Situation-Complication-Resolution (SCR) Framework: Free PowerPoint Template
The Situation-Complication-Resolution (SCR) framework provides a concise structure for clearly defining business challenges and outlining strategies and solutions.
The Situation-Complication-Resolution (SCR) framework provides a concise structure for clearly defining business challenges and outlining strategies and solutions.
In today’s fast-paced business world, it is crucial to communicate in a precise and meaningful way. Few companies teach their employees how to do it. The result is endless meetings and presentations with unclear structure and a lot of wasted time.
But nearly every story in life or any business problem follows the same narrative: The world is a certain way, something changes and the world is different afterwards.
What is situation complication resolution?
The Situation-Complication-Resolution (SCR) framework is a method for analyzing and solving problems.
It involves three steps:
- Identify the situation
- Identify the complication(s) within the situation, and
- Develop a resolution to address the complication(s).
In the first step, the situation is described in detail, including any relevant background information. In the second step, the specific problem or issue within the situation is identified and described. Finally, in the third step, potential solutions are generated and evaluated to determine the best course of action to resolve the complication.
This framework can be applied to a wide range of problems and is often used in business, project management, and decision-making.
Situation-Complication-Resolution (SCR) framework
The Situation-Complication-Resolution (SCR) framework provides a concise structure for clearly defining business challenges and outlining strategies and solutions. The model is a straightforward and effective reasoning or business storytelling approach.
Management consulting firms such as McKinsey & Company, Bosten Consulting Group, Bain etc. often use SCR models or similar models for their consultant training.
SCR is a structure that breaks a message or business challenges into three easy-to-understand parts:
Situation
Fact-based and unambiguous description about the current situation. The audience should already know and accept the facts.
Complication
The reason the situation requires action. What has changed that requires action? What is the impact?
Resolution
A proposal for how to resolve the complication or capture an opportunity. Answer first, followed by supporting points.
Telling a business story using the McKinsey Situation-Complication-Resolution (SCR) framework
Telling a business story using the McKinsey Situation-Complication-Resolution (SCR) framework involves using the framework to structure the narrative of the story.
Here are some general steps to follow:
- Identify the situation: Clearly state the problem or opportunity that the story will focus on. Provide background information and context for the situation.
- Identify the complication: Identify the specific problem or obstacle within the situation that needs to be addressed. This is the key issue that the story will focus on.
- Develop possible solutions: Generate a list of potential solutions to address the complication. Be sure to consider a range of options, including both short-term and long-term solutions.
- Evaluate the solutions: Analyze the pros and cons of each solution and consider the potential impact of each option. This will help to determine which solution is the best fit for the situation.
- Select the resolution: Choose the best solution and develop a plan for implementation. This should include specific action steps and a timeline for completion.
- Tell the story: Use the SCR framework to structure the narrative of the story. Begin with the situation, then describe the complication and the journey to finding the resolution. Include details and anecdotes to make the story engaging.
- Conclusion: Summarize the situation, the complication, the resolution that was chosen, and the outcome achieved.
It's important to note that the SCR framework is a flexible tool that can be adapted to suit the specific needs of the problem or situation at hand.
Also, it is important to be clear and specific when telling the story, and to include any relevant data or information to support your analysis and solution.
How do the SCR and SCQA frameworks vary from one another?
SCR (Situation, Complication, Resolution) and SCQA (Situation, Complication, Question, Answer) are established structures for effective communication and problem-solving.
However, they differ in their components and focal points.
In SCR:
Situation: It provides the current context or existing situation.
Complication: It highlights a challenge or problem within this context.
Resolution: It offers a way forward or a solution to the problem or challenge.
In SCQA:
Situation: It outlines the current context or scenario.
Complication: It identifies a problem or issue within this context.
Question: It raises a pertinent question or spots an area requiring attention.
Answer: It provides a solution or response to the identified question.
The key distinction resides in the third component: While SCR directly offers a solution, SCQA first presents a question to create a link between the identified issue and the final response. This questioning stage in SCQA aids in better defining the issue, leading to a more focused and effective resolution.
We have also made available an SCQA PowerPoint template that is entirely editable and free of charge.
StrategyPunk
Situation Complication Resolution Template
free and fully editable template in PowerPoint and Google Slides
The Situation-Complication-Resolution (SCR) framework is a method for analyzing and solving problems.
It involves identifying a situation, identifying the complication(s) within it, and developing a resolution to address the complication(s).
It is often used in business, project management, and decision-making and can be applied to a wide range of problems.
The SCR framework can be used to structure a narrative in a business story and make it engaging and easy to understand. It is a flexible and powerful tool that can be adapted to any problem or situation.
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