| name | consulting-framework |
| description | Builds consulting engagement frameworks with diagnostic questions, analysis templates, and recommendation structures. |
| allowed-tools | Read Write Glob |
| metadata | {"author":"Salah-XD","version":"1.0"} |
Consulting Framework
When to Use This Skill
Use this skill when you need to:
- Design a repeatable consulting engagement framework for your practice
- Build diagnostic question sets that uncover client problems systematically
- Create analysis templates that organize findings into actionable insights
- Structure recommendations in a format clients can implement
DO NOT use this skill for one-off advice, coaching session plans, or training curriculum design. This is for building structured consulting methodologies.
Core Principle
A CONSULTING FRAMEWORK IS YOUR INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY — IT TURNS YOUR EXPERTISE INTO A REPEATABLE PROCESS THAT DELIVERS CONSISTENT RESULTS REGARDLESS OF THE CLIENT.
Phase 1: Framework Definition
Required Inputs
| Input | What to Ask | Default |
|---|
| Consulting domain | "What area do you consult in — marketing, operations, finance, other?" | No default — must be provided |
| Client type | "Who are your typical clients — industry, size, stage?" | Small businesses, 5-50 employees |
| Core problem you solve | "What is the #1 problem clients hire you to fix?" | No default — must be provided |
| Engagement length | "How long is a typical engagement?" | 4-8 weeks |
| Deliverables | "What do clients receive — reports, strategies, implementations?" | Strategic recommendations with implementation plan |
GATE: Confirm domain and problem statement before building the framework.
Phase 2: Diagnostic System
Discovery Question Categories
Build questions across four diagnostic layers:
Layer 1: Situation (Where are they now?)
- Current state of the area you consult on
- Metrics they track and recent performance
- Team structure and capabilities
- Tools and systems currently in use
Layer 2: Problem (What hurts?)
- Specific symptoms they are experiencing
- When the problem started and what has changed
- Financial or operational impact of the problem
- Previous attempts to solve it and why they failed
Layer 3: Implication (What happens if they do nothing?)
- Cost of inaction over 6-12 months
- Competitive risks
- Team or customer impact
- Opportunity cost
Layer 4: Desired Outcome (What does success look like?)
- Specific, measurable goals
- Timeline expectations
- Budget and resource constraints
- How they will measure your impact
Diagnostic Template
## Client Diagnostic — [Client Name]
**Date:** [Date]
**Consultant:** [Your name]
### Current State
- [Finding 1]
- [Finding 2]
### Core Problems Identified
1. [Problem] — Impact: [$$$ or operational metric]
2. [Problem] — Impact: [$$$ or operational metric]
### Root Cause Analysis
- [Why the problems exist — not just symptoms]
### Opportunity Assessment
- [What is possible if problems are solved]
- [Estimated ROI of engagement]
Phase 3: Analysis & Recommendations
Analysis Framework
Structure your analysis using a consistent model:
## Analysis Framework: [Framework Name]
### Assessment Areas
| Area | Current Score (1-10) | Target Score | Gap | Priority |
|------|---------------------|-------------|-----|----------|
| [Area 1] | X | X | X | High/Med/Low |
| [Area 2] | X | X | X | High/Med/Low |
### Key Findings
1. **[Finding]** — Evidence: [data/observation]. Impact: [quantified].
2. **[Finding]** — Evidence: [data/observation]. Impact: [quantified].
### Recommendations
1. **[Recommendation]**
- What: [Specific action]
- Why: [Connects to finding]
- How: [Implementation steps]
- Expected result: [Measurable outcome]
- Timeline: [When]
Recommendation Prioritization
Rank all recommendations using an Impact/Effort matrix:
| Priority | Impact | Effort | Action |
|---|
| Quick Wins | High | Low | Do first |
| Strategic Bets | High | High | Plan and resource |
| Fill-ins | Low | Low | Do when convenient |
| Avoid | Low | High | Do not recommend |
Phase 4: Framework Documentation
Deliverable Package
Document your framework so it is repeatable:
- Framework overview — one-page summary of your methodology
- Diagnostic questionnaire — standardized questions for every engagement
- Analysis templates — scoring sheets, assessment matrices, benchmarking tools
- Recommendation format — standard structure for presenting findings
- Implementation roadmap template — phased action plan for clients
- Progress tracking — KPIs and check-in cadence
Naming Your Framework
Give your framework a proprietary name:
- Use a memorable acronym or metaphor
- Reference the outcome, not the process
- Examples: "The Growth Diagnostic," "The Operations Blueprint," "The Revenue Acceleration Framework"
Framework One-Pager
## [Framework Name]
**What it is:** [One sentence]
**Who it's for:** [Client type]
**How it works:** [3-4 steps]
**What you get:** [Deliverables]
**Typical results:** [Quantified outcomes from past engagements]
**Timeline:** [Duration]
Anti-Patterns
- No repeatable process — reinventing your approach for every client is inefficient and inconsistent. Standardize the framework.
- All diagnosis, no prescription — clients pay for solutions, not just problem identification. Every finding must have a recommendation.
- Generic recommendations — "improve your marketing" is not a recommendation. Specific actions with expected outcomes are.
- Skipping the diagnostic — jumping to recommendations without thorough discovery leads to wrong solutions.
- Framework too rigid — build in flexibility for different client sizes, industries, and complexity levels.
Recovery
- Client does not fit your framework: Acknowledge the mismatch. Either adapt the framework or refer them to a better-fit consultant.
- Discovery reveals a different problem: Pause and re-scope. Present the actual findings and propose a revised engagement.
- Client pushes back on recommendations: Tie every recommendation to their stated goals and diagnostic data. Remove opinion, show evidence.
- Framework feels too generic: Add industry-specific benchmarks, examples, and case studies to make it concrete.
- Multiple competing problems: Use the prioritization matrix to focus on high-impact, low-effort wins first. Build momentum before tackling strategic bets.
