DRAFT

Strategic Mind Art

Structured Thinking for Results

SM

Lokesh Datta
If thinking were a formula, it would not be thinking!

Lokesh Datta is the Founder of Datta Associates, a management consulting and training services firm in San Francisco, California, USA. Strategic Mind ArtSM is a registered service mark of Datta Associates.

Copyright 2003 Lokesh Datta

Strategic Mind ArtSM Executive Summary

This paper introduces Strategic Mind ArtSM (SMArt), a formalized, systematic process for solving reallife business problems. SMArt frames the challenge in an integrated context for targeted, insightful and clear step-by-step thinking, leading to informed and methodical problem solving while managing the scope of the problem precisely. A disciplined effort designed using SMArt ensures obtaining right answers for right questions the first time, while minimizing, if not eliminating, efforts expended on unproductive explorations into what are ultimately deemed irrelevant or out-of-scope areas. Importantly for business practitioners, SMArt can be learned formally and applied systematically. The structured problem solving through SMArt also lends itself to effective management and communication for executing the effort, as well as communicating the resulting decisions and outcomes. Inherent to the Strategic Mind ArtSM framework is an effective mechanism for delegating responsibility and assigning accountability that establishes and documents a clear understanding of mutual expectations. Consequently, SMArt can be employed as effectively by a CEO as a mid- to lower-level manager. We include three examples of the application of Strategic Mind ArtSM to real-life situations: repositioning a product for a high-tech components manufacturer, creating valuable ideas for new products and services for a telecommunications provider, and making investment decisions for a nonprofit organization. While the examples included are in Marketing, SMArt can be applied effectively to other functional and cross-functional business situations. As we shall demonstrate, Strategic Mind ArtSM can be applied - beyond addressing business problems just as well to structuring training and education for a topic or discipline, such as Strategic Marketing. Application of SMArt shifts the focus from the traditional, topics-by-topic serial organization and delivery to a substantially more effective organization and more interesting, engaging and enlightening delivery of content in the context of problem-solving. Strategic Mind ArtSM shall prove valuable to Marketing practitioners, inquisitive business professionals at large, management consultants, and educators, trainers and students in the business arena.

Copyright 2003 Lokesh Datta

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Strategic Mind ArtSM 1. Introduction

Imagine a piano player who knows every key but is not what one would refer to as a pianist, a baseball pitcher who can throw every type of pitch effectively but does not often throw a winning game, or a painter who knows every brush-stroke but can not paint a picture (or at least not one that is pleasing to the painter himself). We may not have to imagine for long, for we may ourselves fit one or more of these imaginary characters rather nicely. For our purposes here, we can draw at least three inferences from the plight of these characters: 1. Knowledge of constituent parts while necessary is not necessarily sufficient to deal with real-life situations effectively. 2. Real-life situations often require the application of skills or knowledge in more than one area, in a certain - but not necessarily unique - harmony. 3. Knowledge and certain skills can be acquired, while others remain elusive. We know that real-life business situations are not much different. Successful business professionals are adept at leveraging knowledge, skills and experience in multiple areas simultaneously for the challenge on hand. Often this thinking how and why we chose what we did to get there from here - is not transparent to others for learning and personal growth. When conscientious professionals make efforts to train those around them by communicating the effective approach for the issue on hand, the approach itself seems to change from one challenge to another. The underlying belief in this inductive approach stems from the hope that exposure to varied business problems and solution approaches would help others become proficient at addressing future business challenges. What is the outcome of such an approach? Some get it, others dont. Those who do often require a variable passage of time and those who dont, begin to accept at some point in time that the real-life business problem solving skill is of an elusive quality mentioned above. In fact, supervising managers indulge in a similar thinking of those who get it and those who dont. There is no light at the end of the tunnel, so it is assumed, at least for some aspiring professionals as the complexity of business challenges increases progressively. The problem is not the light it may or may not be there at the end of the tunnel but the problem is the tunnel. There is no tunnel. The process is missing. There is no systematic way in which these individuals are trained to get there from here. Those who are able to build their own tunnel intuitively and inexplicably can often see the light. Strategic Mind ArtSM (SMArt) takes a direct aim at the belief, rather the hope, that practitioners would learn to solve progressively more complex business problems intuitively over time, through exposure to disparate scenarios and knowledge of relevant topics. SMArt is the missing tunnel. SMArt is a structured problem solving technique that overcomes dividing individuals into those who get it and those who dont. SMArt can be learned; it is a formal and systematic approach for dealing with real-life business challenges. Business practitioners would reach varying level of proficiency in its application - just as in reallife for most things we do - depending on the level of motivation, dedication, practice, and abilities. However, now with SMArt, we have a formal, structured technique as the starting point. We contend that all business practitioners even those at the highest levels of competence and responsibility - can become better problem solvers with SMArt. SMArt enforces focus on relevant issues effectively, accelerates structuring of the problem in the context of relationships among its constituent parts, and streamlines analysis for efficiency. This approach further lends itself to effective management and communication throughout the effort. Strategic Mind ArtSM has its origins in experiential learning in the real-life business environment. It is a technique for problem analysis and solution in many industries for addressing varied business challenges rooted in diverse functional and crossfunctional situations. We include three examples to demonstrate how SMArt can be applied to reallife situations in the high-tech components manufacturing, telecommunications and nonprofit sectors. Business schools recognize the problem of applying knowledge from multiple areas simultaneously in concert a presumed natural progression for students - as being quite different from a topic-by-topic or discipline-by-discipline application. Many business schools offer capstone courses, towards the end of the

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Strategic Mind ArtSM

program, to address the much needed integrated thinking in the real world of business. This is however akin to adding quality at the end rather than embedding it systematically throughout the production and delivery process. Strategic Mind ArtSM, being an effective approach for solving inter and intra-discipline problems, can be embedded systematically throughout the curriculum to create better thinkers for the business world. SMArt works quite effectively in the real business world; it can be made to work in the institutions of higher learning for aspiring business professionals. As an example for this proposal, we apply SMArt to the discipline of Strategic Marketing. We contend that business students using Strategic Mind ArtSM would necessarily do better in consulting case interviews. The reason is fairly straightforward: the interviewer wishes to ascertain that the candidate can frame and think through the problem analytically; that is, the interviewer is not looking for answers but merely the candidates ability and rationale for selecting acceptable avenues of inquiry.

2. Strategic Mind ArtSM

In this section, we describe Strategic Mind ArtSM, detail the manner is which it is applied, and highlight the benefits of so doing at each stage. Display 1 outlines what Strategic Mind ArtSM is and is not. Four stages of Strategic Mind ArtSM are discussed below and summarized in Display 2. We wish to note that successful executives and consultants may not have learned the Strategic Mind ArtSM approach systematically or formally, but they apply - to a lesser or greater degree variations of this technique routinely albeit subconsciously, informally or intuitively. For them, it is a self-taught skill but now everyone can acquire it. 2. 1. Stage I: SMArt Inquiry The starting point in Strategic Mind ArtSM is a two-step process: Define the business problem, and then define the associated SMArt Inquiry. Suffice it to say that clear, precise and succinct definitions of both the problem and SMArt Inquiry are critical. While this is nothing new, our

DISPLAY 1. STRATEGIC MIND ARTSM

What Strategic Mind ArtSM is: A descriptive and prescriptive technique. Enforces the discipline of structured thinking; it makes its practitioners better thinkers. Offers built-in integration of all constituent parts of the problem. All constituent parts of the problem are always connected, offering the context of relationships among and precedence of all constituent parts and their contribution to and impact on the business problem. Sharpens the focus, clarifies understanding of the problem, streamlines the effort and eliminates unproductive activities. What Strategic Mind ArtSM is not: An inductive approach based on the belief rather the hope - that exposure to various business problems and their respective solution approaches would make individuals better problem solvers. A solution looking for problem approach; that is, it does not depend on the collective knowledge of methodologies, tools and technique but identifies their use if and when appropriate. Based on ideas-generation for what needs to be done, the output of which is then smashed together into a work plan. Seeks points of dependencies and integration among constituent part during or after the work plan is designed. Copyright 2003 Lokesh Datta
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DISPLAY 2. STAGES OF STRATEGIC MIND ARTSM

Stage I: SMArt Inquiry 1. Define SMArt Inquiry for the business problem. 2. Test precision and accuracy of SMArt Inquiry. Answer: a. How would you use the answers to SMArt Inquiry, assuming you can get them? Prepare a high-level action plan. b. Would the plan, when executed, effectively resolve the business problem? If no, return to Step 2. Stage II: SMArt Mapping 1. Perform the next iteration, breaking down questions to the next level of detail. 2. Repeat the iterative breakdown process on selected questions - to obtain SMArt Map - until every lowest level question: a. Is answerable either through a plan that you can devise and execute or by acquiring additional expertise or experts. b. Can be delegated and managed effectively when necessary and, when so doing, offers precise understanding of the question as well as its context, contribution and impact on the SMArt Inquiry and real business problem. 3. Use the Rules of Dependency for establishing precedence relationship among questions: Answer to a question Rule A. is dependent on all its sub-question. Rule B. is not dependent on succeeding questions at the same level. Rule C. may be dependent on preceding questions at the same level. Test for Dependency: Interchange the question on hand with a preceding question at the same level. If this violates Rule B, the precedence is strict. Stage III: SMArt Planning 1. Identify tasks needed to answer every question in the SMArt Map of Stage II. 2. Identify opportunities for combining tasks from disparate questions on the basis of shared tools and techniques being employed. 3. Create timeline on the basis of precedence in the SMArt Map and available resources, to obtain SMArt Plan. Stage IV: SMArt Execution 1. Utilize usual project management skills to execute the SMArt Plan of Stage III. 2. In case of unforeseen contingency, understand its impact and implication using the SMArt Map and respond in an informed manner.

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Strategic Mind ArtSM

experience with clients has shown us that three types of challenges often arise when defining the problem. 1. The problem is poorly defined. 2. The problem is incorrectly defined. 3. The methodology, techniques and/or tools are already selected, although the problem is illdefined or undefined. While the first two situations are self-explanatory, the last one is at least somewhat curious. Instinctively, we are tempted to say that, of course, everyone knows that it is the not right. But, it happens more often in reality than one would like to believe. Here are a couple of reallife situations. Situation 1. A client VP of Marketing for a publicly traded specialty retailer - requested us to perform a market segmentation study. Obviously, the client was confronted with a business problem and had determined that the solution of this problem was the application of a methodology: market segmentation. The company was facing a sharp revenue and share decline, with Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceeding being a distinct and real possibility. A segmentation study may or may not be the right answer to the business challenge. Even if it were, the design of the segmentation study is critically dependent on the problem on hand. However, the business challenge, at least for Marketing, was not defined at all. Unfortunately, there are some market research firms who are more than willing to execute a segmentation study using their standard approach with minor modifications to make the client feel that the research is customized for his or her needs. In fact, the client already had in her hand a proposal from a market research firm when she invited us for discussion. Situation 2. Can you help us design and execute ideally two, but no more than three, executive team sessions to develop the company vision, mission and values? The client was the CEO and co-founder of a rapidly growing high-tech services company, with approximately 80 employees. One the one hand, he was expecting a lucrative IPO but on the other, the company was facing a high employee turnover and declining product/service quality. The client had pre-determined that facilitated executive sessions alone and two or three at that - were the right approach to creating company vision, mission and values. Even if it were the right approach for producing the said outcomes, it was not clear how that would help the current business challenge that prompted this effort. Needless to say, the real problem was not defined. We can see from these examples that the effort and methodology were planned prior to clearly defining the business problem. Further, it was not clear how the results of the effort would be used for making decisions and taking actions. Even if this were done, it was certainly not clear how the decisions and actions based on the results of the effort would in fact resolve the business problem. Two questions help clarify the business problem: 1. Why do you want to act? 2. Why do you want to act now? These questions helped us understand the real business problem in the above examples, although the client wanted us to merely design and execute the pre-defined effort. Consumers of consulting services hear a similar pitch from consultants, but from the opposite end, that articulates the business problem: why you should act and why you should act now. The next step after clearly articulating the business problem is to define SMArt Inquiry. It is based on the understanding that, essentially, managers must obtain answers to key questions for making informed decision and taking effective actions. Thus, a SMArt Inquiry is a set of key questions that must be answered for decisionmaking and taking actions. We recommend that the SMArt Inquiry be restricted to no more than three questions. This focuses the mind on highlevel key challenges. If there are more than three questions, chances are that a higher level question can subsume two or more of these questions. As we shall see later, the hierarchical relationship among the questions becomes rather important. With a clear understanding of the business problem, the iterative process for defining a SMArt Inquiry is as follows: 1. Define SMArt Inquiry: What key questions must be answered? Restrict to no more than three questions. 2. Assess Impact of SMArt Inquiry: How will

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answers to these questions be used clearly and precisely for making informed decision and taking rational actions? We recommend that a high-level action plan be developed with the assumption that the answers would be forthcoming. 3. Test for Correctness and Completeness: Will execution of Step 2 resolve the business problem effectively? If not, return to Step 1. If yes, proceed to Stage II of Strategic Mind ArtSM. Understanding the right business problem and defining the associated SMArt Inquiry clearly and precisely is not as easy as it seems initially. This step however is at least as important, if not more important, than solving the problem. 2.2. Stage II: SMArt Mapping 1. This stage of Strategic Mind ArtSM involves breaking down the SMArt Inquiry, defined in Stage I, into its constituent parts while maintaining a structured hierarchical relationship. We refer to the result as the SMArt Map. The breakdown concept here involves asking sub-questions for each question articulated in Stage I, and repeating the process for resulting questions until we know that each of the lowest level questions is: A. Answerable through either a plan that we can devise and execute or requires expertise that is beyond what we currently possess. In so doing, the process implicitly identifies the expertise gap. An example in Marketing of often required extra-organization expertise is the execution of at least some parts of primary research. Every question for which we recognize the expertise gap, further iteration(s) should focus on how to acquire the needed expertise to answer the question on hand, as opposed to how to answer the question. B. At a level where it can be delegated and managed effectively, when necessary (which is often), for obtaining answers, and would impart to the accountable a clear and precise understanding of the question as well as its context, contribution and impact on the SMArt Inquiry and the real business problem. While the concept may seem trivial and easy, it requires effort and practice for generating a comprehensive, accurate and precise SMArt Map. Let us consider an example, for illustration purposes. This example has been adapted from a case study, entitled Web Site Blues, in the March-April 1999 issue of the Harvard Business Review. The reader does not need to read the case and can proceed with the following SMArt Inquiry: What is the optimal mix of distribution channels, communications and promotions for the new product launch? With the SMArt Inquiry in hand, we can design the SMArt Map, as shown in Display 3. Intermediate 1st and 2nd iterations are a part of the process to reach the 3rd iteration. These iterations together maintain the always connected feature of SMArt. Let us review the relationship and precedence of questions in the SMArt Map. Here are the rules, as well as example of their application for the above SMArt Map. Rules of Precedence: Rule A. Answer to a question is dependent on all its sub-question. Rule B. Answer to a question is not dependent on succeeding questions at the same level. Rule C. Answer to a question may be, but not always, dependent on preceding questions at the same level. Test for Dependency: Interchange the question on hand with the preceding question at the same level. Test for Rule B. If Rule B is violated, the precedence is strict between the two questions and must be maintained; otherwise, no precedence relationship exists and the sequence of questions in the SMArt Map is coincidental. Repeat the process for the question on hand with all other preceding questions at the same level. Rules A and B are unambiguous and can be applied somewhat mechanically. Consider Question 2 in the SMArt Map. According to Rule A, it can be answered only after all its SubQuestions 2.1, 2.2 and 2.3 have been answered, which in turn can be answered only when all their respective sub-questions have been answered. According to Rule B, Question 2 is not dependent on the answer to Question 3.

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DISPLAY 3. DEVELOPING SMART MAP

Inquiry
What is the optimal mix of distribution channels, communications and promotions means for the new product launch?

FROM

INQUIRY
2nd Iteration
1. What are the criteria for optimal mix? 1.1. What are the objectives and relative priorities? 1.2. What are the budget constraints? 2. What are the potential choices for the mix of channels, communications and promotions? 2.1. What are the channel choices? 2.2. What are the communications choices? 2.3. What are the promotion choices? 3. What is the assessment of potential choices for the mix?

1st Iteration
1. What are the criteria for optimal mix? 2. What are the potential choices for the mix of channels, communications and promotions? 3. What is the assessment of potential choices for the mix?

3rd Iteration
1. What are the criteria for optimal mix? 1.1. What are the objectives and relative priorities? 1.2. What are the budget constraints? 2. What are the potential choices for the mix of channels, communications and promotions? 2.1 What are the channel choices? 2.1.1. What are the channels for current product/service portfolio? 2.1.2. What are the potential new channels? 2.2. What are the communications choices? 2.2.1. What are the communications channels for current product/ service portfolio? 2.2.2. What are the potential new communication channels? 2.3 What are the promotion choices? 2.3.1. What promotions are being used for current product/ service portfolio? 2.3.2. What are the potential new promotion choices? 3. What is the assessment of potential choices for the mix?

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Rule C requires more effort and clearer understanding for establishing precedence of questions. According to Rule C, Question 2 may or may not be dependent on Question 1. When we apply the Test for Dependency by interchanging the sequence of Questions 1 and 2, we observe that Rule B is not violated. Essentially, Questions 1 and 2 can be answered independently and their sequencing in the SMArt Map above is coincidental. We could easily interchange Questions 1 and 2 in the SMArt Map without any impact on the SMArt Inquiry. Rule C produces a different outcome for Question 3. We know that Question 3 may or may not be dependent on Questions 1 and/or 2. When we interchange Question 3 with either Question 1 or Question 2, the new sequencing violates Rule B; that is, Questions 1 and 2 must be answered before Question 3 can be answered. The sequencing of - and thus the precedence relationship between - Question 3 and Questions 1 and 2 is strict. The SMArt Map for the stated SMArt Inquiry can also be depicted pictorially, by observing strictly the Rules of Precedence, as shown in Display 4. We recognize that most business problems are more complex. One would also be right to suggest that this problem is much simpler than the complexity injected by Strategic Mind ArtSM. We chose this problem to demonstrate the concept of developing a SMArt Map for a given SMArt Inquiry. The example also affords us the opportunity to highlight various aspects of a SMArt Map below. Comments on constructing of the SMArt Map: 1. SMArt Map for a SMArt Inquiry is not unique. This derives naturally from the fact that there is no one single way to resolve a specific business problem. 2. Levels of breakdown, through successive iterations, are not necessarily the same for all questions. In fact the stopping point is often different for different paths or branches. As you can see in this example: Question 3 was not broken down further at all, Question 1 was broken down once only during the next iteration, and Question 2 was broken down further in two successive iterations. 3. Number of iterations required for an acceptable SMArt Map depends on personal preference, and thus varies across practitioners. Successive iterations should be carried out until the practitioner feels that each question is either manageable for clear understanding, effective communication and efficient execution, or requires additional extra-organizational expertise. Consequently, experienced and expert individuals and teams are likely to require fewer iterations than the less experienced. In fact, we ourselves do not require a SMArt Map to develop a work plan for the example above. On the other hand, we could have conducted another iteration for further breakdown of questions, if we so desired. 2.3 Stage III: SMArt Planning A SMArt Map highlights and maintains strictly the precedence of tasks for answering all constituent questions of the SMArt Inquiry. By design, the creator of SMArt Map stops iterating when every question is either deemed understandable, answerable, executable, manageable and communicable, or identifies expertise gap with appropriate sub-questions for acquiring the needed expertise. For each question, layout the tasks that are needed to answer it. In so doing, the plan identifies specific tools and techniques required. It is not only possible but quite likely that a specific tool or technique is used for addressing more than one question. In this case, determine if tasks for the questions under consideration can be combined. A particular SMArt Map, for example to optimize the marketing mix for a product, may lead to the use of focus groups for answering questions relating to customer benefits, pricing and media preferences. Situations like this require that the project designer consider if tasks for disparate questions can be combined or should be combined for effectiveness and efficiency. Beyond this, the project designer is ready for creating timeline and assigning resources, to obtain SMArt Plan. 2.4 Stage IV: SMArt Execution The thrust of this paper is not to offer tips on project management, but only to address those aspects that can be managed more effectively due to Strategic Mind ArtSM. We know from SMArt Map the precedence relationship of the questions being answered, and

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Strategic Mind ArtSM DISPLAY 4. PICTORIAL DEPICTION

3rd Iteration

OF

SMART MAP
2nd Iteration
1.1. What are the objectives and relative priorities?

1st Iteration

The Inquiry

1. What are the criteria for optimal mix?

1.2. What are the budget constraints?

2.1.1. What are the channels for current product/service portfolio?

2.1 What are the channel choices?

3. What is the assessment of potential choices for the mix?

2.1.2. What are the potential new channels?

What is the optimal mix of distribution channels, communications and promotions means for the new product launch?

2.2.1. What are comms. channels for current product/service portfolio?

2.2. What are the communications choices?

2.2.2. What are the potential new communication channels?

2. What are the potential choices for the mix of channel, communications and promotion choices?

2.3.1. What promotions are being used for current product/service portfolio?

2.3. What are the promotion choices?

2.3.2. What are the potential new promotion choices?

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the contribution and impact of every question to other questions and the SMArt Inquiry as a whole. The impact and implications of any unforeseen contingency - should it occur, and they often do - on the effort is immediately understood due to the always connected nature of SMArt. The project manager is in a difficult but commanding position to respond in a most informed and timely fashion. through a time-consuming and expensive market research study. I want some practical, actionable advice, and not a study. The reason we felt that the problem was partially defined is this: What would the client do with the name of one customer or the profile of such a customer? There must be some other issues or actions that the client would and must consider, beyond an answer to the question posed. In the spirit of addressing clients precise and perceived urgent problem and demonstrating that we can listen and respond to the situation on hand precisely and effectively, we engaged the client in discussion using the SMArt Map shown in Display 5, that was constructed in real-time during the meeting. Just an aside, we had done our homework and could have easily offered a customer name but we recognize that, almost always, the client wants to feel comfortable with our ability to come up with solutions rather than get the answer in one meeting. This discussion with the client on answers to the questions above led to a more interesting and revealing dialogue. The client was concerned about the success of Product X. This provided us the opportunity to use a simple but effective framework A Framework for Assessing, Positioning and Modifying A Product/Service (Display 6) - for the discussion. The current situation with Product X was that it was not generating expected and acceptable financial returns after the recent launch, presumably from the customers in the Target quadrant. It was not clear: If making the customer targeting approach more effective would be sufficient. If repositioning of Product X and associated changes in the targeting approach would make the product financially successful. If minor or major modifications to Product X and associated changes in the targeting approach would make the resulting product financially successful. If Product X is a dud. We concluded that superior targeting would not generate acceptable financial returns. We simply used the SMArt Map of Display 5 to project financial returns from the customers that would potentially buy Product X.

3. Applying Strategic Mind ArtSM

We present examples in this section of applying Strategic Mind ArtSM to three real-life business situations as well as one education/training situation. Throughout these examples, we go beyond merely presenting the situation and offering the Stategic Mind ArtSM approach to resolving the situation; we include our observations and insights. In addition, since our focus is on problem solving, and not on project plan and execution, we shall proceed only through to the Stage II (SMArt Mapping) of Stategic Mind ArtSM. As noted earlier, the SMArt Map of a particular SMArt Inquiry is not unique and can and does vary across individuals in both content and detail. Accordingly, the reader may conclude that he or she can construct not only a different but superior SMArt Map to what we present here. When this happens and we hope this happens with most readers we shall be delighted because we would have communicated effectively the concept, approach and application of Stategic Mind ArtSM. 3.1. Repositioning A Product The client is a highly successful manufacturer and supplier of high-tech components to equipment manufacturers. The initial dialogue with the client executive began with what we intuitively felt was a precisely but partially defined problem. We were in no position to judge, at that stage, whether the definition itself correctly addressed despite being precise - the business challenge on hand. Actual Business Situation (adapted for this discussion) We have this new Product X. I want you to characterize (profile) and/or name one customer who would buy this product. I do not want to go

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DISPLAY 5. IDENTIFYING TARGET CUSTOMERS

Inquiry What is the profile or name of one customer who would buy Product X?

FOR

A PRODUCT
Inquiry Map

1. Who are the potential customers? 2. Why would a customer buy Product X? 2.1. What is the relative attractiveness of market offerings to the customer? 2.1.1. What are the customer (segment-based, if applicable) decision-making criteria? 2.1.1.1. What are the dimensions of decision-making for the customer? 2.1.1.2. How do the decision-making criteria vary (relative emphasis on the decision-making dimensions) across customers, if applicable? 2.1.2 What are the choices for the customer? 3. Which of the potential customers is likely to buy Product X?

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Strategic Mind ArtSM DISPLAY 6. FRAMEWORK

FOR

ASSESSING, POSITIONING

AND

MODIFYING A PRODUCT

OR

SERVICE

Maximizing financial returns requires that the most attractive customers for a product or service should find it most attractive among the market offerings. Ideally, the customer segments should align along the forward diagonal of the 2 x 2 matrix. Since reality often deviates from the ideal, the challenge for additional financial returns is to move the segments, if at all possible, to highest possible position on the forward diagonal. These attempts often include adjustments to one or more such items as superior targeting, positioning, pricing, channels, product extensions (for example, additional products with targeted modifications and different product/service combinations), and product modifications. Segment Attractiveness to the Client High

TARGET

Low

Do Not Target

Low

High

Attractiveness of Product X to the Customer Segment

exploited to position Product X. We next determined if we could generate acceptable return by repositioning Product X. The SMArt Inquiry and associated SMArt Map for repositioning Product X are outlined in Display 6. As mentioned earlier, the SMArt Map of Display 6 can be expanded or abbreviated depending on personal preference. In our case, the outlined SMArt Map was adequate because many of the customer research and competitor data were available, and we conducted specific analyses to answer the questions. Second, it is not only possible but highly probable that others may use a somewhat to substantial to entirely different SMArt Map to resolve the situation on hand, since the SMArt Map for a SMArt Inquiry is not unique. The end-to-end customer experience mentioned in Display 6 represents the customers point-ofview; it refers to the impact of traditional marketing mix on the customer, as perceived by the customer. Value propositions refers to the perceived benefits and costs to the customer, where costs include but are not limited to the price alone. The use of promised versus actual experience is included to determine if such a gap in competitive offerings, should it exists, can be Insofar as our client was concerned, the above effort produced encouraging outcome and the product was re-launched with successful results. If on the other hand, the preceding SMArt Inquiry led to a dead-end, we would undertake a subsequent SMArt Inquiry, shown in Display 7, for potential modifications for Product X that would generate acceptable financial returns. Clearly we could have considered a more sophisticated SMArt inquiry in which we explored the possibility of one or more extensions to Product X, corresponding to the three quadrants (that is, excluding the Target quadrant) of the Framework for Assessing, Positioning and Modifying A Product or Service. While the resulting SMArt Map would be more complex, it can be derived from an extension and expansion of the SMArt Map in Display 7. 3.2. Creating A Successful Product/Service This client situation differs from the preceding example in that we are starting from a clean slate instead of trying to rescue a significant product design, development and launch effort through incremental improvements, and most of the

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DISPLAY 6. SMART MAP

FOR

(RE)-POSITIONING A PRODUCT
Inquiry Map 1. What is the definition of financial returns? 2. What are the potentially acceptable positioning options, based on our strategy and brand, for Product X? 2.1. What are the customer decision-making criteria? 2.2. What is the positioning of competitive offerings? 2.2.1. What end-to-end experience do competitive offers promise and actually deliver? 2.3. What viable end-to-end customer experience can we promise and deliver with Product X? 2.3.1. What are the potential value propositions? 2.3.2. Are these value propositions consistent with our strategy and brand? 2.3.3. Can we effectively deliver and communicate these value propositions? 3. What are the projected financial returns for each acceptable positioning option? 3.1. What are the revenue/share projections? 3.2. What are the costs of creating and delivering the promised value proposition? 3.3. What are the costs of effectiveness communications and promotions? 3.4. Include other elements of the definition of financial returns from Question 1.

Inquiry What positioning of Product X would generate highest financial returns?

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DISPLAY 7. IDENTIFYING ATTRACTIVE PRODUCT/SERVICE MODIFICATIONS

Inquiry What modifications of Product X would generate highest financial returns? Inquiry Map 1. What is the definition of financial returns? 2. What are the potentially acceptable modification options for Product X, based on our strategy and brand? 2.1. What are the attractive customer segment(s)? 2.2. What are the customer decision-making criteria? 2.3. What choices does the customer have from competitive offerings? 2.3.1. What end-to-end experience do competitive offers promise and actually deliver? 2.4. What Product X modifications would make it an attractive element of the end-to-end experience for the target customer? 2.4.1. What are the unmet and high importance customer needs? 2.4.2. What customer needs that we can meet more effectively (such as lower cost and superior execution relative to competition)? 2.5. What are the potentially attractive value propositions for the customer? 3. What are the projected financial returns on modifications to Product X? 3.1. What are the revenue/share projections? 3.2. What are the costs of creating and delivering the promised value proposition? 3.3. What are the costs of effectiveness communications and promotions? 3.4. Include other elements of the definition of financial returns from Question 1.

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required market and customer data must be obtained. The client is a highly successful, multinational telecommunication services provider. With the backdrop of continued and increasing competitive pressures, the client wishes to embark on a path to becoming a dominant global player. An important part of this ambition, and associated business and marketing strategy, is to introduce new products and services that would make a growing and much greater financial contribution as the maturing products and services face declining margins. Actual Business Situation (adapted for this discussion) Financial contribution of our new products and services launched within the last 3-5 years is nominal. We want to change this situation dramatically in the coming years. The first market we want to address is the business market. Hopefully, you would come up with a repeatable process that can then be applied, with appropriate modifications, for the consumer market. We would like you to work with our people to come up with valuable new product ideas. At this stage, use high level qualitative and quantitative measures to qualify the ideas. Detailed analyses for these ideas, such as those needed for making investment decisions, would be done later. Here are some guidelines. Utilize secondary research data, be it in-house or from other sources, as much as possible. We are not opposed to primary research provided it is targeted, precise and streamlined, and you can make a strong case for it. We wished to perform informed and structured ideas generation, not what is often referred to as the blue-sky random ideas generation. The guiding principles are derived from the Framework for Informed Ideas Generation for Products and Services (Display 8). Based on our structured framework, we can created an appropriate SMArt Map as outlined in Display 9. Clearly, we can breakdown the constituent parts further, if needed for more detailed understanding of one or more questions and management of associated tasks; in effect, producing greater depth and detail for specific questions in the SMArt Map. For example, we can create additional details for the question: How do we design, plan and execute quantitative research? This SMArt Map is outlined in Display 10. Similarly, based on personal preference and needs, other questions in Display 9 can be detailed further. 3.3. Making Investment Decisions The client is a successful non-profit organization, with loosely connected chapters in several major metropolitan areas in the US. The organization operates with minimal staff and a large number of volunteers who are well-educated and successful individuals. It typically offers grants to non-profit or for-profit organization that support its objectives and mission. It receives both unsolicited and solicited proposals for funding, which are then analyzed and evaluated. While the organization itself has a limited amount of available funds, it successfully partners with other like-minded non-profit organizations to multiply its investments. Actual Business Situation (adapted for this discussion) We would like to make investment(s) in inner city middle and high schools to improve educational outcomes. We want the students to be more successful, but we do not know the definition of success, nor do we know the definition of educational outcomes. We all come from the private sector and have a belief that competition can be a powerful tool for improving quality. As a result, our primary focus is on semiprivate charter schools. However, charter schools have demonstrated a mixed performance thus far in various parts of the country. Consequently, we are open to considering targeted investment(s) in the public school system as well. We just want the best outcome for the children. We would also like to identify potential partners for jointinvestments. We have identified one particular area of the inner city. It has three public schools and no charter schools, as of now. We know that at least three charter schools are interested in starting operations in San Francisco. A majority of area residents are of ethnic background, with many families being first-generation immigrants. The household education, English language skills and

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DISPLAY 8. FRAMEWORK

FOR

INFORMED IDEAS GENERATION

FOR

NEW PRODUCTS/SERVICES

We begin by noting that a product and service aimed at unmet customer needs has a high probability of success, provided a sufficient number of customers exhibit such unmet needs. Ideas generated from this guidance, although informed, must further be tested for viability based on such dimensions as: fit with business strategy, organizational capabilities, cost of development, and cost of production and

High

growth, projections of penetration (mindful of competitor response), margin, and so on. The basic concept is to place individual customer needs on a 2-dimensional plane of importance of each need and % of customers for who the need is unmet. A more sophisticated approach would be to conduct a needs and unmet needs-based segmentation. The level of sophistication, complexity and required effort increases by our decision to conduct: internal hypothesis generation, secondary research, primary qualitative research and primary quantitative research.

Importance of Need

distribution versus potential market size and

Table Stakes

High Potential

Low

Back Burner

Stay Tuned

Low

High

%Customers with Unmet Need

The needs that fall in the High Potential quadrant are the most obvious for exploiting potentially high value unmet customer needs through new product and service introduction. An individual unmet need in this quadrant rarely offers an opportunity by itself. To the contrary, a product or service idea aimed at satisfying one single unmet often satisfies that need and multiple others. Thus it becomes a bi-directional iterative process. The other three quadrant of Figure 3 are not only interesting but also relevant. The Table Stakes quadrant highlights the needs that offer little opportunity for making money, since customer are used to in fact expect - having these needs satisfied. These needs must be satisfied as the right of passage for a player in the industry, akin to table stakes at a casino table. They are like sterilized instruments in an operating room, cleanliness in a restaurant, or safety in the delivery of natural gas, or dial tone for a telephone. While satisfying these needs allows a company to be a player in the industry, they do not promise success beyond the ability to enter. For the remaining two quadrant, the Stay Tuned quadrant is higher priority for market intelligence than the Back Burner quadrant. The structured and informed ideas generation for new products and services within this framework may generate ideas that satisfy one or more of the unmet needs that are outside of the High Potential quadrant. This in and of itself does not make the idea good or bad. All ideas that can serve the needs in the High Potential quadrant must be put through a preliminary assessment for a go, no go decision to identify promising ideas. Subsequently, more analyses must be conducted to assess the potential of each promising idea. This stage also presents an opportunity refine the ideas further.

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DISPLAY 9. SMART MAP

FOR

GENERATING VALUABLE IDEAS

FOR

NEW PRODUCTS/SERVICES
Inquiry Map

Inquiry What are some potentially valuable new product or service ideas?

1. What are the screening criteria for assessing new product/service ideas? 2. What information do we need to conduct informed ideas generation? 2.1. What information can we obtain from secondary research? 2.2. What information can we obtain from primary qualitative research? 2.3. What information can we obtain from primary quantitative research? 3. Is primary qualitative and/or quantitative research necessary? 3.1. What is the cost (time/resources) of primary qualitative research relative to its contribution to ideas generation? 3.2. What is the cost (time/resources) of primary quantitative research relative to its contribution to ideas generation? 4. What is the relevant information obtained from secondary research? 4.1. What are the sources for secondary research? 5. (If yes to Question 3) What is the relevant information obtained from primary qualitative research? 5.1. How do we design, plan and execute primary qualitative research? 5.1.1. How do we design, plan and execute one-on-one interviews? 5.1.2. How do we design, plan and execute focus groups? 6. (If yes to Question 3) What is the relevant information obtained from primary quantitative research? 6.1. How do we design, plan and execute quantitative research? 7. What are the ideas for new products and services? 7.1 How do we design, plan and execute sessions for informed ideas generation? 8. What is the assessment of each idea new products and services, based on Question 1?

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DISPLAY 10. SMART MAP FOR GENERATING VALUABLE IDEAS

Inquiry
How do we design, plan and execute quantitative research?

FOR

NEW PRODUCTS/SERVICES
Inquiry Map

1. What analyses do we need to conduct? 2. What specific information do we need from primary quantitative research to perform these analyses? 3. Do we need to engage an outside agency for obtaining needed information? (Almost always, the answer is a yes. One can almost always skip this question.) 3.1. 3.2. 3.3. 4.1. 4.2. 5.1. 5.2. What expertise, skills and infrastructure do we have in-house? What can be the potential role(s) for an outside agency? What are the cost/benefits of such arrangement? Should we use random or stratified random sample? Why? In the case of stratified sample, what is the stratification design? What demographic/geographic information should we obtain? Why? What needs or unmet needs information should we obtain? Why? 5.2.1 What are the internal hypotheses? interviews and focus groups? 5.2.3. How do we select a subset of these attributes? 5.2.4. What are the selected needs-based attributes? 5.3. 5.4. 5.5. 6.1. What attitudinal and preference information should we obtain? Why? What usage/ownership information should we obtain? Why? What information on the customer decision-making process should we obtain? Why? What are the guidelines for executing the survey? 5.2.2. What needs-based attributes have we obtained from secondary research, one-on-one

4. What is the sample size and structure? Why?

5. What does the customer survey contain?

6. How do we execute the customer survey? 7. What is the information from the customer survey data? 8. What are the insights obtained from performing pre-determined analyses on the customer survey information?

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income levels are relatively low. We have sufficiently detailed information available on the demographics. SMArt Map for this effort is outlined in Display 11. This example is different from the preceding two in that we needed additional industry knowledge prior for outlining requisite analyses and obtaining relevant information. It also demonstrates that a lack of industry knowledge can be overcome through Strategic Mind ArtSM, by asking the right question and targeting and restricting the search to specific and relevant information only. It is because of a lack of the industry knowledge we had to develop a more detailed SMArt Map. The predictive model approach we used in this example is as follows: The environment in this model refers to structural factors that can not be altered, at least in the near-term. These include such items as: family income, family structure, education level of parents, and so on. They are taken, more or less, superior customer experience by making targeted investments, albeit in organizations owned and operated by others. 3.4. Offering An Approach to Teaching In this example, we demonstrate how Strategic Mind ArtSM can be applied to a discipline as a whole - Strategic Marketing in this instance. The course designer can determine the depth and balance of content for each step of the SMArt Map. Obviously the designer can also focus on and detail any part of the SMArt Map to offer specialized content. However, the overall SMArt Map offers the context in which the specialized content fits within Strategic Marketing and how the content relates to other aspects of Strategic Marketing. This always connected concept, seen throughout the preceding examples, offers valuable understanding of relationships across topics in Strategic Marketing. Marketing books and training materials offer a definition of Marketing that is typically a variation on the following: creating and exchanging goods and services of value that customers need and want, or identifying, communicating and delivering compelling value proposition to the customer in exchange for money. Educational The former is a basic Outcomes and concise definition, and the latter is a more complex and sophisticated but begins to border on the all-encompassing purpose of a business, including the marketing function. We offer our definition as a SMArt Inquiry: How do we attract and retain the customers we want? The associated SMArt Map is outlined in Display 12. The Framework for Selecting Target Segments (Display 13) is particularly useful for discussing Strategic Marketing. Strategic Marketing begins with a single specific question that captures the essence of Strategic Marketing, highlighting the fact that not all customers are equal. SMArt Map of Display 12 outlines Strategic Marketing in terms of problems
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Environment Predictors Of Education Education Model

Predictive Modeling

as a given. Environmental factors do in fact impact the predictors of education, which we had hypothesized and eventually confirmed. Thus the focus of our analysis and assessment was restricted to the predictors that can be impacted through intervention and the manner in which they can be impacted for superior educational outcomes. This example may not appear to be addressing any Marketing issue. To us, however, it is a Marketing situation in which we wish to learn about a new market (of which we have a limited knowledge) and customer needs to deliver a

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Strategic Mind ArtSM

DISPLAY 11. MAKING ONVESTMENT DECISIONS

Inquiry
1. Where should we make targeted investment(s) for improving educational outcomes for middle and high school students?

IN

EDUCATION
Inquiry Map

1.1. What information do we need before we can define the decision-making criteria for investment(s) and researching education alternatives potentially available to us? 1.1.1. 1.1.2. 1.1.3. What is the definition, including metrics, of successful educational outcomes? What are the key predictors for predicting educational outcomes? What are the various educational models at large? 1.1.3.1. Which predictors each model affects? 1.1.3.2. How does each model affect the predictors? 1.1.4. How have the education models performed in the past? 1.1.4.1. In what environments (demographics, community involvement, etc.) has each model operated? 1.1.4.2. What is their demonstrated performance on the metrics of educational outcomes? 1.1.4.3. What conclusions can we draw, if any, about the performance of each model in various environments? 1.2. What are the criteria for making investment decisions? 1.2.1. What is the threshold for making go, no go decisions? 1.3. What are the potential education alternatives available to us? 1.4. How do we obtain the relevant information for decision-making? 1.4.1. What information do we need? 1.4.1.1. What information we need about each education alternative available to us? 1.4.1.1.1. What education model does each alternative use? 1.4.1.1.2. What is their understanding of the predictors of educational outcomes? 1.4.1.1.3. Which key predictors of educational outcomes does each impact? 1.4.1.1.4. How does each alternative impact the key predictors of educational outcomes? 1.4.1.1.5. What is past demonstrated performance, if available?

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DISPLAY 11. MAKING ONVESTMENT DECISIONS

Inquiry
1. Where should we make targeted investment(s) for improving educational outcomes for middle and high school students?

IN

EDUCATION (CONTINUED)
Inquiry Map
1.4.1.2. What are the views of parents about their involvement in and contribution to their childrens education? 1.4.1.2.1. What predictors of educational outcomes can the parents impact positively? 1.4.1.2.2. What are the barriers? 1.4.1.2.3. How can they be overcome? 1.4.1.3. What are the views of relevant community leaders? 1.4.1.3.1. What predictors of educational outcomes can the community impact positively? 1.4.1.3.2. What are the barriers? 1.4.1.3.3. How can they be overcome?

1.4.2. 1.4.3.

What information can we obtain directly from the education provider through an RFP? What additional information do we need to fill the gap and to verify the information obtained through RFPs?

1.5. What is our assessment of each education model available to us? 1.6. What additional investments should we make outside the school choices, if any, in such items as for overcoming barriers confronted by the family and community? 2. Which organizations are our investment partner(s) in this venture? 2.1. What are the evaluation criteria for partnerships? 2.2. Who are the potential partners? 2.3. Who are the selected partners? 2.4. What information and guidance we need to offer to potential partners? 2.5. What information and guidance we need from potential partners? 2.6. What is the process for negotiations with selected partners?

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DISPLAY 12. SMART MAP FOR STRATEGIC MARKETING

Inquiry
How do we attract and retain the customers we want? 1. Which customer do we want? 1.1. 1.2. is our corporate vision and mission? Which customers are attractive? 1.2.1. 1.2.2. 1.2.3. 1.3. 1.4. 1.5. 2. What are the criteria for attractiveness? What are the customer segments? What is the relative attractiveness of customer segments?

Inquiry Map

What is the assessment of our capabilities, relative to competitive, to serve each segment effectively? Which customer segments should we target? How can we succeed, if we want, in segments that are not ideal for targeting, given our capabilities, in the near-term?

How do we attract and retain target customers? 2.1. How do we attract target customers? 2.1.1. What are our value propositions (VPs) the end-to-end customer experiences of products/services for each target segment? 2.1.1.1. What benefits will be delivered to the customer? 2.1.1.2. What will be the cost - not just the price - to the customer? 2.1.2. 2.1.3. 2.1.4. 2.1.5. 2.2. 2.2.1. 2.2.2. 2.2.3. 2.2.4. How do we deliver these VPs? What is the best positioning for our products/services? How do we communicate the VPs? How can we respond to evolving VPs in the marketplace? What is our approach/philosophy for customer retention? What are our customer loyalty programs? What is our escalation process for saving the customer? What are our customer re-acquisition programs?

How do we retain target customers?

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DISPLAY 13. A FRAMEWORK

FOR

SELECTING TARGET SEGMENTS

The two key dimensions of selecting target segments are: attractiveness of the segment to us versus our ability to serve the segment effectively relative to competition. The Target quadrant is selfexplanatory: We should target customer segments that are attractive and for which we have superior capabilities relative to competition for delivering compelling value propositions. This quadrant can High also highlight the gaps in our currents products/ Attractiveness services portfolio or opportunities to fine-tune the portfolio. Customer segments in the Invest quadrant require the organization to acquire additional and targeted capabilities to realize their fullest potential of these segments. By acquiring the requisite capabilities, the organization can offer compelling value propositions to customers that it can not successfully serve today. It is important to note that if and when the Low High Invest TARGET ? ?

Low

Do Not Target

Target Strategically

Capabilities to Serve Effectively (Relative to Competition)

organization decides to invest per the Invest quadrant, an assessment of all customer segments should be performed again. It is not only possible but quite probable that the segments in the Strategically Target and Do Not Target move favorably in the framework. The Target Strategically quadrant presents the opportunity for selective harvesting. It may be possible, for instance, to reduce the cost of serving some segments in this quadrant, thereby making them more attractive. We have seen numerous examples of this, such as: installing wireless gadget to prevent a car from starting at any time as a condition of auto loan to high-risk borrowers, offering prepaid calling cards to prevent fraud and delinquency, moving from paper to electronic billing and payment, offering quarterly billing cycle, and so on. It may also be important to maintain some presence in this quadrant for strategic reasons, such as the need for bundled offerings to the segments in the Invest quadrant. The organization can also assess whether it can and wants to be an outsourced provider to others. There may be an opportunity to divest from some capabilities as well. Obviously, this should be done with a clear understanding of the impact on segments outside of this Strategically Target quadrant.

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that Marketing managers encounter. It also offers the context in which these problems manifest themselves in relationship to other aspects of Marketing. Marketing content can be designed and delivered using this structure. Based on personal preference and the objectives of the education/training program, one can begin and end at the desired points of the SMArt Map, using the depth and detail that is appropriate. For example, to conduct education/training on distribution channels, one can expand the SMArt Map for Question 2.1.2 and design a custom map for channels for intended purposes. But the resulting treatment of the content would not be stand-alone; it would be in the context of value prop osition s and th ei r d elivery and communication. In so doing, the essential linkages across the discipline are better clarified and understood, thereby making the application of the content easier to real-life problems that usually exceed the boundary of a single topic. We have developed a detailed SMArt Map for Strategic Marketing that spans several dozen questions (not included here) that allows us to adjust the depth and detail of our training content based on our objectives. We believe that learning driven by SMArt Inquiry and SMArt Map particularly the questions that attendees encounter or will encounter in real life makes for more interesting, engaging and enlightening learning. Structured, focused thinking: Strategic Mind ArtSM not only enables but also enforces disciplined, structured thinking. By design, it focuses precisely on what is essential to solving the problem most likely a subproblem for an individual contributor to the business problem on hand - and why. It encourages and leverages simultaneous application of personal knowledge in multiple topics, obtained through formal education and past experiences. Problem solving orientation: The focus and the outlook in general - shifts from activities orientation to problem solving orientation. No doubt, tasks must be pursued and accomplished but now they are planned, designed and executed, and altered when necessary, for answering specific question(s) in the SMArt Map. Enriched Assignments: Using Strategic Mind ArtSM, the delegation of parts of the effort to contributors occurs at certain sub-inquiry levels of the SMArt Map, as deemed appropriate by the project manager. The SMArt Map based discussions and dialog help contributors understand fully what the business challenge is, how it is being solved and what their individual roles and responsibilities are. As a result, contributors have an appreciation of their individual contribution to and its impact on solving the business problem on hand. Moreover, since the contributors are assigned to answers specific question(s), they have a greater flexibility in the manner in which they address them that is, how they design, plan, and execute - with the appropriate caveat of concurrence with their supervisors. Professional growth: We know that professional success in business is based on a demonstrated performance in progressively challenging assignments. One key ingredient of success is the ability to solve progressively more complex problems. Strategic Mind ArtSM can be learned and applied to problems ranging from simple to highly complex.

4. Benefits of Strategic Mind ArtSM

Suffices to say that the primary benefit of any problem solving technique is the ability to solve those problems for which the technique is intended. Strategic Mind ArtSM fulfills this promise. But its benefits far exceed that of merely being a technique for problem solving. Strategic Mind ArtSM is a formal, structured and systematic approach for solving simple to highly complex real-life business problems. Importantly for practitioners, it is a skill that can be learned. Its always connected, integrated context lends itself to effective project planning and management. Benefits of Strategic Mind ArtSM extend from the individual practitioner to the organization as we whole. 4.1. Benefits to the Individual

4.2. Benefits to the Team Enriched team environment: Strategic Mind ArtSM offers a clear understanding of accountability plus roles and responsibilities of team members in the context of problem solving and not merely of tasks execution. The technique provides an understanding of

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DISLAY 14. BENEFITS OF STRATEGIC MIND ARTSM

Organizational Benefits Better thinkers Trained problem solvers Effective communicators Executive/Managerial Benefits Integrated, streamlined project design Timely recognition of expertise gap Effective project planning and execution Effective, higher quality communication Responsive contingency management On-going nurturing of professional growth Team Benefits Enriched team environment Integrated context for problem solving Individual Benefits Structured, focused thinking Problem solving orientation Enriched Assignments Professional growth

Strategic Mind ArtSM Solves simple to complex business problems Can be learned Is formal, structured, integrated, systematic and streamlined

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contribution by individual team members to solving the business problem, as well as of the efforts of other team members. Integrated context for problem solving: the always connected, integrated context of Strategic Mind ArtSM highlights the points of integration in the context of problem solving and not merely of tasks execution, and more importantly the rationale for such dependence. This is a valuable framework for determining impact of actions by one team member on the others. are problem-focused and not task-focused; interactions address higher-level issues of problem solving and not minutia of tasks. In addition, the structure of SMArt Map is an valuable framework for creating and delivering effective presentations. Responsive contingency management: Unforeseen contingencies arise, as we know, during projects of any substantive duration and complexity. These may range from u n d er e st i m at i n g r e s ou r c e or time requirements for some aspect(s) of the project to unforeseen events such as voluntary transition of team members. The integrated context of Strategic Mind ArtSM how and why one constituent part of the SMArt Map effects others and the overall business problem - enables the manager to respond in a most informed, rapid and effective manner during project execution, when unforeseen situations arise. On-going nurturing of professional growth: Encouraging and supporting problem solving, and clear and structured thinking contributes directly to the on-going professional growth of individual team members as well as of the team. Explicit and specific recognition and communication of the contributions made by each individual and the team to solving business problems are compelling motivators for producing superior performance.

4.3. Benefits to Executives/Managers Integrated, streamlined project design and informed resource allocation: The construction of SMArt Map for breaking down the SMArt Inquiry systematically focuses on the completeness of its necessary and sufficient constituent parts, thereby eliminating unproductive, and more importantly counterproductive, efforts. The always connected, integrated SMArt Map outlines the relationships and dependencies among and contribution of constituent parts. Timely recognition of expertise gap(s): Clear understanding obtained from the SMArt Map highlights gaps in the in-house knowledge, skills and experience. Project manager can then react in a timely fashion to acquire the requisite expertise, whether through internal upgrades or outsourcing. Effective project planning and execution: The SMArt Map is translated directly into a work plan. A project plan so developed, the SMArt Plan, offers flexibility in execution; knowing the dependencies allows the manager to prioritize efforts for importance, and skills and interests of the available human resources. Effective, higher quality communication: The structured, integrated context of Strategic Mind ArtSM offers not only how and why a question (and subsequent answer and the effort involved in obtaining the answer) relates to the business problem but also to other questions in the SMArt Map. This enhances understanding of the business problem and its constituent parts. Delegation of effort on the basis of specific question(s) in the SMArt Map not only specifies and clarifies individual accountability but also the impact and contribution of individual efforts on the efforts of other contributors and on the project as a whole. As a result, discussions

4.4. Benefits to the Organization Better thinkers: Practitioners of Strategic Mind ArtSM are better thinkers. Their thinking is structured, integrated and focused. Trained problem solvers: Informed decisionmaking and actions require on-going problem solving in the business environment. Use of Strategic Mind ArtSM would systematically create and sustain problem solvers throughout the organization. Effective communicators: Discussions are liable to be focused on a higher-level to address issues rather than details. Even when the discussions are about tasks, they are likely to be more about the necessity of completing the task in a larger context of the problem, how to accomplish the task and challenges for achieving associated goals and objectives.

5. Concluding Remarks
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Strategic Mind ArtSM About the Author

We have introduced in this paper Strategic Mind ArtSM, a problem solving technique for simple to highly complex problems, and its application to real-life business problems. The systematic process breaks down the problem into its constituent parts. The resulting SMArt Map highlights relationship among and dependencies across constituent parts of the problem. This integrated SMArt Map lends itself to effective and streamlined project design and execution, as well as responsive contingency management. Benefits of Strategic Mind ArtSM extend beyond solving one problem at a time. We outline the benefits accrued to individuals, teams, executives/managers and the organizational as a whole. In a nutshell, the practitioners of the technique would be better thinkers and trained problem solver, key ingredients of success in business. Strategic Mind ArtSM shall prove valuable to all practitioners in the business environment in general and Marketing professionals in particular.

Lokesh Datta is the Founder of Datta Associates, a management consulting and training services firm in San Francisco, California, USA. Prior to this, Lokesh was a Senior Manager in Strategic Services at Accenture (formerly Andersen Consulting) and a Principal in the Strategy Competency at Gemini Consulting. He advises senior executives of global corporations to start-ups on key business issues. He has the US and international experience in several industries, with primary focus on high-tech and communications. Along the way, Lokesh was caught up in the dotcom boom and co-founded iMahal, a multinational portal with a strong focus on college education and early career success.
Before going to Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for his MBA, Lokesh was an Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science & Engineering at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. Lokesh also holds BS and PhD degrees in Electrical Engineering from Concordia University in Montreal, Canada.

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