The McKinsey Quarterly added another framework to a series that discusses historic business analysis frameworks: the GE-McKinsey 9 box matrix, developed in the early 70s.

Glancing over the article and hearing the audio explanation made me realize: things have moved on. Managers have become much more skilled in absorbing diagrams, and business portfolio analysis is more than plotting industry attractiveness and competitive strength. The elaborate explanation of the 3x3 would almost be an "insult" to a sophisticated management audience in 2008. Still, today I constantly invent "frameworks" for presentation on the spot: how to present 4 steps, 3 distinctive factors versus the competition, 6 phases to launch, the best of both 2 worlds, but none of them are standard. Also, I am increasingly moving away from the urge to summarize all factors and aspects of a solution on one (the first) page. Rather, I take an audience through a step-by-step story to the final answer. The difference between a concise document and an engaging live presentation. For more nostalgic reading:

• Classic frameworks by McKinsey & Company (7-S, Structure-Conduct-Performance [SCP], others)
• Classic frameworks by the Boston Consulting Group (Growth-share matrix [Stars, cash cows, dogs, question marks], others)

UPDATE February 2018: I have now added the GE McKinsey matrix and lots of other consulting frameworks to the SlideMagic template store.