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Business paper using the Minto approach

What is the Minto approach?

The Minto approach is a structured method for organising your thoughts and arguments that helps you communicate clearly with busy readers, whether they are your professors, future employers, or business stakeholders. Developed by Barbara Minto at McKinsey & Company, this approach emerged from the consulting world where professionals needed a better way to present complex recommendations quickly and persuasively.

The method is built on two key components: the SCQA framework (Situation, Complication, Question, Answer) that sets up your analysis, and the Pyramid principle that structures your supporting arguments from the main recommendation down to detailed evidence.

What makes this approach distinctive is its pyramid structure. You lead with your main recommendation at the top of the pyramid, then support it with 2-4 grouped arguments in the middle layers, and finally provide detailed evidence and data at the base. This mirrors how business readers naturally process information: they want your conclusion (i.e., solution/position) first, followed by the supporting details or reasons for your position. Rather than building up to your point gradually like a traditional essay, the Minto approach ensures decision makers grasp your key message immediately that makes your business communication more effective and professional.

Why use the Minto approach?

Monash students, particularly those studying business units, need to structure complex arguments and present strategic recommendations using frameworks like the Minto approach. This method:

communicates strategic thinking effectively to both academic and professional audiences
organises complex information logically for busy decision-makers
mirrors how people naturally process information, leading with conclusions rather than burying key insights
develops career-long skills for writing strategic reports, policy briefs, and investment recommendations.

The approach works by establishing common ground, identifying problems, raising key question(s), and delivering solutions in a sequence that feels familiar to readers, making business communication more persuasive and actionable.

Tips for using the Minto approach View

	1. Tell a familiar story Use the SCQA structure to create a narrative your audience already knows. Start with what everyone agrees on (Situation), introduce the problem (Complication), ask the obvious question (Question), then deliver your solution/recommendation (Answer). This mirrors how people naturally think about problems.
	2. Test your hook Your situation and complication together form your opening hook. Test it: Does it grab attention? Does it make the audience care? Can someone understand the stakes within the first minute? If not, revise until it does.
	3. Create urgency in your complication Your complication isn’t just describing a problem. It’s sounding the alarm. Show why action is needed now. Use concrete data, trends or consequences to make your readers feel the pressure to act. Without urgency, your audience won’t pay attention.
	4. Make your logic visible Each section should clearly connect to the next. Your situation should logically lead to your complication, which naturally raises your question, which your answer directly addresses. If any link feels forced, rework your structure.
	5. Lead with your answer Don’t bury your main point in the middle of your presentation. Start with your recommendation or conclusion first, then build your supporting arguments. Your busy readers want to know your bottom line immediately. They’ll decide whether to keep reading based on that.
	6. Support with grouped evidence Don’t scatter your supporting points randomly. Group related arguments together and present them in logical clusters. Use the pyramid principles where each group of evidence has one key point that supports your main argument.
	7. Trim strategically If a piece of information doesn’t directly support your main argument or fit into your SCQA flow, eliminate it. The Minto approach forces you to be disciplined about what to include. Everything must earn its place in your story.

Differences between Minto writing and typical essays

The Minto approach creates a distinct communication style that differs significantly from traditional academic essays. These features differentiate Minto-structured writing from the conventional essay format used in many academic contexts.

	Minto approach writing	Academic essay
Topic	Solution-centric Based on case studies, real world scenarios, or strategic analysis Implement theoretical framework or solution into actionable plans	Explores academic discussions requiring students to develop and defend specific viewpoints Draws from scholarly research evidence and theoretical frameworks
Purpose	To present strategic recommendations that will inform business decisions To communicate actionable solutions with clear implementation paths	To construct persuasive arguments supporting a chosen stance To showcase analytical reasoning and scholarly engagement
Audience	Business stakeholders, decision-makers, or professional contexts within case scenarios Dual audience of academic assessors and hypothetical business readers	An academic audience University teaching staff assessing student comprehension and argumentation skills
Format	Follows SCQA structure (Situations, Complication, Question, Answer) Uses sub-headings, tables, and graphs to convey information clearly	Presents unified prose without labelled or organisational sections Develops through the traditional introduction-body-conclusion framework Emphasises textual arguments over visual presentation elements
Style	Written in the third or first person Uses direct, business-focused language Written in short, actionable paragraphs with clear takeaways	Employs conventional academic voices (e.g., third or first person) and scholarly terminology Utilises comprehensive paragraphs for thorough idea development and maintains consistent formal academic register throughout

Note

The reader won’t always read your SCQA structure in the exact order you’ve written it. They might jump straight to your Answer section first to see your recommendation, then flip back to your Situation to understand the context, or scan your Complication to check if you’ve identified the real problem. This is totally normal reading behaviour for business communication. That’s why each section of your Minto approach needs to be cohesive and make sense even when read out of sequence. Make sure your headings are clear, your key points are easy to spot, and each section tells a complete part of your story without relying too heavily on what came before.

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