Individual preparation is the foundation of learning with cases.

Cases can be long and complex with overwhelming amount of information, with or without assigned questions, and often do not have the right answer. Have a disciplined and repeatable approach to individual preparation of a case do not read the case over and over again, set a time limit for every case, block dedicated uninterrupted time for doing cases, do the additional reading before the case

1. Always take the role of the focal person in the case if asked to do so. Write the report in the first person tone. 2. Three types of case questions: a. Standard If you were in Toms position b. Question that tests specific concepts from the course c. No questions One should try to frame a question based on the case (similar to #a) 3. The unwritten rule of case preparation is to go beyond the assignment question. Real life problems hardly have one specific problem statement. 4. Short Cycle Process Spend 15 to 20 minutes i) reading the first 2~3 paragraphs and last 2~3 paragraphs, ii) going over the exhibits to understand the complexity of the evidences/data, iii) reading the headlines and skimming through the body of the paragraphs, and answer the following 5 questions: a. Who is the decision maker? Name? Title? Role? b. What are my issues? What is its significance to my organization? c. Why have my issue arisen? Why am I being involved now? d. When do I have to resolve? Is there an urgency? e. Where do I place this case in the Case Difficulty Cube (Analytical, Conceptual, Presentation)? 5. Long Cycle Process Read preferably the next day after completing the Short Cycle Process; it takes anywhere from 2 to 4 hours to complete this process. Here are some of the steps: a. Cases contain both FACTS and OPINIONS. Opinions can be questioned and challenged. b. Make notes in the margin to summarize ideas, raise questions, list concepts, and record observation. c. Typical structure of a case opening paragraph (short cycle process answers; read carefully) > background information (read quickly) > information on specific area of interest (read quickly) > specific problem description (read carefully) > decision and possible alternatives (read carefully)> concluding paragraph (look for time limit enforced to resolve the problem; read quickly) > exhibits (analyze them carefully and look if there is anything odd or unusual). Roadmap 1. Define Immediate Issues and Basic Issues; Put all the issues in Importance-Urgency chart to define the priority in which the issues must be taken up for resolution. 2. Analyze the case data using course framework (analytical tools and theory); do not try to solve the problem based on common sense. Use the following guidelines in addition to the framework: a. Cause and Effect Find root cause(s) of the problem b. Constraint and Opportunity Not present directly; should identify those that impact the analysis and the final recommendation c. Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis Always do both. Play with number; know on how would you use the number before doing the calculation, write down all your calculations, clearly identify the units, visually represent using graphs or diagrams, compare the numbers with other numbers to prove a point. 3. Generate possible solutions that eliminate the problem cause (as identified in (a) above) and are aligned with the constraints and opportunities (as identified in (b) above) surrounding the problem. Always suggest alternatives. 4. Define decision criteria (quantitative e.g. profit margin, ROI, EPS, etc, and qualitative such as ease of implementation, goodwill, etc.). 5. Compare alternatives using: a. Alternatives Assessment Matrix to compare the alternative solutions against one another. b. Short-Term vs. Long-Term c. Decision Tree Diagram d. Quantitative (+, N, -) vs. Qualitative Chart (+, N, -) 6. Make the decision and provide a detailed justification 7. Prepare the action plan (1/3-2/3 rule; who/when/what/where), implementation plan (define schedule and milestone), and contingency plan