mckinsey-problem-solving-skill

🧠 McKinsey Problem-Solving Skill for Manus

What This Skill Does

This skill encodes McKinsey & Company's complete problem-solving methodology — the same structured approach used on multi-billion dollar client engagements. When active, your Manus agent will:

• Structure any problem using MECE issue trees before jumping to analysis
• Communicate top-down using the Pyramid Principle (answer first, always)
• Synthesize, not summarize — every finding answers "So what does this mean?"
• Open presentations with the SCQA narrative framework (Situation → Complication → Question → Answer)
• Apply hypothesis-driven thinking — form a view first, then test it with minimum analysis
• Build ghost decks — outline the story before building any slides
• Prioritize ruthlessly using the 80/20 rule and impact × movability matrix

🚀 Quick Install

Option 1: One-Click Import (Recommended)

Click the button below to add this skill directly to your Manus workspace:

⚡ Import McKinsey Problem-Solving Skill →

Option 2: Manual Import

1. Open Manus Settings → Skills
2. Click "Import from GitHub"
3. Paste this URL:

   https://github.com/succtorlin/mckinsey-problem-solving-skill/tree/main/skills/mckinsey-problem-solving
   

📚 What's Included

Core Skill (SKILL.md)

The always-loaded guide covering:

• McKinsey's 5 core philosophy principles
• The 7-step process quick reference table
• Task-specific instructions for problem analysis, communication, and structuring
• Key principles cheat sheet
• Common mistakes to avoid

Reference Files (loaded on demand)

🛠️ The 10 Core Frameworks

💡 Example Use Cases

Analyze a Business Problem

"Our revenue has declined 15% this year. Help me structure this problem and identify the root cause."

The skill will:

1. Write a precise problem statement
2. Build a MECE issue tree (revenue = price × volume; costs = fixed + variable)
3. Form an initial hypothesis
4. Identify the 2–3 priority analyses
5. Synthesize findings with the "So What?" test

Structure a Presentation or Report

"I need to present my findings to the CEO. Help me structure this."

The skill will:

1. Identify the governing thought (the single most important message)
2. Build the Pyramid: governing thought → 3 key arguments → supporting evidence
3. Open with SCQA: Situation → Complication → Question → Answer
4. Write every section title as a complete insight sentence
5. End with specific, prioritized next steps

Answer a Strategy Question

"Should we enter the Japanese market?"

The skill will:

1. Reframe as a precise problem statement
2. Build a decision tree (Is the market attractive? Can we win? Is it worth it financially?)
3. Prioritize the key analyses
4. Structure the recommendation using the Pyramid Principle

📖 The McKinsey 7-Step Process

1. Define the problem      → Precise problem statement before any analysis
2. Structure the problem   → MECE issue tree mapping all possible causes/solutions
3. Prioritize the issues   → Identify the 2–3 branches most worth investigating
4. Plan the work           → Ghost deck + minimum analyses needed
5. Conduct analyses        → Execute, update hypothesis as evidence emerges
6. Synthesize findings     → Convert data into insight with the So What test
7. Communicate             → Lead with answer, SCQA opening, action-oriented close

🎯 Key Principles

❌ Common Mistakes This Skill Helps You Avoid

• Jumping to analysis before defining the problem precisely
• Building non-MECE lists (overlapping or incomplete categories)
• Summarizing instead of synthesizing — presenting data without the "So what"
• Burying the answer at the end of a presentation instead of leading with it
• Boiling the ocean — analyzing everything instead of prioritizing the critical path
• Confusing observations with hypotheses — "Revenue declined" vs. "Revenue declined because of pricing pressure"
• Skipping the ghost deck — building slides before aligning on the story

📂 Repository Structure

mckinsey-problem-solving-skill/
└── skills/
    └── mckinsey-problem-solving/
        ├── SKILL.md                          # Core skill (always loaded)
        └── references/
            ├── frameworks.md                 # All 10 frameworks in detail
            ├── seven_step_process.md         # Full 7-step process guide
            └── applied_examples.md           # Worked examples + checklist

🤝 Contributing

Contributions are welcome! If you have additional McKinsey frameworks, worked examples, or improvements to the methodology documentation, please open a pull request.

Ideas for contributions:

• Additional worked examples (M&A, market entry, operational improvement)
• Industry-specific issue tree templates
• Additional communication frameworks (Situation-Action-Result, etc.)
• Integration examples with specific Manus use cases

📜 License

MIT License — free to use, modify, and distribute.

🔗 Related Resources

• McKinsey: How to master the seven-step problem-solving process
• The Pyramid Principle by Barbara Minto
• Bulletproof Problem Solving by Charles Conn & Robert McLean
• Manus Agent Skills Documentation