Casing Frameworks Flashcards
S.C.A.M.P.E.R.
Substitute
Combine
Adapt
Modify
Put to other uses
Eliminate
Reverse
Combine
Combine two or more parts of the problem, product, or process to create something new or enhance the original
Substitute
Replace part of the problem, product, or process with something else
Adapt
Adjust or tweak your problem/ideas
Magnify
Exaggerate your idea or parts of it to increase its perceived value or create new insights
Put to Other Uses
How could you reuse or reapply your idea to other uses
Eliminate
Simplify, reduce, or eliminate components to narrow the challenge to what is most important
Rearrange or reverse
How would the problem, product, or process work in reverse or a different order
C.I.R.C.L.E.S.
Clarify the case
Identify the users
Report their needs/pains
Cut through and prioritize the most important need/pain
List solutions for the need/pain
Evaluate tradeoffs
Summarize
Clarify
Ask questions to scope the case, demonstrate your understanding, determine what’s in and out of the problem statement, and align with the interviewer on what the product is and what you are solving for
Do we have an existing definition of success?
Do we have guiding principles or a north star?
Is there anything we don’t care about?
State the elephant in the room (lay out your approach)
G.B.O.T.
What is the geography, business model, objective, and timeline (immediate or moonshot)
5 Ws and H
What is it?
Who is it for?
Why do they need it?
When is it available?
Where is it available?
How does it work
Identify
Define at least three user personas that cover all current and potential users
Prioritize which persona you would like to focus on based on the case objectives or a framework
Report
List the needs/pain points of the persona you focus on
Jobs to Be Done
As a [user], I want [job to be done, so that I can [benefit]
Cut through and prioritize
Which needs are the most important to solve for first?
If you solved for it, which need would get you closest to the business objective?
List solutions
Brainstorm at least three product features that solve for the need(s) you identified as most important
Attribution method
List all the product attributes by category and mix and max to get a new combination
Evaluate tradoffs
Prioritize the solutions you brainstormed to identify which one to build
Desirability, Feasability, Viability
Desirability = how much value does it add to the user?
Feasibility = how hard is it to build?
Viability = how much money does it generate? How much does it support the business?
Summarize
Review your answer and the steps you took to get there
4 Rs
Recommendation
Rational
Risks
Next steps
Attributes of good metrics
Quantify the objectives of the product
Capture the signal vs the noise
Are leading vs lagging
High-Level Metrics Funnel
Reach
Activation
Engagement
Retention
Business-specific
Porter’s 8 Forces
Competitive rivalry
Buyers
Suppliers
New entrants
Substitutes
Complements
Regulation
Distribution
4 Ps
Price = link to real and perceived value
Product = understand what the product is, who needs it, why, and what makes it unique
Place = where/how will the product be sold/distributed
Promotion = convincing consumers they need your product and it is priced appropriately through advertising, public relations, and your overall media strategy
6 Cs
Company
Consumer
Competitors
Collaborators
Cost
Capabilities
Internal considerations
Balance sheet
Portfolio/product mix
External considerations
Market growth stage
Market consolidation level
Disruption threat
Benchmarks
Revenue Considerations
Distribution
Product mix/cross-selling
Pricing power/bundling
Product innovation with R&D
Better customer experience
More efficient sales
Cost Considerations
Fixed costs
1. Overhead
2. Rent
3. Maintenance
4. Marketing
Variable costs
1. Raw materials
2. Labor
3. Transportation
4. Distribution/sales fees
Balance sheet considerations
Lower cost of capital
More financial resources
CAPEX rationalization
Improve AR/AP
Better inventory management
M&A Considerations
General
1. Disruption to operations
2. Diluted focus on core business
3. Lose customers to brand
4. Lose supplies
5. Poor execution
6. One-time cost
Barriers
1. Higher pay
2. Lose staff
3. Uncertainty
4. Culture clash
5. Poor hiring
Legal issues
1. Antitrust
2. Parents
3. Headcount reduction
Three key PM questions
Are you asking the right questions?
Are you making good decisions?
Are you communicating effectively?
Technology tradeoffs
Complexity vs speed
Quality vs quantity
Metric-level utilization
Flexibility vs ease
Now vs later
Server vs client
The Five Why’s
Why
Why
Why
Why
Why
