". . Clarity isn't found - it's framed . ."
Across the consulting interviews we support and the transformation programmes we are engaged in, one skill separates genuinely strong consultants from everyone else. It is not a framework, not a tool, not a methodology. It is problem framing.
Before MECE helps you structure a problem, and before top-down or bottom-up techniques help you analyse it, you need to understand what the problem actually is. (see my previous blogs for more detail on these techniques).
That is the heart of problem framing, and it is one of the most in-demand consulting skills we hear consultancy partners reference during interviews for strategy, product, data, and architecture roles.
The best consultants do not jump into solutions. They slow down, step back, and make sure the problem has been defined clearly. Because if the framing is wrong, everything that follows will be wrong as well.
Why problem framing matters
Most failed transformation programmes do not fail because of poor delivery. They fail because the team started by solving the wrong problem. Good problem framing ensures:
- Everyone is aligned on what the client actually needs
- The root cause, not the symptom, is being addressed
- Effort, time, and budget are focused on the right areas
- Recommendations will be relevant, actionable, and feasible
- Stakeholders share a single, agreed definition of success
When consultants frame problems well, everything else downstream becomes cleaner, faster, and more effective.
What problem framing looks like in Practice
Strong consultants use framing to translate ambiguity into clarity. It typically includes the following steps:
1. Clarify the objective
- What outcome is the organisation trying to reach?
- What does success actually look like?
2. Understand context
- What is happening in the business, the market, or the operating environment that makes this problem important right now?
3. Identify constraints
- Budget, timelines, appetite for change, technical limitations, team capacity.
- Framing the problem without understanding constraints is incomplete.
4.Challenge assumptions
- Client stakeholders often come with a proposed solution.
- Good consultants ask:
“Is this the right problem?"
“Is this actually the root cause?”
5. Define the boundaries
- What is in scope?
- What is out of scope?
- Where should the team focus first?
- Once these elements are clear, the problem is framed in a way that sets the engagement up for success.
How problem framing connects to MECE and Top-Down thinking
Problem framing is the stage that happens before structure. It is the moment when the consultant steps back and sharpens the edges of the problem so it can be analysed with clarity.
Once a problem is framed well:
- MECE helps break it into clean, non-overlapping components
- Top-down thinking helps define the path from strategy to execution
- Bottom-up analysis helps validate assumptions with evidence from the detail
In other words, problem framing is the gateway to structured thinking.
Real examples of problem framing in Tech and Transformation
We see this constantly across the consulting engagements we support:
- A cloud transformation is requested, but the real problem is lack of cost governance
- A new CRM is proposed, but the real issue is inconsistent customer processes
- A data platform redesign is commissioned, but the root cause is poor data ownership
- A system migration is requested, but the actual challenge is organisational readiness
Without proper framing, teams jump into solutions that do not solve the underlying business issue. With strong framing, the programme starts with clarity and purpose.
Why Consultancies look for this skill in interviews
When interviewers say “walk me through how you would approach this problem,” they are not looking for an instant solution. They want to see how you frame it.
They want to see:
- What questions you ask
- How you define the boundaries
- How you interpret ambiguous goals
- How you test assumptions
- How you link business outcomes to delivery work
Framing is a signal of consulting maturity. It shows you can think clearly, and it shows you can lead clients from uncertainty to direction.
