MECE - What is it? How to apply it in Case Interviews?

The detailed introduction of #MECE concept which uses for any consulting #CaseInterview.

Hope to see you in the next video!

[VitorGondim]

I'm newbie in case interviews, but I think that what commenters didn't get about the exercise being non-MECE is that it proposes a structure with three branches (Background, skills and evaluation) but displays it without respecting the levels (besides not following the rule of 3). I would organize it this way:

1. Have and impressive *background*, both
1.a) In education
1.b) in work experience
2. Have these *skills* well developed:
2.a) Analytical
2.b) Consulting
3. Do really well in the *evaluations*:
3.a) Resume screening
3.b) Case interviews

[jeremyalvaprathama]

1. Non-paralel: "impressive educational background and working experience" (collective experience) is a logically different kind from "pass the bcg potential test" (one time event)
2. Non-mutually exclusive: "having an impressive educational background" and "passing the BCG potential test"/ "having a good analytical skills" can overlap, "having work experience" and "have a good consulting resume" can also overlap.
3. Non-collectively exhaustive: "Having a relative/family member/connection that works at BCG" is also another way of getting into BCG without having to qualify for those four points mentioned.

Any feedbacks would be appreciated, as I am just starting to learn more about the field. Thanks

[Peter-psvv]

Here is my thought,
1. The parts are overlapping. For instance, be good at analytical overlaps with doing well case interviews.
2. The sum of the parts is not the whole. There more to do to get into BCG such as researching the company, networking, submitting an application, etc.
3. The parts are not parallel, e.g. having impressive resume is not parallel with passing BCG test. 
4. There are too many parts.

It will be MECE when presented this way:
How to get into BCG: pass resume screening, pass BCG potential test, and pass case interviews.

[nararyadharmika]

Right, This is my MECE Issue tree :
1. Have good Qualification (What we should have)
A. Have good experience (Our Past Action)
A.1 Have good education Experience
A.2 Have good working Experience


B. Have good cognitive (Our mind)
B.1 Have Analysis Skill (Left-Brain)
B.2 Have Communication Skill (Delivering thoughts)
B.3 Have Creativity Skill (Right-Brain)


C. Have good personality (Our Heart)
C.1 Be Company-Fit
C.2 Be Interviewer-Fit

2. Pass all test (What we should do)
A. Pass Resume Test
B. Pass Problem Solving Test
C. Pass Interview Test

[hasfiimanu]

Coming across your channel is one of the things I am most grateful for this year. Thank you, Kim!

[sumandutta]

How to get into BCG?
1. Possess
a. Consulting resume detailing - impressive working and academic background
b. Skillset of - analytical and other consulting skills
2. Perform well in - BCG test and case interview

[kuruptid]

It is non-MECE because the first two items and the last two items are not mutually exclusive and, hence, can be paired into one. This would result in a clean list of 3 items:

1. Have a good consulting resume that showcases your impressive educational background and work experience.
2. Pass the BCG Potential Test
3. Do well in case interviews in order to display your analytical and other consulting skills.

[ccc]

My answer is: Either point 1&4, Or point 2&3&5.
1&4 talks about all parellel qualities that BCG looks for: edu, working experience, skills.
2&3&5 talks about every single step in the procedure of getting into BCG: pass resume screening; pass online test; and finally pass the interview.

[tonnilam]

Rules for MECE:
1. Non-overlapping
2. The sum of small parts = the big group
3. Parallel each other
4. Stick to the magical “three"


Violation for Rule Number 1:
1. A strong correlation between the 1st and the 2nd point
2. Weak correlation between the 4th, 1st and the 2nd point
3. A strong correlation between the 3rd and the 5th point


Violation for Rule Number 2:
1. Some other possible reasons are not included.


Violation for Rule Number 4:
1. They have more than 3.


*Note: Rule number 3 (Parallel each other) isn’t violated.

[manianiu]

How to get into BCG? You

A. Strong Background:
- Education (Target/Non-Target school? Undergrad/grad? GPA? Major? etc)
- Work experience (Big /small company? Type of company? Position? Year of experience? etc)

B. Special Skills:
- Soft Skills (interpersonal and communication/conflicting solving/ leadership/ etc)
- Hard Skills (problem-solving/creative thinking/data analyzing /time management/ etc)

Be well prepared for the hiring process:
1) Resume screening
2) BCG potential test
3) Case interview

[沈丹童]

Nice video.
Below is how I put it in a MECE way:
1. Impressive education background&working experience
2. Pass BCG potential Test
3. Master analytical&other consulting skills
4. Excel in the case interview

[hengkelly]

Mine is this:
1. Developed a character of consultants during University years and exposed yourself to working environments
2. Applied to BCG with resume organized and put out properly
3. Aim to pass each interview stages such as the BCG potential test and case interviews

[cahayaputra]

Hi Kim!
Thank you for sharing this insightful video!


I am Cahaya from Indonesia and I am very happy to try broke down "How to get into BCG" in MECE way.

Problem structure
A. Good consulting resume
1. Impressive working experience
2. Impactful working experience
3. Relevant skills
4. Intriguing interests
B. Good consulting skills
1. Good non human connected skills (to past the BCG potential test)
2. Good human connected skills (to past the case interview; excluding the analysis skills because it would be under non human connected skills, but will include the case-interview note taking skills because it requires a human connection which is to listen the interviewer)


I hope that this problem structure is MECE and I am happy to welcome your feedback on this problem structure.


Thanks!

[Thevisionaryaddy]

i think the first two are  overlapping because if one has a good working experience he or she will have a good resume in the same field, so it repeats the same thing, because resume means the past experience and qualities one has in cooperate world.the last two, if one is really good at analytic and other consulting skills than he or she will almost do well, there is no different thing in doing really well or be a good analytic, they almost mean the same and overlap at some points, not completely exhaustive

[samarthsaurav]

1. Non- exclusive. 1& 2 overlap (also 3). 4&5 overlap.
2. Does not follow rule of 3. There are 5 bullet points
3. Non-parallel. Some points are about education. Others about performance.
4. I want to say no-exhaustive also. :)

[onzemos]

Hi all, I think all contributions are very good. I know I am fairly late to this but in reconstructing the breakdown I will have it as follows:

HOW TO GET INTO BCG:
1. Have a good resume that includes your educational background and work experience.
2. Pass the BCG Potential test using a strong analytical and consulting skillset.
3. Demonstrate competence in constructing case interviews.

I would love to know what anyone's take is on my attempt above! God bless :)

[ignacioortiz]

1. Impressive edu background and work exp
1a. Good resume
2. Be good at analytical and other consulting skills
2a. BCG Potential Test

That would make it ME with whats given, but it isn't CE. There are many other aspects, like the interviewer liking you.

[UnknownFeng]

I'm a little late to the party but I think that I found very similar reasons as everyone else already stated. The resume and Ed. background/work and consulting experience overlap and the magic number 3 being surpassed were good. I felt like there was more information to getting into the group. Maybe the way it was organized would have made the list far smaller. Also, do well on case interviews makes me wonder what is considered "well" in this case. I'm been struggling with the entire semester of my capstone. Thanks to everyone and Pieter for really simplifying this.

[TengsHD]

My thoughts about the Ecercise:
Its not MECE because:
1. Too many topics
2. Topics overlap (eg. doing well in case interviews and being good at analytical thinking)
How i would fix them:
1. Quantitative Factors
1.1. Impressive education (grades)
1.2. BCG potential test

2. Qualitative Factors
2.1. Qualitative Resumes
2.1.1 Working experience
2.1.2 Good consulting resume

2.2. Qualitative Impression at BCG
-> Proving good analytical and consulting skills in case interviews

[AsthaKhare]

Reasons that it is a non MECE categorisation because:
1) Non mutually exclusive
2) Not collectively exhaustive
3) Did not follow the rule of 3

According to me a MECE way would be:
1) Have a good resume which showcases an impressive educational background and working experience
2) Pass the BCG potential test
3) Perform well in the interviews including the case interview to showcase your impressive personality, analytical skills and other consulting skills.