The$Toolbox to$Cracking$the$IB$Case

Table$of$contents$

03 Problem$Solving$Methodology
07$ Structured$and$Effective$Communication
10 Fundamentals$of$Slide$Production
12 Team$Management
13 An$Approach$to$Productive$Teamwork
14 7$Guiding$Principles$to$Win$a$Case$Competition

2
Problem$Solving$Methodology
How,Consultants,
work
Hypothesis*driven/problem/solving/
The$most$fundamental$skill$of$any$problem$solver$is$hypothesisObased$thinking.$Structuring$analyses$in$
this$way$ensures$efficiency$and$focus$because$only$relevant$data$is$being$analyzed.$A$crucial$part$of$
the$hypothesisObased$methodology$is$to$ensure$that$the$formed$hypothesis$is$falsifiable.$When$a$
falsifiable$hypothesis$is$formed,$one$should$construct$a$framework$that$enables$testing$of$the$
hypothesis$and$collect$the$data$required$to$do$so.

Data$required$$
to$test$the$
hypothesis

Confirm Conclusion

Case$ Initial$
Analysis
question hypothesis

New$
Falsify
hypothesis

Relevant$
framework$to$test$
the$hypothesis

Example:
Confirm/// New/
Question/ Hypothesis/ Analysis/ falsify/ hypothesis/

How$can$the$ Increasing$ Scale$ Hypothesis$ New$

client$cut$ scale$by$1%$ benchmark$ falsified.$ hypothesis:$
procurement$ will$reduce$ of$main$ Regression$ Sourcing$in$
expenses$by$ price$per$ competitors.$ shows$that$ emerging$
10%? item$bought$ Required$ scale$does$ markets$will$
by$1.5% data:$Price$ not$affect$ reduce$
per$bought$ price$per$ procurement$
item$and$ item expenses
volume$for$all$
competitors

3
Problem$Solving$Methodology
How,Consultants,
work
The/MECE/issue/tree/
Issue$trees$are$used$to$break$down$complex$problems$into$more$manageable$subOissues.$While$the$
previous$section$explained$the$process$of$hypothesis$testing,$the$MECE$framework$helps$identify$the$
relevant$hypotheses.$MECE$is$an$acronym$for$"Mutually$Exclusive,$Collectively$Exhaustive"$and$is$a$
way$of$organizing$information$– often$in$the$context$of$issue$trees.$If$the$issue$tree$is$done$in$a$"MECE"$
way,$all$subOissues$collectively$exhaust$the$solution$space$(all$possible$solutions)$and$the$subOissues$
are$mutually$exclusive$(no$subOissues$are$overlapping).$A$MECE$issue$tree$ensures$that$no$possible$
solution$is$missing$and$that$work$streams$can$be$distributed$among$the$case$team$members$without$
any$duplication$of$the$work.$

Example:
Selected/
Question/ MECE/issue/tree/ hypotheses/

By$putting$pressure$
on$government$in$
How$to$reduce$supply$in$
growing$countries,$
growing$countries?
drug$problems$can$
be$reduced
How$to$reduce$$ How$to$stop$drugs$in$
supply$for$drugs transit?
By$increasing$the$
How$to$ punishment$for$
How$to$stop$distribution$in$
reduce$ distributing$drugs,$
user$countries?
the$ problems$can$be$
quantity$ reduced
of$drug$ How$to$help$users$
use? recognize$the$real$costs?
By$increasing$the$
How$to$reduce$
How$to$punish$users$ punishment$for$using$
demand$for$
more? drugs,$problems$can$
drugs?
be$reduced
How$to$reduce$perceived$
How$can$drug$ benefits$of$users?
problems$be$
reduced?
How$to$improve$antiO
How$to$help$ addiction$treatments?
users$recover$
By$handing$out$clean$
from$drugs? How$to$improve$ needles,$drug$
rehabilitation$? problems$can$be$
reduced
How$to$ How$to$make$drugs$
reduce$ healthier$and$safer?
the$ How$to$reduce$
By$developing$a$
impact$ the$dangers?
How$to$encourage$switch$ new,$healthier$drug,$
of$drug$
to$less$harmful$drugs? drug$problems$can$
use?
be$reduced

How$to$make$
How$to$reduce$ precautionary$actions?
sideOeffect$(e.g.$
gangs,$crime)? How$to$help$drugOusers$
back$from$sideOeffects? 4
Problem$Solving$Methodology

SCQA

The$SCQA$is$probably$the$most$frequently$used$case$
1 Situation
cracking$tool.$It$works$well$both$as$a$tool$to$understand$the$ Set,the,scene
context,$challenges$and$key$question$of$the$case,$but$also$
as$a$communication$tool$to$make$a$good$executive$
2 Complication
summary.$We$recommend$that$the$team$does$the$SCQA$
Describe,the,problem
right$after$reading$the$case.$A$good$tip$is$to$first$do$it$
individually$and$then$as$a$group$to$ensure$independent$
3 Question
thinking$and$maximize$chances$of$getting$it$right.$
Make,it,clear,what,you,solve

The$importance$of$the$SCQA$cannot$be$overstated:$having$
the$right understanding$of$the$company$and$solving$the$right, 4 Answer
problem$is$a$must$in$order$to$win$a$case$competition.$$
Present,your,recommendation

Example/of/SCQA

• We$possess$a$number$strongholds$today$which$have$been$the$backbone$of$our$
performance,$namely
– (see$exhibit$1)
Situation
– (see$exhibit$2)
– (see$exhibit$3)

• However,$lately$performance$has$been$declining$…$due$to
–…
Complication
– …$
– …,$having$resulted$in$unsatisfactory$sales$and$profit$performance,$as$well$as$…

• There,$the$key question we have$to$answer is…$ Question

Focus/on/XYZ/will/be/essential/to/our/future/success

• Several$possible$directions$have$been$considered$and$matched$with$current$
business$strengths
–…
– …$ Recommen
–… dation
• Given$our$current$business$strengths,$our$future$goal$should$be
–…
–…
–…
• We$will,$therefore,$build$up$our$business$model$around$…

5
Problem$Solving$Methodology
An,Approach,to,
Case,Cracking
Backward/case/cracking/approach

Another$approach$to$case$cracking$is$to$push$your$team$to$select$a$solution$very$early$in$the$process.$
This$allows$for$the$the$majority$of$the$time$being$spent$on$building$a$solid$argumentation$and$obtaining$
depth$in$the$solution.$The$team$starts$by$doing$the$SCQ$to$narrow$down$the$context$and$case$question.$
Directly$thereafter,$the$team$initiate$a$thorough$brainstorm$on$recommendations$to$get$all$ideas$on$the$
table.$After$this,$the$team$narrows$down$the$solution$primarily$based$on$business$logic,$only$making$
strictly$necessary$analysis$and$check$ups$with$data$outside$of$the$case.$Using$this$approach$a$team$
can$settle$on$a$solution$within$the$first$4O6$hours.$This$makes$the$majority$of$the$time$available$to$build$
the$argumentation$for$the$chosen$solution,$limiting$time$spent$on$other$options$that$won’t$be$presented$
anyway.$

Based$on$business$
logic$and$limited$data

Case$ Brainstorm$ Select$

Build$Argumentation
question Solutions Solution

Comparison/of/the/two/problem/solving/approaches/

Keep$in$mind$that$there$is$no$“correct”$solution$in$case$competitions,$just$as$in$real$world$consulting.$
Therefore,$an$extra$hour$spent$analyzing$your$way$to$the$optimal$solution$might$sometimes$be$better$
spent$on$building$your$argumentation.$The$upside$here$is$clear:$The$extra$time$allows$you$to$obtain$
more$depth$in$your$solution$and$strengthen$your$arguments.$However,$selecting$your$solution$based$on$
less$data$points$and$analysis$implies$the$risk$of$uncovering$contradicting$data$points$on$a$later$stage.$
Here$you$face$the$choice$of$“making$it$fit”$or$changing$your$solution$and$losing$time.$The$approach$is$
often$useful$in$case$competitions,$since$the$strict$time$pressure$does$not$allow$for$a$full$analysis$of$all$
relevant$alternative$solutions.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

Hypothesis$Driven$Problem$Solving

Backward$case$Cracking$Approach

Time$spent$deciding$on$solution Time$spent$building$argumentation Illustrative

6
Structured$and$Effective$
Communication

Storylining
When$building$slides,$action$titles$are$the$foundation$of$your$communication.$Action$titles$summarize$
the$key$message$of$the$slide$in$as$short$a$manner$as$possible.$An$action$title$differs$from$a$regular$
headline,$as$it$provides$a$complete,$sensible$argument$that$would$work$outside$the$context$of$the$given$
slide.$The$idea$of$“storylining”$is$that$a$list$of$the$action$titles$should$work$as$a$script$that$stands$on$its$
own$and$summarizes$your$story.$You$can$think$of$the$action$titles$as$collectively$forming$an$“elevator$
speech”$of$the$case$solution.$It$is$a$way$to$structure$key$messages$and$ensure$consistent$
communication.

1 2 3 4 5
Front$page By$focusing$on$ Changing$competitive$ To$successfully$ Simplicity$has$defined$
simplicity,$flexibility$ landscape$and$ compete,$the$client$ other$industries$for$years$
and$transparency,$the$ unsatisfied$customers$ must$develop$a$simple$ and$the$client$must$
client$can$reduce$ put$the$client$under$ platform$that$provides$ leverage$the$same$
churn$rates$and$grow$ pressure$across$all$ flexibility$and$enhances$ simplicity$platform$in$their$
revenue$from$2018 product$categories transparency value$proposition

6 7 8 9 10
Flexibility$to$tailor$ Transparency$in$pricing$ Employing$a$risk$ Simplicity,$flexibility$and$ We$recommend$to$
individual$services$will$ solves$a$central$ mitigating$strategy$will$ transparency$improve$ reconnect$with$
enable$the$client$to$ challenge$for$the$client$ maximize$revenue$ customer$satisfaction$ customers$by$building$a$
provide$customers$ and$facilitates$an$ potential$while$reducing$ and$decrease$churn,$ simple$platform$that$
exactly$what$they$want,$ improving$customer$ risk resulting$in$strong$top$ allows$for$service$
thereby$decreasing$churn satisfaction line$growth$by$2018 flexibility$and$price$
transparency

NB:,Illustrative,example,,only

Dot/* Dash
The$DotODash$is$a$helpful$tool$to$structure$your$presentation$that$incorporates$storylining.$The$idea$is$to$
write$out$the$key$messages$with$supporting$arguments$for$each$slide.$A$bullet$point$(dot)$represents$the$
headline$of$a$slide$and$a$hyphen$(dash)$represents$a$supporting$argument/data$point.$We$recommend$
that$you$make$a$DotODash$after$you$have$settled$on$a$solution.$By$using$the$DotODash$you$will$structure$
all$of$your$key$messages$into$a$coherent$story$right$from$the$start$in$a$way$that$easily$allows$for$
delegation$of$work.

Example/of/a/Dot*Dash

• We$possess$a$number$strongholds$today$which$have$been$the$backbone$of$our$performance,$namely
– High$customer$loyalty$(customer$survey$with$churn$rates)
– Low$production$cost$(graph$for$comparative$variable$cost$across$competitors)
– High$brand$awareness$(customer$survey$with$brand$awareness)
See7SCQA7example7on7page757for7more

7
Structured$and$Effective$
Communication

Storyboarding
The$storyboard$is$a$translation$of$the$DotODash$into$slides$and$a$tool$for$putting$a$presentation$together$
in$an$efficient$way.$You$draw$up$the$slides$on$a$white$board$with$action$titles$(dots)$and$then$visualize$
the$supporting$arguments$(dashes).$Visualizing$ideas$and$arguments$on$slides$requires$a$lot$of$practice$
and$therefore$it$makes$sense$do$to$this$together$as$a$team$to$help$each$other$out.$Typically,$some$team$
members$are$better$than$others$at$slide$production,$and$storyboarding$can$help$leverage$the$strengths$
of$different$team$members.

Example/of/a/storyboarding

Situation$points (Supporting$situation$ Complication$points (Supporting$

slides) complication$slides)
•… •…
•… •…
•… •…

Recommendation… 1.$… 1.a.$… 1.b.$…

100
1. … a. … 80
60
2. … b. … 40
20
3. … c. … 0
1./kvt.2./kvt.3./kvt.4./kvt.

1.c.$..... Resolution$main$ 2.$… 2.a.$…

… points
… a. …
1. …
… b. …
… 2. …
… c. …
… 3. …

Tell/what/you/want/to/tell/them,/then/tell/them,/
and/then/tell/them/what/you/just/told/them/
To$win$a$case$competition,$you$have$to$communicate$your$findings$
effectively.$We$recommended$that$a$brief$outline$of$the$solution$is$first$
presented$after$which$the$actual$solution$is$presented.$When$the$
solution$is$presented,$it$is$recommended$that$a$concluding$synthesis$of$
the$solution$is$included.$$

8
Structured$and$Effective$
Communication

The/Pyramid/Structure
The$pyramid$structure$is$a$principle$of$how$to$structure$communication$and$thinking.$The$idea$is$to$first$
summarize$the$conclusion$and$then$present$the$supporting$arguments.$Optimally,$this$should$be$done$
following$the$MECE$principle.$Breaking$thoughts$down$in$this$way$has$proved$to$be$the$most$logical$
way$and$makes$it$easier$to$understand$for$the$receiver.$Primarily,$there$are$two$ways$of$presenting$
arguments,$namely,$the$inductive$reasoning$structure$and$the$deductive$reasoning$structure.$Generally,$
inductive$is$preferred$as$it$is$easier$to$follower,$but$deductive$is$very$useful$when$making$a$
controversial$point.

A The/Pyramid/Structure B Two/main/ways/of/presenting/arguments

• Give$answer$upfront
S
• Easier$to$group$thoughts
C • Easier$overview$for$the$
Q receiver
A
Top Inductive$
reasoning$structure
Down

• If$receiver$might$
disagree$upfront
• If$receiver$needs$basic$
understanding$before$
• Summarizes$first conclusion$/$
• Easier$for$the$receiver$to$digest$– does$not$ recommendation
Deductive$
have$to$look$for$the$pattern
reasoning$structure
• Structures$in$the$most$logical$order

Example/of/deductive/structure//– argument

You$must$change

Statement Cause/why? How?

Here$is$what Here$is$what Thus,$here$is$what$
is$going$wrong is$causing$it you$should$do

Example/of/inductive/structure/– grouping

You$must$change

Why?
How? Do$A Do$B Do$C

9
Fundamentals$of$Slide$Production

Building/blocks/of/a/case/competition/slide/
Every$slide$should$serve$one$of$the$following$three$purposes:$1)$Communicate$a$set$of$key$implications$
or$facts.$2)$Guide$the$audience$through$different$analyses$or$create$a$logical$transition.$3)$Drive$
towards$recommendation.$Below$we$give$an$example$of$how$to$structure$a$slide.

Transparency in$pricing solves a$fundamental$problem$for$the$ Client Logo

Always$
Action$title$ client and$facilitates an$improving customer satisfaction include$the$
conveys$ logo$of$the$
the$key$ case$
In/the/telco industry/60%/of/customer/ This/is/a/central/problem/for/the/client,/but/is/ company
message$
inquires/concerns/billing/issues/ solved/with/transparent/pricing
of$the$slide
Customer Recommendation Billing$easy to$understand
complaints score O18
Transparent$pricing
100% 8% 100% 100 Highlight$
Key$ 13% 76 73 75 70 important$
60% 66
takeaway$ 55 aspects$of$
of$graph$is$ 50% 50 the$data
told$in$the$
header
0% 0
Billing$ Installation$ Other Total$ TDC Telia Telenor
Use$of$ issues problems inquires
graphics$to$ Especially for/the/client,/price transparency is/a/
Customers in/the/telco industry face severe weak spot
enhance$ difficulty in/understanding their bills • Transparency reamins an$obvious lever$for$
communiO • Why are some calls free when others are not? customer satisfaction Tracker$to$
cation • Why am$I$charged extra for$this particular • Quick wins are realizable even if help$
service? performance$is$only increased to$peer$levels guiding$the$
audience$

Executive Insights Solution Impact Summary

Slide/writing/
commandments/

•Synthesis:$Synthesize$many$analyses$into$one,story$
•Accuracy:$Use$precise,$clear$communication$with$no$ambiguity
•Transparency:$Transparent$logic$and$connection$between$data$and$conclusion
•Impact:$Highlight$key$implications$and$explain$the$insights
Design/principles/ •Context.$Tell$the$story$that$addresses$your$audience's$concerns,$not$your,story

•Show$it,$don't$tell$it$– a$figure$is$worth$a$thousand$bullets
•Less$is$more$– design$your$slides$for$quick$reading
•Keep$focus$on$what$is$important$O avoid$excessive$use$of$colors
•Focus$on$one$key$message$per$slide
Text/or/graphs?/

•Qualitative$information$! Text$slide$with$supporting$visuals
•Quantitative$information$or$relationship$! Graph
•When$details$are$demanded$!Table$or$matrices
•Clear$graphics$to$support$conclusion,$explicit$text$to$explain$insight

10
Fundamentals$of$Slide$Production

The/major/elements/of/a/case/presentation
There$is$no$formal$"right"$way$of$structuring$a$case$presentation.$However,$most$presentation$include$
an$executive$summary,$analysis$providing$key$insights,$elaboration$of$proposed$recommendations,$
financial$impact,$risk$assessment,$implementation$plan$of$the$solution$and$a$summary.$Below$you$will$
find$one$example$of$how$to$structure$a$slide$deck

•Set$the$stage$and$tell$them$what$challenge$you$are$solving
"Executive$
•Tell$the$recommendation$and$its$impact$up$front
summary"
•Tool:$SCQA$– 1O2$Slides

•Identify$the$subOproblem$and$what$is$causing$it
”Key$insights" •This$part$should$drive$towards$your$recommendation
•2O4$slides

•Detailed$description$of$each$of$your$recommendations
"Recommendation" •Body$of$the$case$deck$– clear$communication$is$key
•2O5$slides

•What$is$the$implementation$strategy$and$what$are$the$risks?
"Impact,$risk$and$ •What$is$the$impact?$Show$that$you$solve$the$problem!
implementation" •3O4$slides

•Synthesize$solution$with$context$created$in$the$executive$
"Summary" •A$catchy$ending$with$a$call$to$action
•Less$than$1$minute$– 1$slide$only

11
Team$Management

Time/management/
In$this$case$competition,$you$have$24$hours$O make$sure$that$every$hour$counts.$While$a$rigid$and$
inflexible$plan$is$not$recommended,$it$is$however$recommended$that$broad$lines$for$the$24$hours$are$
established.$Based$on$our$experience,$we$consider$the$following$setup$as$a$comprehensive$framework$
for$managing$the$time$using$the$backward$case$cracking$approach,$but$you$should$employ$the$approach$
that$you$find$the$most$optimal.$

Read$the$case
Build$your$slide$deck.$This$is$the$core$of$the$process,$
and$it$is$important$that$delegation$of$work$is$
Brainstorm$ Create$the$ Create$the$
combined$with$regular$checkOins$to$ensure$that$
solutions DotODash storyboard
everyone$are$aligned.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

Do$the$SCQ$first$ Narrow$down$ Rehearse,$proofO

individually$and$ and$settle$on$ read/align$slides$and$
then$as$a$team solution build$backOup$slides

Team/Roles/
It$helps$the$productivity$of$the$team$to$give$each$team$member$an$area$of$responsibility.$We$have$
outlined$the$roles$that$a$team$typically$has$below.$In$addition$to$these,$it$is$advisable$to$have$a$
“slidemaster”$– a$person$who$is$responsible$for$fixing$and$aligning$the$slide$deck$in$the$final$hours$of$
case$cracking.$This$is$typically$the$person$most$comfortable$with$slides$and$PowerPoint.

Time/Manager Marketing
• Ensures$that$the$team$is$on$ • Focus$on$the$marketing$
track aspect$of$the$solution
• Has$an$overview$of$what$
everybody$is$doing

Analyst Financials/
• Focus$area$is$find$key$ • Responsible$for$finding$
insights$ financial$impact$of$solution
• Usually$conducts$ • Usually$also$takes$key$risks$
quantitative$analyses$ and$implementation

12
An$Approach$to$Productive$
Teamwork

Everybody/should/be/aligned/at/all/times
A$key$criteria$for$having$a$productive$team$is$that$everybody$knows$what$to$do$at$all$times.$Wasting$time$
on$doing$the$wrong$task$or$simple$not$knowing$what$to$do$about$a$certain$slide$or$analysis$is$detrimental$$
to$the$whole$team$and$should$therefore$be$avoided.$By$doing$the$DotODash$and$storyboard$you$will$
already$be$a$long$way$towards$avoiding$waste.$The$tools$create$a$clear$structure$and$provide$everything$
needed$for$slide$production.$However,$something$unexpected$might$come$up$after$deeper$analysis$which$
changes$the$plan$you$have$made.$In$this$case,$the$individual$team$member$should$notify$the$others$so$
that$the$team$can$find$a$solution$together$and$change$the$DotODash$and$storyboard$accordingly.$If$
individual$team$members$start$making$changes$without$involving$the$others,$you$cannot$ensure$that$the$
slides$fit$together$in$a$coherent$storyline$in$the$end.$

Establish/rules/for/conflicts/beforehand
Avoiding$conflicts$is$of$course$preferable,$but$due$to$the$extreme$time$pressure$and$high$stakes,$conflicts$
often$take$place$while$case$cracking.$Therefore,$it$is$important$that$you$mitigate$the$negative$impact$it$
can$have$by$setting$up$rules$for$handling$such$situations$beforehand.$For$example,$it$is$common$that$
team$members$have$different$views$on$which$solution$to$go$with.$If$three$team$members$want$solution$A,$
but$the$last$team$member$firmly$believe$solution$B$is$the$the$right$way,$then$a$rule$could$be$give$the$
person$5$minutes$to$present$her$arguments.$If$the$team$member$is$not$able$convince$at$least$one$of$the$
other$team$members,$then$the$solution$is$voted$out$and$must not$be$brought$up$again.$Such$simple$rules$
can$avoid$conflicts$and$save$time$during$the$case$cracking.

Practice,/practice,/practice
No$team$will$learn$how$to$work$productively$without$practicing$together$a$few$times.$While$practicing,$
your$team’s$weak$spots$will$clearly$show$and$this$will$give$you$the$chance$to$fix$it$before$the$real$
competition.$We$recommended$that$you$make$a$practice$run$where$you$go$through$the$whole$process$so$
that$everybody$is$familiar$with$it.$

Have/fun!/
It$is$an$advantage$also$to$have$fun$while$doing$the$case$cracking.$It$makes$the$process$more$enjoyable,$
but$it$is$also$important$to$allow$for$creative$brainstorming,$which$is$critical$for$your$final$product.$Most$
often$it$is$the$team$with$the$best$idea$that$wins$the$competition,$therefore$this$should$not$be$overlooked.$
We$recommend$that$you$do$some$social$activities$on$the$side$of$case$cracking$if$you$do$not$know$each$
other$well$beforehand.$This$will$improve$your$team$dynamics.$

13
7$Guiding$Principles$to$Win$a$
Case$Competition

1 Don't/boil/the/ocean/
When$solving$a$case,$it$is$easy$to$identify$an$
insurmountable$number$of$analyses,$which$
could be$relevant.$A$guiding$principle$that$
enables$teams$to$develop$insightful$analyses,$
while$balancing$time$and$effort$is$the$concept$of$
the$80/20$rule$O also$known$as$the$Pareto$rule.$It$
states$that$80%$of$the$answer$lies$in$20%$of$the$
data.$In$other$words,$if$you$need$a$cup$of$boiled$
water,$you$can$either$boil$the$ocean,$or$you$can$
take$a$cup$of$water$and$then$boil$it.

2 Don't/be/afraid/to/make/assumptions/
Don't$be$afraid$to$make$assumptions:$Remember$that$the$teams$have$24$hours$to$solve$the$case,$
make$the$slide$decks$and$write$the$executive$summary.$It$is$important$to$avoid$being$caught$up$in$the$
details$that$exactly$makes$your$financial$impact$estimate$reach$that$last$decimal$point.$However,$while$
it$is$highly$recommended$to$make$assumptions,$it$is$just$as$important$to$explicitly$state$the$
assumptions,$be$able$to$defend$them,$and$to$explain$how$you$reach$your$conclusions.$

3 Make/a/compelling/story/
The$biggest$difficulty$of$a$solid$case$solution$is$to$convert$the$analysis,$recommendations$and$impact$
into$a$compelling$story.$There$are$different$ways$to$make$a$compelling$story$where$the$teams$take$the$
audience$on$a$journey,$so$creativity$is$an$important$factor.$Generally,$a$good$story$has$three$
characteristics.$First,$it$is logical, meaning$that$the$structure$and$sequence$of$slides$should$be$united$
by$a$logical$thread.$Second,$it$is$compelling,$meaning$that$it$explores$a$topic$rather$than$walks$the$
audience$through$a$set$of$analyses.$Third,$it$should$be$audience,appropriate,$meaning$that$its$length,$
level$of$detail$and$content$should$be$tailored$to$the$audience.

4 Remember/your/audience

Keep$in$mind$throughout$the$whole$process$that$the$judges$will$consist$of$representatives$from$the$
case$company$as$well$as$the$other$partner$companies.$It$is$valuable$to$consider$what$they$will$be$
looking$for$in$the$winning$solution.$While$this$can$be$hard$to$predict,$it$can$give$some$insights.$For$
example,$it$is$unlikely$that$the$case$company$is$looking$for$business$as$usual.$Often$they$see$a$case$
competition$as$a$source$of$inspiration$and$is$looking$for$new$good$ideas.$Also,$remember$that$the$
judges$are$regular$people.$It$matters$whether$they$find$your$presenting$style$trustful$and$convincing.$
Furthermore,$if$you$know$which$company$they$are$representing,$you$can$tailor$your$Q&A$answers$
towards$their$expertise.$ 14
7$Guiding$Principles$to$Win$a$
Case$Competition

5 Have/the/winning/criteria/in/mind/
With$only$24$hours$to$solve$the$case,$you$want$to$ensure$that$you$always$
have$the$winning$criteria$in$mind.$Overall$you$are$evaluated$both$on$the$
content$of$your$solution$and$the$presentation$of$it.$On$the$content$side,$
things$such$as$creativity,$realism,$applicability,$strategic$fit,$risks,$and$return$
on$investment$counts.$On$the$presentation$side,$focus$is$on$both$the$design$
and$structure$of$the$slides$and$on$the$oral$presentation$where$evaluation$
criteria$contains$e.g.$body$language,$voice,$eye$contact$and$appearance.

6 Set/SMART/goals/and/ask/SMART/questions
When$solving$a$case,$you$will$almost$always$need$to$set$goals$and$define$problem$statements.$These$
all$need$to$put$focus$towards$the$company’s$needs,$reflect$the$main$challenges$and$point$towards$the$
necessary$analyses.$A$way$to$ensure$this$is$by$using$the$criteria$of$the$SMART$framework:$Specific,$
Measurable,$Achievable,$Relevant$and$TimeObound.$If$a$goal$or$problem$statement$does$not$live$up$to$
these$criteria,$it$probably$suffers$from$irrelevance$or$ambiguity.$The$SMART$framework$is$often$used$
in$a$business$or$management$setting,$but$applies$to$problem$solving$in$general.

Not7SMART7Problem7Statement/goal SMART7Problem7Statement/goal
Business7
setting

How,can,Pandora,increase,revenues,in,
What,should,Pandora,do,in,Latin, Latin,America by,15%,annually,between,
America? 2016,and,2018,,while,retaining,current,
profit,margins?
Everyday7
setting

Complete,the,BRM,exam,before,January,
Do,well,in,school.
2019,and,receive,at,least,a,7,grade.

7 Stand/out/from/the/crowd/
With$more$than$hundred$of$the$nation's$brightest$students$participating$in$the$IB Case$Competition,$
you$want$to$stand$out$from$the$crowd.$You$can$do$this$in$one$of$four$ways.$First,$you$can$help$your$
audience$believe in$your$story,$which$can$be$achieved$through$the$use$of$such$things$as$inspirational$
quotes.$Second,$you$want$the$audience$to$remember you,$which$can$be$achieved$through$e.g.$the$use$
of$humor,$catchy$punch$lines$or$a$sticky$metaphor.$Thirdly,$you$want$to$interact with$your$audience$
which$can$be$done$though$rhetorical$or$provocative$questions.$Fourth$and$finally,$you$want$to$move
your$audience,$which$is$most$easily$done$through$e.g.$the$use$of$personal$anecdotes$or$feelings.$

15
 Authored/by
Ricco$Hansen

Building,on,previous,work,by,Christoffer Breum Nielsen,&,Jakob,Lyngsø Jørgensen

Thanks,to,Sophus,Rosendahl,for,feedback,and,editing,,