Sometimes, it’s useful to use the indirect style. Take time to make the interviewee comfortable with you and the interview process. Adopt the Columbo tactic. Wait until a day or two passes, then drop by the interviewee’s office. “I was just passing by and remembered a question I forgot to ask”. This is a less threatening way to keep the conversation going.

Chapter 2: Thinking About Thinking — This chapter discusses the importance of critical thinking and the ability to challenge assumptions. It provides several techniques for improving one’s thinking skills, such as using analogies, questioning assumptions, and brainstorming. Charles Conn: Absolutely. The third step, which we also emphasize, along with good problem definition, is rigorous prioritization—we ask the questions “How important is this lever or this branch of the tree in the overall outcome that we seek to achieve? How much can I move that lever?” Obviously, we try and focus our efforts on ones that have a big impact on the problem and the ones that we have the ability to change. With salmon, ocean conditions turned out to be a big lever, but not one that we could adjust. We focused our attention on fish habitats and fish-harvesting practices, which were big levers that we could affect. This is Consulting 101 for new and aspiring consultants to read. My first half year in consulting went in understanding the aspects mentioned in the book and the anxiety associated with navingating a firm. While there are definitely no silver bullets, there are indeed some cardinal sins as consultants which any good org drills into it's consultants from day 1. With both types, the number 1 option is to subtly trade them out of your realm. When that is not possible, the next best option is to play ignorant. Leak out information only with the right “secret audience”. Simon London: But they have to respect each other’s methodology and be prepared to flex, maybe, a little bit, in how this process is going to work.Example: “You don’t need to look at the cost structure of each of the operations. Don’t boil the ocean.” So, always dig deeper. Get facts. Asks questions. Poke around. Challenge the client… until you find the real problem. Charles Conn: For me, problem solving is the answer to the question “What should I do?” It’s interesting when there’s uncertainty and complexity, and when it’s meaningful because there are consequences. Your son’s climbing is a perfect example. There are consequences, and it’s complicated, and there’s uncertainty—can he make that grab? I think we can apply that same frame almost at any level. You can think about questions like “What town would I like to live in?” or “Should I put solar panels on my roof?” Concepts like MECE, Interviewing, Brainstorming and preparing the audience for steercoms, while may seem common sensical, are sidestepping professional landmines in consulting. The other life lesson on handling work like balance and avoiding burnout are still work in progress and a lot has changed since the book was written. Hugo Sarrazin: It starts with an incredible amount of empathy for the user and uses that to define the problem. It does pause and go out in the wild and spend an enormous amount of time seeing how people interact with objects, seeing the experience they’re getting, seeing the pain points or joy—and uses that to infer and define the problem.

No matter what, engage the client members in the process. The more they feel everybody is on the same boat, the more they would support you. I think sometimes when people think about seven steps, they assume that there’s a rigidity to this. That’s not it at all. It’s actually to give you the scope for creativity, which often doesn’t exist when your problem solving is muddled.

Khi vẽ biểu đồ (chương cuối): keep everything simple với nguyên tắc "mỗi biểu đồ chỉ 1 thông điệp duy nhất" We subconsciously admire the people who talk in sophisticated language, so we make complex charts. However, simple and easy-to-follow charts go a long way in consulting. Charts are just a means of getting your messages across, not a Ph.D. project. Structure, structure, structure. MECE, MECE, MECE. Hypothesis-driven, Hypothesis-driven, Hypothesis-driven.”– Former associate in Dusseldorf and San Francisco offices

Hugo Sarrazin: At every step of the process. In the problem definition, when you’re defining the context, you need to understand those sources of uncertainty and whether they’re important or not important. It becomes important in the definition of the tree. Include some questions you know the answer to. This gives insights into the interviewee’s style, knowledge, and honesty.Covet your personal space (physical and mental) when on projects. It is easy to yield to all consuming work and then feel drained out.