How to write Business Documents - Situation, Complication, Solution

In this video, I teach how to write business documents. The video focuses on writing introductions using the situation, complication, solution framework. This is an essential business writing technique for memos, written documents and consulting-style slide presentations. Concepts draw on Barbara Minto's book "The Pyramid Principle". Good business writing is an essential consulting skill for any management consulting career. This is true for McKinsey consulting, BCG, Bain as well as Big 4 consulting. Learn to write consulting-style documents and writing strong business documents.

Get the book:
Barbara Minto - The Pyramid Principle: Logic in Writing and Thinking*

Chapters
00:00 Introduction
00:43 Overview of Situation, Complication, Solution
01:57 In-depth: Situation
04:25 DataCamp
05:43 In-depth: Complication
09:11 In-depth: Solution
10:52 Full example
13:01 Additional remarks

This video was sponsored by DataCamp.

🎓 MY ONLINE COURSES*
Learn to make PowerPoint presentations like Top Management Consultants:
"CEO-level Presentation Skills - Slide Writing for Consulting"

Learn to negotiate your salary and earn your worth:
"The Complete Salary Negotiation Master Class - ASK for more"

Everything you need to know about Blockchain and Cryptocurrency:
"The Complete Course on Blockchain and Bitcoin"

📄 CV AND COVER LETTER TEMPLATE*
Get a CV and cover letter template based on my own documents. With earlier versions of this CV and cover letter, I successfully applied to McKinsey as consultant:

👍 CHANNEL MEMBERSHIP
Become a member of Firm Learning to support my work and get access to perks:

📩 NEWSLETTER
Sign-up to the Firm Learning e-mail newsletter to continue learning about Business and Management:

☑️ RECOMMENDATIONS*

🎧 AUDIOBOOKS*
This is a link to the audiobook service Audible that I use every day. It helps me "read" 50+ books every year. The link gives you a free test month:

💬 SOCIAL MEDIA

* Links are Affiliate links. This means I receive a revenue share whenever a purchase is made via the link. The price for you stays the same. Please always do your own research when signing up with other services. I cannot be held liable for any misrepresentations or damages, except for gross negligence. Thank you for supporting my work at Firm Learning!

All views expressed on this channel are private opinions of this channel's creator Heinrich. This is NOT an official channel of any consulting firm.

[andyyang]

The formal training that big corporate firms offer to fresh grads are invaluable, thank you for sharing!

[faustopf-.]

I finally found it! This is what I was looking for. I watched more than 20 videos of your channel, all of them with an incredible value and outstanding professionalism.
Thank you so much for giving all this information for free!

[englishlovers]

Hi. Love love love your videos. So much amazing content. Your English is fantastic too, but I want to pick you up on something very trivial. Using “looks like” is a little tricky. Looks like” needs an object. For example, he looks like her :). He looks like hell in the morning. Just using “looks”, you don’t need an object. He looks happy. He is looking rough recently.
I hope that helps. Your English is so good I don’t see any other problems. Keep up the amazing work. Good luck.

[robertocatalinoperezllanes]

It is really important to write properly to convey ideas and get support in organizations

[Osuruktan_teyyare]

Hi Heinrich, great video as always. I also use Problem, Action, Result, especially in interviews .What do you think is a good method to use in presentations? How should be a presentation for a success story structured?

[mariaen]

Thank you for sharing your tips so clearly.

[jeffhoward]

Thanks for the video. I am starting a new assignment and briefing the CEO on my approach. I think I will use it and see what happens during that intro meeting.

[ajb]

Agree with everything. I am going to run a training session for my team about good business writing and will borrow some of this structure :)

[olipop]

Thanks for another great video. While I understand the structure, I’m not so clear that looks like when tied together in the full document. Can you share where I could find examples of a complete document where this framework is applied?

[martinsjrslevkhamphoukeo]

Great video again Heinrich! Thank you 🙏. How about include book recommendations from time to time. I am sure McKinsey recommends its employees certain books, and I am sure you must be a vivid reader yourself. Curious which books you are reading or can recommend. Danke

[judyl.]

2:20 Situation - Complication - Solution is a commonly used framework for introductions.
situation: Uncontroversial statement about the situation the organization is facing, the status quo.
this is to captivate and put common grounds with audience.
3:35 i.e. the profit margin of our company has been steadily declining over the last 5 years.
5:50 complication: introduction of a factor that makes the situation worthwhile of our attention, including a question.
... ??
6:50 the book, the pyramid of principle.
8:20 the last part of complication is always a question.
9:15 the solution aspect.
9:40 solution: key proposition/ solution that we bring forward, also highlighting the structure of the document to come.
12:40 in this way, you can build an informative and also captivating introduction. also this way is also excessively in consulting.

[robh.]

Hi Heinrich,
thanks for that valuable content. The duration of the video is perfect for lunch time.

Indeed one of my project lead advised me to use exactly that framework for preparing a sales presentation to show to the client.
Especially the examples will help me a lot for the next business presentation I will prepare.

One question about this framework I am constantly asking myself.
Wouldn’t a „correct“ usage of the pyramid principle start with „solution“ in first the place.

[mikhailzhiltsov]

Hi Heinrich,

Many thanks for a useful content! It is important for working professional also. I am looking forward a continue video.

The Pyramid Principle is great book to study MECE Principle and writing structure.

Could not you pay attention for business/formal e-mail writing, please? May be some templates or writing cliche?

Guys, if you also going to improve email writing, just mark 'like' this comment.

[seestahaciendotarde]

I’m usually called the situation, complication, question as “Background, business challenges, solution”, this is always my first slide. Even before the agenda slide.

[jacobs]

This is essentially an analytical storytelling technique. I believe it could be of good use in marketing. eg. content that is engaging with a client in form of short 1-3 minutes video. any thoughts on that?

[ygonz]

Thanks for the great video, Heinrich! Would you use this framework in email communication as well, or would you use exclusively top-down communication combined with an argumentation group or an argumentation chain in an email (like you explained in your PowerPoint class)?
Sometimes I'm thinking whether I should explain the problem/situation to the recipient (leadership) if they are not familiar with the problem at all before I suggest the solution (key message) in emails.

[vickykumawat]

Hey ❤️
I just love your video.
I am very much interested in working as a management consulting.
Can you make video on which is best course, degree, MBA or any other program that will be best for these job.
Please make a detailed one 🙈

Thanks ❤️

[donpromillo]

A fellow Club Mate consumer! I knew it.

[ali-omuv]

I have to disagree as the core of any introduction/ abstract in a scientific scenariosis is need to Summarize if others have tackled a similar questions already and what new idea you bring to the table. This necessary reflection ist often missing in a consulting context IMHO.

[BMason]

The video won't play. Super weird other video's do.