12 Claude Prompts for Issue Framing
The sequence strategy consultants use to make Claude output MECE issue trees instead of fluffy lists. Twelve copy-paste prompts covering problem definition, hypothesis generation, constraint mapping, and the So-What test.
Free skills and prompts for Claude and strategy work
Templates for Claude, ChatGPT and Perplexity — from diagnostics to board-ready decks.
What this is
Twelve ready-to-use Claude prompts for the issue framing phase of a consulting engagement. They cover the full sequence: from turning a vague client brief into a precise decision question, through building a MECE issue tree and a hypothesis set, to verifying that every finding is decision-relevant before it enters the deck.
The prompts are built for management consultants and strategy analysts who want Claude to work at MBB quality: structured before analytical, hypothesis-led before exhaustive, and grounded in named frameworks (MECE, Pyramid Principle, Five Whys, SCR) rather than generic advice.
Each prompt has a clear trigger, a fully written copy-paste template with placeholders, and a note on why the method works. Use them individually on the issue you are stuck on, or run them in sequence from problem definition through to workplan design.
The 12 Prompts
The prompts are grouped into four phases of diagnostic work. Each phase builds on the previous one, but every prompt is also useful on its own. Click any prompt to expand it and copy the full text.
Problem Framing
Use these at the start of an engagement, before building issue trees or collecting data. They sharpen the question and ensure the team is solving the right problem at the right level.
Define the Client's Real Question
Use when: The brief is vague, over-broad, or framed as a solution
Output: Recommended framing, embedded assumptions, alternative question framings
Reframe the Question Altitude
Use when: The question feels too tactical or too broad for the decision at hand
Output: Altitude diagnosis, one level up, one level down, recommended altitude and scope
Frame the SCR Narrative
Use when: You need to frame the problem for an executive audience or kick-off meeting
Output: Situation, Complication, Question, and Resolution in SCR structure
Issue Tree and Hypotheses
Use these to move from a defined question to a structured diagnostic plan. They translate the problem into a MECE tree and a hypothesis set that the team can test.
Build a MECE Issue Tree
Use when: You need to decompose the decision question before workplan design
Output: Two-level MECE tree with MECE check per bucket and scope exclusions
Generate the Hypothesis Set
Use when: You have an issue tree and need to convert it into testable hypotheses
Output: Hypothesis, confidence rating, key test, and data source per issue
Issue-Hypothesis-Data Map
Use when: You need a structured workplan connecting each issue to an analysis and owner
Output: One-row workplan entry per issue: hypothesis, analysis, data source, owner, week
Constraints and Stakeholders
Use these when the framing is contested or the team suspects it is over-constraining the option space. They surface assumptions that would otherwise narrow the work invisibly.
Surface the Binding Constraints
Use when: You need to map what is genuinely fixed before generating options
Output: Hard, soft, and assumed constraints with recommendations on which to test
Identify the True Decision Maker
Use when: The stated decision maker and the real decision maker may differ
Output: Formal, effective, blocking, and absent stakeholders with pre-wiring recommendation
Stakeholder Perspective Framing
Use when: Multiple stakeholders frame the same problem differently
Output: Per-stakeholder problem frame, desired outcome, fears, and unstated concerns
Diagnostic Depth
Use these when the team has moved from framing into analysis, and needs to go deeper on a specific issue or verify that a finding is decision-relevant before it enters the deck.
Root Cause Drill-Down
Use when: You have a symptom but not the root cause
Output: Five Whys chain, root cause classification, and single most effective intervention
Prioritize Issues by Decision Value
Use when: You have more issues than time and need to focus the workplan
Output: Decision impact and effort score per issue, must-resolve list, workplan risks
The So-What Test
Use when: A finding is drafted and you need to verify it is decision-relevant
Output: Fact vs. interpretation vs. recommendation classification, decision test, Therefore check
How to use
Find the prompt you need
Each prompt is named for the situation it addresses. Match the prompt to where the framing is currently stuck. The group headings above divide the prompts by phase - start with Problem Framing if the question is unclear, or jump to Diagnostic Depth if the team is already in analysis.
Copy and fill the placeholders
Click Show prompt on the prompt card, then hit Copy. Fill in every {{placeholder}} with your engagement details before pasting into Claude. The placeholders are labelled to make it clear what each one expects.
Paste into Claude and iterate
Paste the filled prompt into claude.ai and run it. For issue framing work, Claude Sonnet 4.6 handles the structural reasoning well. Claude Opus 4.8 produces richer hypothesis sets on complex briefs.
Tip
For a full engagement workplan, run prompts 1 through 6 in sequence: define the question, build the issue tree, generate hypotheses, then map issues to data. The output of each prompt feeds directly into the next.
When to use each prompt
Not every engagement needs all twelve. Match the prompt to where the framing is currently stuck.
What these prompts are built for
Andrew Persh
Founder, Oria
Former McKinsey consultant turned product builder. Andrew founded Oria to help professionals create boardroom-ready presentations without the formatting overhead.