"Define the problem. Analyze issues. Develop a hypothesis. Gather and analyze data. Conclude and recommend." — the McKinsey hypothesis-driven problem-solving framework, in five lines

"TEAM FOCUS ACE." — the entire course, in three letters

What this masterclass is

A working playbook synthesized from Vanderbilt Owen's MGT 6550 Strategy & Operations Consulting (Spring 2025): 7 lecture sessions, 6 templates (engagement letter, framing, issue tree, hypothesis structure, project map, content map), 9 in-class whiteboard artifacts from the Brooklyn Brewery worked example, 14 real student final deliverables across years (RFM, BAB, Edley's, Wixter, OrcoGuard, Cardiac Rehab, AutO2, Expected Value, Eupalinos, Back Forty, TG, 21st Ave / Blueprint, Anchor & Associates, Brooklyn Beer), and Paul Friga's The McKinsey Engagement as the underlying source.

Where the Managerial Decision Making and Corporate Strategy masterclasses are concept-heavy (frameworks for deciding), this one is craft-heavy — it teaches you how to do a consulting engagement end-to-end. Engagement letter through final deliverable, with the templates and worked examples that turn theory into delivery.

If you read it cover-to-cover, expect ~5–6 hours. Treat it as reference and you'll return to it for every consulting project, internal-strategy initiative, or board-deck assignment you handle for the rest of your career.

How to use it

First pass (45 minutes): Read this page, then skim each module's opening section and cheat sheet. You'll come away with the full process arc and know which artifacts you need at each stage.

Project pass (per engagement): When you start a real engagement, work through the modules sequentially. Each module produces a tangible artifact (engagement letter, issue tree, hypothesis structure, content map, ghost deck, final deck). The Brooklyn Brewery worked example threads through every module so you can see what "good" looks like before producing your own.

Repeat-engagement use: The Master Playbook at Module 9 is the single-page lookup you'll use most. It maps situations to the right artifact and references the templates you need.

The 8 modules + Master Playbook

1. The Consulting Mindset & TEAM FOCUS ACE — the master framework, the hypothesis-driven approach, why most problem-solving fails
2. Engagement Setup — the engagement letter, Day Zero activities, team charter, kickoff meeting
3. Problem Structuring — framing the question, issue trees, MECE, the Brooklyn Brewery worked example
4. Hypothesis-Driven Approach — generating and prioritizing hypotheses, the Pyramid Principle, hypothesis structure
5. Research & The Content Map — secondary research (literature search), primary research (interviews, surveys, focus groups, observations, process mapping), the content map artifact
6. The Ghost Deck — storyboarding the answer before having the data, the McKinsey slide format, Good Charts principles
7. The Final Deliverable — ACE (Audience, Clarify, Engage), grabbers and stickers, Q&A, virtual delivery
8. Project & Team Management — the TEAM lever, weekly status updates, interim reports, economic analysis, implementation planning
9. The Master Playbook — situations → artifacts lookup, the 7-week project arc as a checklist, the Case Library index