Make the Issue Tree MECE
Create MECE issue buckets before analyzing a client problem.
A clean issue tree is a client protection device. MECE means mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive. Mutually exclusive keeps analysis from counting one cause twice. Collectively exhaustive keeps the team from ignoring a possible cause because it does not fit the current story. Advisory teams use MECE when they need a problem breakdown that can survive executive challenge. The practical test is simple. Can every important fact fit one branch? Do the branches together explain the whole problem? Are the branches at the same logical level? If not, the tree is not ready to drive a recommendation.
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