9.1Searching for possible solutions

The client expects the consultant to recommend the best solution to the problem, or suggest the best way of taking a new opportunity. However, it is seldom possible to point immediately to an obvious best solution. Most business and management problems have more than one solution and in some cases the number of alternative solutions is high, especially if the purposes pursued are complex. The consultant may already be aware of some possible solutions, but unaware of others. Often the complexity and the originality of the situation are such that no clear-cut solution comes to anybody’s mind immediately. New situations cannot be dealt with using old approaches, and management consultants operate in a field which is changing extremely rapidly.

The action-planning phase starts therefore with a search for ideas and information on possible solutions to the problem. The objective is to identify all interesting and feasible alternatives and subject them to preliminary evaluation before starting detailed design and planning work on one proposal.

Orienting the search for solutions

The main factor to be considered is the nature of the problem, especially its technical characteristics (functional area, techniques or methods to be changed),