Asking smart questions is a core skill for effective consultants. But it’s not enough to just ask questions – you need to ask the right questions at the right time.

In particular, the questions you ask after laying out your structure and approach are crucial. We’ll call these “post-structure questions.”

In this comprehensive guide, I will tell you how to take your post-structure questioning to the next level. Read on to become a true questioning master.

Why Post-Structure Questions Matter

Firstly, let’s step back and understand why post-structure questioning is so important in consulting.

Differentiating Pre-Structure vs Post-Structure Questions

Pre-structure questions help you grasp the big picture. You’re still figuring out the landscape and determining how to approach the problem.

These questions focus on understanding objectives, constraints, and overall context. For example:

• “What are the key goals we want to achieve with this project?”
• “Can you explain the business model and economics?”
• “Who are the major competitors we need to consider?”
• “What limitations or constraints exist that we should be aware of?”

Pre-structure inquiries give you the lay of the land before building your approach.

Post-structure questions serve a different purpose. They happen after you’ve framed your structure and hypotheses.

Now you’re in analyst mode. These questions help you pressure-test your framework, fill gaps, and build a concrete analysis.

For instance, post-structure questions might include:

• “Based on our hypothesis, we’d expect to see X in the customer data. Does that match what we’re seeing?”
• “What are the trends in acquisition costs over the past 3 years by marketing channel?”
• “Which customer segments have the highest lifetime value?”
• “How do our product margins compare to competitors?”

The goal is to gather tangible data to support (or refute) your hypotheses. Post-structure questions help you pivot your framework into an insightful analysis.

So, you see, there’s a world of difference between the questions you ask before structuring your approach and those you ask after. 

Pre-structure questions are like setting the stage – they help you understand the basic plot. Post-structure questions? They’re the real meat of your investigation.

Pre-structure questions are essential, no doubt. But once you’ve laid out your structure, your questions need to evolve. They become more targeted, more specific, and frankly, more powerful.

Why Strategic Questioning Matters

Here’s an inside tip about consulting:

Often, your questions matter more than your answers.

Asking smart, strategic questions demonstrates critical thinking. It shows you know which information is crucial to driving insights.

Your questions reveal your thought process to clients or in case interviews. They highlight gaps and opportunities better than prescriptive answers.

Think of it this way…

Anyone can come up with solutions. The real value is identifying the right problems to solve. Good consultants ask the questions that uncover which problems really matter.

So being skilled at strategic questioning – especially post-structure – is tremendously valuable.

But recognizing which questions to ask, and when, is an art form that takes practice.

Types of Post-Structure Questions to Ask

Here are some key types of questions to ask once you’ve structured your approach:

Data-Driven Questions

You need concrete data points to quantify trends, validate hypotheses, size opportunities, and build conviction.

Data-driven questions help gather the tangible information you need to support your analysis. For example:

• “How has customer lifetime value changed over the past 5 years?”
• “What’s the breakdown of revenue by product line?”
• “Which customer segments have the highest retention rates?”
• “What % of orders occur via mobile devices?”
• “How do our net promoter scores (NPS) compare to competitors?”

A few tips:

• Always ask for specifics – metrics, percentages, hard numbers. Don’t accept vague generalizations.
• Pushing for trends over time is often more insightful than one-off data points.
• Drill down into relevant cuts of the data – regional, customer cohorts, product lines, etc.

Data is the lifeblood of driving insights. Use focused data questions to back up your hypotheses.

Root Cause Questions

Root cause questions help uncover why certain problems or outcomes are occurring.

For example:

• “What factors are driving the recent drop in customer renewals?”
• “When did we first notice this fall in engagement, and what changed in that period?”
• “Are we seeing similar patterns across other regions and customer segments?”
• “How does our onboarding and training process differ from competitors?”
• “What evidence suggests our targeting model is out of date?”

Keep asking “why” and digging beneath the surface. Each answer should inform your next level of questioning.

Peel back the layers like an onion until you get to the root causes. This takes curiosity and persistence.

Segmentation and Drill-Down Questions

Segmentation helps you break issues down into more focused components. This often reveals valuable nuances.

Some examples:

• “Do churn rates differ significantly across customer cohorts?”
• “Which product lines have the best cross-sell potential?”
• “Are there major differences in profitability by region?”
• “What customer categories are most at risk from this competitor?”
• “How does sentiment on social media vary by demographic group?”

Look for relevant ways to slice and dice the data. Drill down into customer types, products, regions, channels, or other segments.

Tools like the DICE framework (Divide, Isolate, Compare, Eliminate) can drive insightful segmentation.

Hypothesis Testing Questions

Proactively testing your hypotheses is critical. As consultants, we have to challenge our own thinking.

Some examples:

• “If price sensitivity was decreasing as hypothesized, we’d expect to see sales hold up despite price rises – does the data confirm this?”
• “What case examples support the idea that this strategy could work?”
• “Under what circumstances might our assumptions be wrong?”
• “What key indicators or metrics would signal our hypothesis is flawed?”

Look at it from all angles – both confirming and disproving your hypotheses. This avoids confirmation bias and builds rock-solid analysis.

Benchmarking and Trend Analysis Questions

Understanding internal performance in context is crucial. Always look at external benchmarks such as:

• Industry standards
• Competitor performance
• Best practices from market leaders
• Historical trends and trajectories

Some examples:

• “How do our customer acquisition costs compare with industry benchmarks?”
• “What’s the 3-year growth trajectory for these KPIs vs. our competitors?”
• “Who are the companies we should look to as ‘best-in-class’ in this area?”
• “How consistent has our execution been historically on projects like this?”

Benchmarking reveals how much opportunity exists to improve. Trend analysis shows whether you’re on the right track.

This external context is invaluable for informing strategy.

To further illustrate the importance and impact of different types of post-structure questions, consider the following table which outlines their key benefits and potential outcomes:

The BOTMG Framework for Post-Structure Questioning

Now let’s discuss the BOTMG framework. This provides a structured approach to post-structure questioning across key areas:

B – Business Model Questions

• “What does the full value chain look like?”
• “Where does revenue come from, and what drives profitability?”
• “How does the cost structure compare to competitors?”
• “Which parts of the model are most scalable?”

Understand how the business works end-to-end. This context informs strategic decisions.

O – Objective Questions

• “Given what we’ve learned, should we refine our goals or success metrics?”
• “Are there secondary objectives we should consider based on interdependencies?”
• “Have any constraints or limitations changed given new information?”

Continuously clarify objectives as more data comes in. Objectives may evolve.

T – Timing Questions

• “When does this initiative need to be delivered by?”
• “How long will each stage of implementation take?”
• “What milestones or interdependencies could affect timing?”
• “How flexible is the timeline if needed?”

Factor in timing constraints, risks, and dependencies.

M – Market Questions

• “What market trends or forces could impact this strategy?”
• “How are customer needs evolving?”
• “What moves are competitors making in this space?”
• “Are there any regulatory changes on the horizon?”

Understand the market landscape. Anticipate how it might shift.

G – Geography Questions

• “Do we need to tailor strategies by region?”
• “Which geographies offer the most potential?”
• “Are there unique compliance needs by location?”
• “How do cultural nuances differ across geographies?”

Consider geographic factors when relevant. Localize as needed.

BOTMG gives a rounded 360 view. Follow this template to drive rigorous post-structure questioning.

Expert Strategies for Asking Effective Post-Structure Questions

Below we’ll explore expert strategies for tightening your post-structure questioning.

Maintain Sharp Focus

It’s easy to go off-track when discussing complex topics. Constantly tie questions back to the core problem at hand.

Before asking a question, think:

“How does this help address the key issue we’re focused on solving?”

Cut out tangents and stay laser-focused.

Balance Broad Perspective with Tactical Detail

Cast a wide net and also dive deep into the critical components.

A good rule of thumb is the “Three and Three” approach:

For each area of your framework, ask three big-picture perspective questions followed by three more tactical, detailed questions.

This balances the forest and the trees.

Adapt Questions Based on Responses

Listen closely to the answers you receive. Do they suggest productive new directions to explore? Or are you going down rabbit holes?

Be ready to adjust your questions based on the discussion flow and information provided.

This keeps your questioning dynamic and relevant.

Avoid Common Question Pitfalls

Watch out for these landmines in your questioning approach:

• Asking for information you should already know
• Overly complex or confusing questions
• Yes/no questions that create dead ends rather than dialogue
• Neglecting to follow up or probe on intriguing points
• Asking generic questions that don’t relate back to the specific problem

Precision is power. Hone your questioning craft.

Use Questions to Actively Drive Analysis

Your questions should actively advance your analysis and problem-solving, not just extract data.

For example:

• Use questions to pressure-test hypotheses and determine the next steps
• Ask questions that build upon previous answers to drive insights
• Identify interlinkages between framework elements

Let your questions guide you toward conclusions – don’t just ask them randomly.

To demonstrate how post-structure questioning can be tailored to specific industries, consider these examples:

Advanced Techniques for Experienced Consultants

Take your skills up a notch with these more advanced tactics:

Tailor Question Type to the Audience

C-suite executives need different questions than line managers.

Ask strategic, big-picture questions to senior leaders. Reserve tactical inquiries for function heads.

Match questions to the stakeholder’s role and perspective.

Incorporate Industry Knowledge

Blend industry concepts and jargon into your questions. This instantly shows you speak their language.

For example, use acronyms common in their business or refer to industry frameworks. Demonstrate fluency.

Anticipate Follow-Up Needs

Experts think 2-3 steps ahead. After asking a question, what logical follow-ups might be needed?

Have contingent second-round questions ready to go. This creates a seamless flow.

By anticipating follow-ups, you demonstrate foresight and earn confidence.

Putting It All Together

Here are some final tips for mastering post-structure questioning:

Start broad, get narrow: Begin with big-picture questions before drilling down into details.

Know when to dig deeper: Ask follow-ups and keep probing until reaching root causes. Don’t stop at the surface level.

Link questions together: Let each question build upon the previous one to drive analysis forward.

Stay flexible: Continuously adapt your questions based on discoveries and discussion flow.

Practice relentlessly: Developing razor-sharp questioning skills takes time and commitment. But it’s worth the investment for high performers.

Great consultants aren’t necessarily smarter. But they ask smarter questions.

So master the art of post-structure questioning!

Conclusion

Post-structure questions are a true competitive advantage for consultants. They enable you to probe deeper, pressure-test your thinking, and frame recommendations grounded in insight.

But asking the right questions at the right time is an acquired skill. You need a dual focus: both broad perspective and narrow tactical detail.

Frameworks like BOTMG provide a solid basis to build upon. With commitment and practice, your questioning instincts will improve dramatically.

So, the next time you’re in a case interview or facing a challenging client problem, take a deep breath, structure your approach, and then unleash the power of strategic post-structure questioning. Trust me, it’ll make all the difference!