one Pg and half - case study Questions (A Hospital Catches the Millennium Bug)
Math81
DiscussionCasePublication.pptxBuilding Decision Cases: Improving decision-making at ReliaQuest
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One approach to learning to make better decisions is to develop and discuss lived business cases that involve tough decisions…
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Discussion Case Publication at RQ
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How to…
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Process…
Why?
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Results…
What is a case study?
A case study can be thought of as a story about:
an entity (company, team, person),
a project (new-product launch, merger, enterprise software implementation project), or,
a positive, negative or ambiguous incident (a customer-service encounter, a tragedy, an announcement, a confrontation, etc.).
It must represent a lived, authentic experience with multiple possible paths and multiple possible “right” decisions.
And it must be written to be engaging, memorable, and generate discussion.
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A case study is …
… “an empirical inquiry about a contemporary phenomenon (e.g., a “case”), set within its real-world context—especially when the boundaries between phenomenon and context are not clearly evident.” (Yin, 2009a, p. 18).
“… Case study research goes beyond the study of isolated variables. As a by-product, and as a final feature in appreciating case study research, the relevant case study data are likely to come from multiple and not singular sources of evidence.”
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Why develop Discussion Cases in-house?
Tough decisions are being made on a regular basis across the business.
Great cases give us compelling stories we remember.
We can learn from others’ and not reinvent the wheel.
Writing up a great case helps us learn to gather and analyze the facts.
A great case discussion includes the Pre-case analysis, online or in person debate, and Post-case reflection.
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So, what does a team of domain experts in a company possess that helps build great cases?
Access to people and data
Rich Context – what’s really going on?
Real & Relevant - authentic
Wicked, challenging decisions
Interesting Stories…
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Six Common Sources of Evidence that case writers collect…
Direct observations
Interviews
Archival records
Documents
Participant-observation
Physical artifacts
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Writing a Discussion Case – a division into key sections
1 Page
Narrative Summary
Tell the whole story here.
Put the reader at the desk or in the chair of the protagonist. One page where the reader is given the overview and context of the tough decision in the case, a little of the setting of the case, and a well written narrative that would draw the reader quickly into the case.
1 Page
Decision Summary.
Remind the reader of the most likely options here.
For each describe the pros & cons. Remember that any of these 3 or 4 options must be reasonable choices if supported by facts from the case. We do not tell the reader what choice was made.
2 Pages
General Context
A series of sections giving broad context for the case. These sections might describe relevant industries, technologies, regulations, processes, departments, sections, customers and other areas with relevance well beyond the specifics of the case. Describe size of market, key competitors, and position of company in their industry where appropriate.
Also, try to describe how technology is disrupting or transforming the industry.
2 Pages
Specific Context
A series of sections that provide context directly relevant to the case itself. What is the business model. Answer the questions: how do they “make money”? How do they “take” customers from competitors(key competitive advantages)? What are their core competencies? Typical examples of such sections describe the company, the business unit, the background of the individual, the service or product and so forth. These sections normally move from more general to more specific (e.g., organization sections would precede the business unit sections).
2 Pages
Explore the “Technology” at the heart of the issue.
Use research you conduct to inform the reader who may have no knowledge of this technology. Make it research ingrained, in part, by giving your reader a framework for evaluating choices in the technology. A series of sections that informed the reader about any specific technology integral to the case. If the case did not involve a specific technology in the decision options, then this section might inform the reader about an aspect of decision that not everyone would know – for example different leadership styles, interview approached, administrative processes, etc. - that were being considered by the decision makers as they researched possible options.
2 Pages
Insider’s insights
Express and explore the nuances of the challenges facing the organization. Give context and concepts so anyone can understand the behaviors affecting the decision. This section helps the reader really understand how things get done at the company. Use quotes from your interviews.
8-12 Pages
Exhibits.
Give the reader charts, graphs, tables, excerpts for surveys or interviews. These can be used by the reader to understand and to justify their choice of key issue selection and help them justify their recommended course of action.
Author 1
Author 4
Author 1
Author 2
Author 3
Author 4
All Authors
Writing a Discussion Case – a division into key sections
1 Page
Narrative Summary
Tell the whole story here.
Put the reader at the desk or in the chair of the protagonist. One page where the reader is given the overview and context of the tough decision in the case, a little of the setting of the case, and a well written narrative that would draw the reader quickly into the case.
4/18/18
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Writing a Discussion Case – a division into key sections
2 Pages
General Context.
A series of sections giving broad context for the case. These sections might describe relevant industries, technologies, regulations, processes, departments, sections, customers and other areas with relevance well beyond the specifics of the case. Describe size of market, key competitors, and position of company in their industry where appropriate.
Also, try to describe how technology is disrupting or transforming the industry.
4/18/18
11
Writing a Discussion Case – a division into key sections
2 Pages
Specific Context.
A series of sections that provide context directly relevant to the case itself. What is the business model. Answer the questions: how do they “make money”? How do they “take” customers from competitors(key competitive advantages)? What are their core competencies? Typical examples of such sections describe the company, the business unit, the background of the individual, the service or product and so forth. These sections normally move from more general to more specific (e.g., organization sections would precede the business unit sections).
4/18/18
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Writing a Discussion Case – a division into key sections
2 Pages
Explore the “Technology”
at the heart of the issue. Use research you conduct to inform the reader who may have no knowledge of this technology. Make it research ingrained, in part, by giving your reader a framework for evaluating choices in the technology. A series of sections that informed the reader about any specific technology integral to the case. If the case did not involve a specific technology in the decision options, then this section might inform the reader about an aspect of decision that not everyone would know – for example different leadership styles, interview approached, administrative processes, etc. - that were being considered by the decision makers as they researched possible options.
4/18/18
13
Writing a Discussion Case – a division into key sections
2 Pages
Insider’s insights.
Express and explore the nuances of the challenges facing the organization. Give context and concepts so anyone can understand the behaviors affecting the decision. This section helps the reader really understand how things get done at the company. Use quotes from your interviews.
4/18/18
14
Writing a Discussion Case – a division into key sections
1 Page
Decision Summary.
Remind the reader of the most likely options here.
For each describe the pros & cons. Remember that any of these 3 or 4 options must be reasonable choices if supported by facts from the case. We do not tell the reader what choice was made.
4/18/18
15
Writing a Discussion Case – a division into key sections
8-12 Pages
Exhibits.
Give the reader charts, graphs, tables, excerpts for surveys or interviews. These can be used by the reader to understand and to justify their choice of key issue selection and help them justify their recommended course of action.
4/18/18
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Writing a Discussion Case – a division by author
Some thoughts…
Author 1 might be the “writer” who can be both creative and succinct. He found that you want someone who can get started by telling a story. This person might also be the team’s “business” thinker since much of the General Context section comes from research from the internet about the business environment important to this decision. Author 2 should be the person who can write about the specific context of this decision in this business. Much of this section comes from interviews at the company and company provided material. Author 3 might be the team’s “tech expert” but doesn’t have to be the expert. Much of this material will come from publicly available info on the technology and the internal application of the technology – especially considering any technology that might be displaced or obsoleted by the new solution(s). Often this material could be interesting to and inform the company people about aspects of the technology with which they are unfamiliar. Author 4 should be the “insider” who is on or familiar with the team making this important decision. This person will write about how the company really works, the nuances of people, power, norms, and culture at the company – to the extent that it informs the decision to be made. All authors contribute exhibits.
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