The case, start to finish

The eight moves of a case

1. 1Listen and write. Write down the key facts of the prompt as you hear them: the company, the problem, any numbers, and the goal.
2. 2Summarize back. In one or two sentences, repeat the problem and the goal in your own words. This catches misunderstandings early. Example: "So our client is a hotel group in Spain, profits fell 20 percent last year, and they want to know why and what to do. Is that right?"
3. 3Ask two or three clarifying questions. Ask only what you need to structure: the objective and how success is measured, how the business makes money, and the scope (which market, which time period, which products).
4. 4Ask for a short pause. Say: "May I take a minute to organize my thoughts?" Then use 30 to 90 seconds to draw your structure on paper. Silence here is normal and expected.
5. 5Present the structure in about 60 seconds. Give the main branches, one or two points under each, and say where you want to start and why. Turn your page so the interviewer can see it, or share it on screen in a video interview.
6. 6Drive, or follow. In a candidate-led case, choose the next branch and ask for data. In an interviewer-led case, answer the question you are asked, but always say how the answer links back to the goal.
7. 7Summarize in the middle. After each piece of analysis, say three things: what you found, what it means for the client, and where you want to go next.
8. 8Close with a recommendation. Give the answer first, then two or three reasons, the main risk, and the next steps.

Transcript (the notes explain each move)

1. 1Interviewer: "Our client is a mid-size airline in India. Profits have fallen over the last two years. They want to know why." Note: you write down "airline, India, profits down, 2 years, goal: find why".
2. 2You: "Let me make sure I have this right. Our client is a mid-size Indian airline whose profits have fallen for two years, and the goal is to find the cause. Is there a target, for example getting back to the old profit level?" Note: summary plus one question about the goal.
3. 3Interviewer: "Yes, they want to return to their old profit level within two years." You: "Thank you. Does the airline fly only inside India, or international routes too?" Interviewer: "Mostly domestic." Note: a scope question. Two questions are enough.
4. 4You: "May I take a minute to structure my thoughts?" Note: you then take about a minute and draw the tree on paper.
5. 5You: "Profit is revenue minus cost, so I will look at both sides. On revenue: the number of passengers, which depends on seats flown and how full the planes are, and the average fare. On cost: fuel, aircraft costs such as leases, staff, and airport fees. My first guess is cost, because fuel prices can move fast, so I would like to start there. Do you have a cost breakdown for the two years?" Note: a 45-second structure with a clear starting point and a reason.
6. 6Interviewer shares the data. Fuel cost per seat rose 25 percent. Other costs are flat. You: "So the main change is fuel. That explains most of the profit drop. Next I want to see whether fares went up to cover it, which takes us to the revenue side." Note: a mid-case summary: what we found, what it means, where next.
7. 7At the end, you: "My recommendation is to focus on fuel. Most of the profit fall comes from fuel cost per seat. I would use fuel hedging (agreeing a fuel price in advance) to reduce future price swings, plan newer, more fuel-efficient aircraft for the longer term, and test small fare increases on busy routes. The main risk is that competitors do not raise fares. Next, I would size the savings from each option." Note: answer first, reasons, risk, next step.