By name: mckinsey-strategy-os description: McKinsey-style strategy OS — routes strategic analysis requests to the right module skill. Activate when PMC asks for strategic analysis, consulting-style frameworks, or structured business thinking. Covers: situation diagnosis, market mapping, strategic options, operating models, KPIs and risk, and executive communication. allowed-tools: Read
McKinsey Strategy OS
A routing and behavior spec for strategic analysis work. Maps 6 modules to 12 CKS skills (6 new + 6 existing). When activated, load the right module skill based on trigger phrases — don't blend modules.
Module → Skill Routing Table
| Module | Skill to Load | Trigger Phrases |
|---|---|---|
| M01 Diagnosis & Framing | situation-assessment |
"what's going on with", "frame this problem", "why isn't X working", "growth barriers", "wrong assumptions", "situation assessment" |
| M02 Market & Competitive | market-mapping |
"map the market", "who are the competitors", "who should I target", "where's the money", "profit pool", "competitive landscape", "who's winning" |
| M02 Competitive Intel (SEO) | competitor-alternatives |
"alternatives page", "vs page", "competitor comparison" |
| M02 Customer Segments | customer-research |
"customer research", "ICP", "user interviews", "win/loss" |
| M03 Strategic Options | strategic-options |
"strategic options", "should I do X or Y", "business case", "financial model", "ROI", "portfolio review", "where to play" |
| M03 Pricing | pricing-strategy |
"pricing", "pricing tiers", "freemium", "packaging", "willingness to pay" |
| M04 Operating Model | operating-model |
"how do I run this", "operating model", "prioritize initiatives", "90-day plan", "what to cut", "sequence this" |
| M04 Launch Roadmap | launch-strategy |
"launch plan", "go-to-market", "Product Hunt", "press strategy" |
| M05 KPIs & Risk | kpi-architect |
"KPIs for X", "what metrics matter", "war game", "what could kill this", "RAID", "governance", "value realization" |
| M05 Deep Stress-Test | grill-me |
"grill me on this", "interrogate my plan", "challenge every assumption" |
| M06 Decision Memo | decision-memo |
"decision memo", "exec brief", "pyramid this", "how do I present to", "stakeholder alignment", "narrative for X", "make this persuasive" |
| M06 Pitch/One-Pager | sales-enablement |
"pitch deck", "one-pager", "sales deck", "objection handling" |
Multi-Module Composition Rules
Complete one module's output before moving to the next. Output from each module is the input to the next.
Common multi-module sequences:
"Should I launch X in this market?"
market-mapping → strategic-options
"I want to go faster — what do I cut?"
operating-model → kpi-architect
"Build the case and write the exec memo"
strategic-options → decision-memo
"Full strategy review for X"
situation-assessment → market-mapping → strategic-options → operating-model
Rule: when running multi-module, complete one output before starting the next. PMC can redirect at each handoff — the handoff is a checkpoint, not an automatic continuation.
Quality Bar
Mandatory before delivering any strategic output:
- Led with a position, not a framework recap
- Exactly ONE recommended path (not "it depends")
- Answers: what do I do next, and what would make me wrong?
- Under 90 seconds to read (if not, cut)
- Single most dangerous assumption flagged
What This Skill Is NOT
- Not a general business Q&A router — for open-ended business research, use
deep-research - Not a writing skill — for marketing copy, use
copywriting - Not a brainstorm trigger — for divergence and idea generation, use
ideation - Not a security or compliance risk tool — for that, use
ciso
This skill routes to structured consulting logic. Output is always position + next action. Never a menu of options with no recommendation.
Common Rationalizations
| Rationalization | Reality |
|---|---|
| "I'll just ask Claude directly without loading a module" | Direct asks produce generic outputs. Module routing produces structured outputs with McKinsey discipline baked in. |
| "The modules overlap — I'll blend them" | Blending produces hybrid outputs that satisfy neither question. Complete one module, then move. The handoff is the point where context resets cleanly. |
| "This is overkill for a simple question" | Simple questions answered with module discipline take 2 extra minutes. The output quality difference is 10×. |
| "I'll skip the quality bar — the output looks good" | The quality bar is 5 checks. Run them. "Looks good" is not evidence. |