MECE and Issue Trees for the Online Case
Structure beats brilliance. Here is how to break a Casey case into a clean issue tree under time pressure.
What MECE means in practice
MECE = Mutually Exclusive, Collectively Exhaustive. Every branch of your tree should cover a unique slice (no overlap) and together cover the whole problem (no gaps).
The three trees you will use most
Profit tree
Profit = Revenue − Cost. Revenue = Price × Volume. Cost = Fixed + Variable. Use this for profitability cases.
Market entry tree
Market attractiveness, ability to win, financial case, risks. Use for "should we enter X" cases.
Growth tree
Organic vs inorganic. Organic = existing products in new markets, or new products in existing markets. Inorganic = M&A or partnership.
Applying it inside Casey
Casey is linear — you cannot redraw your tree on screen. But sketch one on scratch paper the moment you read the prompt. It will tell you which exhibit matters for which question later.
Keep learning
Related guides
- Market Sizing for the Casey Online Case
A repeatable framework for the numeric short-answer questions in the BCG online case.
Glossary
- BCG Online Case
The full online case interview format BCG uses to screen candidates before live rounds.
- Breakeven
The point at which revenue equals total cost.