The Only Case Interview Framework You Need: 3C-1P (Solve 70–80% of Cases Easily)
- Nine to Grow
- Nov 28, 2025
- 3 min read
Updated: Dec 1, 2025
Table of Contents
1. What Is the 3C-1P Framework?
When you’re preparing for consulting interviews, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the long list of case interview frameworks floating around online. Profitability framework, 4Ps, Porter’s Five Forces… Which one should you use? And when?
That’s why many top candidates rely on a simple, powerful structure that works for most strategy and business cases: the 3C-1P framework.
You may see similar structures online, but the 3C-1P approach is unique because it gives you a single, memorable framework that you can confidently apply to 70–80% of all business cases—from growth strategy to market entry.
Unless you’re solving a pure profitability case or an M&A case, this is the strongest starting point you can use.
2. When Should You Use 3C-1P?
This framework works extremely well for:
Growth strategy cases
New product launches
Market entry and expansion
Competitive response cases
Declining or stagnating revenue
Repositioning or strategic redirection
For profitability cases, you’ll need to layer in basic revenue and cost drivers. For M&A, you’ll add valuation and synergy considerations.
3. Breaking Down the 3C-1P Framework
1. Customer
Ask yourself:
Who are we serving, and what do they need?
Which customer segments exist?
Are preferences or behaviors changing?
What problems are customers trying to solve?
How are they solving them today?
What’s their willingness to pay?
2. Competitors
Who else is solving this problem?
Who are the main players?
How fast are they growing?
What’s their positioning and pricing?
Are new entrants or substitutes emerging?
What are their strengths and weaknesses?
3. Company
What capabilities do we bring? (brand, tech, ops, team)
What do our financials and KPIs show?
How strong are our distribution and sales channels?
Do we have the capacity to scale?
What bottlenecks or gaps exist internally?
4. Product
What exactly are we offering?
How well does it fit customer needs?
How does it compare to competitors?
What is our pricing and positioning?
Is there room for improvement or innovation?
Need extra help or want to run full mock case interviews? You can book a 1:1 coaching session anytime with us.
4. Example: Using 3C-1P in a Case
Case prompt: Your client is a large consumer electronics retailer. Revenues have been flat for the past two years. What should they do?
Using 3C-1P:
Customer
Are customers shifting to online-first competitors?
Is a younger segment buying elsewhere?
Is price sensitivity increasing?
Competitors
Are digital-native players (Amazon, D2C brands) gaining share?
What advantages do they offer—pricing, delivery, UX?
Company
Is our online channel underperforming?
Do we lack omnichannel capabilities or efficient logistics?
Are margins dropping due to cost structure issues?
Product
Is our assortment outdated?
Should we expand into faster-growing categories (smart home, gaming)?
Do we need a refreshed merchandising strategy?
From this, you can build hypotheses—e.g., "We need to improve e-commerce UX and pivot assortment toward the fastest-growing product categories."
5. FAQs on Case Interview Frameworks
Is 3C-1P a standard consulting framework?
Not under this exact name. This version organizes the core drivers of most business cases into a simple, memorable structure that is easier to apply under time pressure.
Can I use 3C-1P for market entry cases?
Yes—market entry is one of the strongest use cases. Customer, competitor, company, and product questions cover almost everything you need.
Is this enough for McKinsey interviews?
Yes, especially for interviewer-led formats—because the framework helps you generate hypotheses quickly.(For McKinsey-specific tips, link internally to your McKinsey Interview Guide.)
Do I need to memorize other frameworks?
Only two: Profitability and M&A. For everything else, 3C-1P is more than enough.
