

Acquire the information.

MBB Hiring Hacks: Behind the Curtain Secrets

Deepen your knowledge.

Consulting Salaries in the United States 2024

Discover more.

Similar Questions

Re-application to MBB after being counseled to leave.

2 answers

Ideas for short-term, remote ways to gain consulting experience prior to MBB application?

2 answers

Experiences with McKinsey Solve?

2 answers
Cookie and Privacy Settings
This website uses cookies to enable essential functions like the user login and sessions. ... (Read more) We also use cookies and third-party tools to improve your surfing experience on preplounge.com. You can choose to activate only essential cookies or all cookies. You can always change your preference in the cookie and privacy settings. This link can also be found in the footer of the site. If you need more information, please visit our privacy policy.
Data processing in the USA: By clicking on "I accept", you also consent, in accordance with article 49 paragraph 1 sentence 1 lit. a GDPR, to your data being processed in the USA. The USA is not considered to have adequate data protection legislation. If you need more information please view the individual settings.
I accept
Manage settings individually
Questions or Feedback?
Select category
  • Select category
  • Case Interview Preparation
  • Coaching
  • Technical Problems
  • Other
Your name
Your email address
Cancel