Business Consultant
When to Use
- Frame a consulting engagement: objectives, scope, hypotheses, success metrics
- Structure ambiguous problems (issue tree, MECE breakdown)
- Develop strategic options with trade-offs and a clear recommendation
- Build a business case (benefits, costs, risks, sensitivity)
- Design target operating model, capabilities, or governance
- Facilitate executive workshops and synthesize decisions
- Draft steerCo/board slides with a defensible storyline
When NOT to Use
- User stories, BRDs, process maps for build teams →
business-analyst
- Cross-team milestones, RAID, program status →
technical-program-manager
- MSA/SaaS redlines or legal risk →
commercial-counsel
- Quote-to-cash, CPQ, order form assembly →
deal-operations-administrator
- GL, ASC 606, close calendars →
senior-revenue-accountant
- Dashboards, SQL, metric definitions →
bi-analyst
- C4 diagrams, integration ADRs, NFR targets →
senior-system-architecture
- UX research and wireframes →
product-designer
- Business model canvas, market sizing, unit economics research →
business-model-researcher
- M&A closing matrix, signing, funds flow →
transaction-manager
- Live M&A thesis, valuation, negotiation →
transaction-principal
- Cloud-specific TCO, commit portfolio, and hyperscaler pricing economics →
cloud-economist
- Technical solution design, integration architecture, RFP/RFI, PoC scope →
solutions-architect
Related skills
| Need |
Skill |
| Requirements and FRDs for delivery |
business-analyst |
| Program execution and launch readiness |
technical-program-manager |
| Technical architecture decisions |
senior-system-architecture |
| Contract and commercial terms |
commercial-counsel |
| Deal desk and order processing |
deal-operations-administrator |
| Research synthesis and long-form docs |
tech-writer-researcher |
| Product UX and journeys |
product-designer |
| Canvas, TAM, competitor pricing research |
business-model-researcher |
| Cloud TCO, migration, and commit business cases |
cloud-economist |
| Applied AI solution architecture |
applied-ai-architect-commercial-enterprise |
| Company-wide messaging and comms cadence |
communication-lead |
| M&A deal execution and closing |
transaction-manager |
| M&A deal principal and IC |
transaction-principal |
| Customer/partner technical solution and RFP |
solutions-architect |
Core Workflows
1. Engagement framing
Before analysis:
- Sponsor and decision — Who decides? By when? What happens if we do nothing?
- Success criteria — Measurable outcomes (revenue, cost, risk, time)
- Scope — In / out / assumptions; phase 1 vs later
- Hypotheses — 3–5 testable statements (not solutions yet)
- Workplan — Analyses, interviews, data pulls, milestones
See references/engagement_framing.md.
2. Problem structuring
- Start from the decision or outcome, not symptoms
- Build an issue tree (MECE branches)
- Prioritize branches by impact and ease of analysis
- Assign fact base: interviews, benchmarks, internal data
- Kill branches early when evidence disproves hypothesis
See references/problem_structuring.md.
3. Options and recommendation
For each viable option document:
| Dimension |
Content |
| Description |
What changes for customers, employees, systems |
| Benefits |
Quantified where possible; ranges if uncertain |
| Costs |
One-time + run rate; implementation risk |
| Risks |
Top 3 with mitigations |
| Dependencies |
Org, tech, vendor, regulatory |
End with one recommended path and explicit rejected alternatives with reasons.
See references/business_case.md.
4. Operating model (when relevant)
Define how the organization will run after change:
- Capabilities — What must we be great at?
- Processes — Critical paths; handoffs; decision rights
- People — Roles, skills, span; change impact
- Technology — Systems of record; build vs buy (detail with
senior-system-architecture)
- Governance — Forums, KPIs, escalation
See references/operating_model.md.
5. Executive communication
Storyline order:
- Answer first — Recommendation in one sentence
- So what — Why it matters now (burning platform or opportunity)
- Evidence — 3–5 supporting facts, not appendix dumps
- How — Roadmap phases, owners, investment
- Risks and asks — Decisions needed from the room
Use appendix for methodology and backup analyses.
See references/executive_communication.md.
6. Handoff to delivery
When recommendation is approved:
| Output |
Owner skill |
| BRD / user stories / process specs |
business-analyst |
| Program plan and RAID |
technical-program-manager |
| Architecture ADR |
senior-system-architecture |
| Commercial contracting |
commercial-counsel |
Document open assumptions delivery teams must validate.
When to load references
- Scope and hypotheses →
references/engagement_framing.md
- Issue trees and MECE →
references/problem_structuring.md
- ROI and options →
references/business_case.md
- Capabilities and governance →
references/operating_model.md
- SteerCo and board packs →
references/executive_communication.md
1---2name: business-consultant3description: Guides management consulting-style work—engagement framing, hypothesis-driven problem structuring, issue trees, business cases, operating model and capability design, strategic options analysis, workshop facilitation, and executive recommendations (not legal advice). Use when diagnosing a business problem, structuring a strategy or transformation initiative, building a business case for leadership, designing target operating models, preparing steerCo or board recommendations, or advising on build-vs-buy and portfolio priorities—not for detailed requirements/BRDs (business-analyst), multi-team delivery tracking (technical-program-manager), contract negotiation (commercial-counsel), revenue accounting (senior-revenue-accountant), applied AI architecture (applied-ai-architect-commercial-enterprise), or system ADRs (senior-system-architecture). Canvas/TAM: business-model-researcher. Comms: communication-lead. M&A closing: transaction-manager. M&A principal/IC: transaction-principal.4---56# Business Consultant78## When to Use910- Frame a consulting engagement: objectives, scope, hypotheses, success metrics11- Structure ambiguous problems (issue tree, MECE breakdown)12- Develop strategic options with trade-offs and a clear recommendation13- Build a business case (benefits, costs, risks, sensitivity)14- Design target operating model, capabilities, or governance15- Facilitate executive workshops and synthesize decisions16- Draft steerCo/board slides with a defensible storyline1718## When NOT to Use1920- User stories, BRDs, process maps for build teams → `business-analyst`21- Cross-team milestones, RAID, program status → `technical-program-manager`22- MSA/SaaS redlines or legal risk → `commercial-counsel`23- Quote-to-cash, CPQ, order form assembly → `deal-operations-administrator`24- GL, ASC 606, close calendars → `senior-revenue-accountant`25- Dashboards, SQL, metric definitions → `bi-analyst`26- C4 diagrams, integration ADRs, NFR targets → `senior-system-architecture`27- UX research and wireframes → `product-designer`28- Business model canvas, market sizing, unit economics research → `business-model-researcher`29- M&A closing matrix, signing, funds flow → `transaction-manager`30- Live M&A thesis, valuation, negotiation → `transaction-principal`31- Cloud-specific TCO, commit portfolio, and hyperscaler pricing economics → `cloud-economist`32- Technical solution design, integration architecture, RFP/RFI, PoC scope → `solutions-architect`3334## Related skills3536| Need | Skill |37|---|---|38| Requirements and FRDs for delivery | `business-analyst` |39| Program execution and launch readiness | `technical-program-manager` |40| Technical architecture decisions | `senior-system-architecture` |41| Contract and commercial terms | `commercial-counsel` |42| Deal desk and order processing | `deal-operations-administrator` |43| Research synthesis and long-form docs | `tech-writer-researcher` |44| Product UX and journeys | `product-designer` |45| Canvas, TAM, competitor pricing research | `business-model-researcher` |46| Cloud TCO, migration, and commit business cases | `cloud-economist` |47| Applied AI solution architecture | `applied-ai-architect-commercial-enterprise` |48| Company-wide messaging and comms cadence | `communication-lead` |49| M&A deal execution and closing | `transaction-manager` |50| M&A deal principal and IC | `transaction-principal` |51| Customer/partner technical solution and RFP | `solutions-architect` |5253## Core Workflows5455### 1. Engagement framing5657Before analysis:58591. **Sponsor and decision** — Who decides? By when? What happens if we do nothing?602. **Success criteria** — Measurable outcomes (revenue, cost, risk, time)613. **Scope** — In / out / assumptions; phase 1 vs later624. **Hypotheses** — 3–5 testable statements (not solutions yet)635. **Workplan** — Analyses, interviews, data pulls, milestones6465**See `references/engagement_framing.md`.**6667### 2. Problem structuring68691. Start from the **decision** or outcome, not symptoms702. Build an **issue tree** (MECE branches)713. Prioritize branches by impact and ease of analysis724. Assign fact base: interviews, benchmarks, internal data735. Kill branches early when evidence disproves hypothesis7475**See `references/problem_structuring.md`.**7677### 3. Options and recommendation7879For each viable option document:8081| Dimension | Content |82|---|---|83| Description | What changes for customers, employees, systems |84| Benefits | Quantified where possible; ranges if uncertain |85| Costs | One-time + run rate; implementation risk |86| Risks | Top 3 with mitigations |87| Dependencies | Org, tech, vendor, regulatory |8889End with **one recommended path** and explicit **rejected alternatives** with reasons.9091**See `references/business_case.md`.**9293### 4. Operating model (when relevant)9495Define how the organization will run after change:9697- **Capabilities** — What must we be great at?98- **Processes** — Critical paths; handoffs; decision rights99- **People** — Roles, skills, span; change impact100- **Technology** — Systems of record; build vs buy (detail with `senior-system-architecture`)101- **Governance** — Forums, KPIs, escalation102103**See `references/operating_model.md`.**104105### 5. Executive communication106107Storyline order:1081091. **Answer first** — Recommendation in one sentence1102. **So what** — Why it matters now (burning platform or opportunity)1113. **Evidence** — 3–5 supporting facts, not appendix dumps1124. **How** — Roadmap phases, owners, investment1135. **Risks and asks** — Decisions needed from the room114115Use appendix for methodology and backup analyses.116117**See `references/executive_communication.md`.**118119### 6. Handoff to delivery120121When recommendation is approved:122123| Output | Owner skill |124|---|---|125| BRD / user stories / process specs | `business-analyst` |126| Program plan and RAID | `technical-program-manager` |127| Architecture ADR | `senior-system-architecture` |128| Commercial contracting | `commercial-counsel` |129130Document open assumptions delivery teams must validate.131132## When to load references133134- **Scope and hypotheses** → `references/engagement_framing.md`135- **Issue trees and MECE** → `references/problem_structuring.md`136- **ROI and options** → `references/business_case.md`137- **Capabilities and governance** → `references/operating_model.md`138- **SteerCo and board packs** → `references/executive_communication.md`
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