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How to conduct a problem-focused case study

You can use these steps to write a problem-focused case study

1.   Identify the institution.

2.   Define your perspective.

3.   Craft a narrative.

4.   Research possible solutions.

5.   Select an optimal solution.

6.   Include these sections.

1. Identify the Institution

To begin preparing your problem-focused case study, start by identifying the institution you will investigate. While thinking about this, do some initial research. Check the news, google scholar. Identify an institution that has experienced racial diversity/equity/inclusion issues in the past. Note the institution is a broad category. Within each institution, you will refine it to a particular corporation, agency, or NGO. For example,  political institutions operating at the federal, state, county, city, and community organizations can be identified. Selecting one of these entities is the second step in your process. While determining which you will investigate – start by taking copious notes and highlighting important information, facts, issues, stories, and values that will be important as you develop your narrative

Begin by identifying realistic goals that define your problem. Then, consider what you want to achieve through this problem analysis, which will help you determine what steps your narrative will take.

2. Define your perspective

The more compelling, descriptive, and inclusive your narrative is, the better your investigation will be. As you structure your problem statement, you must specify your focus. Do this by identifying the central problems you will be dealing with upfront. Research the specific institution that you will be dealing with.  Identify some of the central issues that have been identified that will help you craft your problem statement and study. Then, through research, determine some of the causes of the problems that you are hoping to examine Once you know the direction that you are going to take care of, then think about other related issues, and think outside the box -like intersectionality, other organizations/institutions, may impact upon the problem/organization that you are investigating.

3. Craft a narrative

You can begin crafting the description with the information you've collected. During this phase, you can be a little creative. Think about a customer journey relatable to your wider audience and an interesting read. Use the problem you've synthesized from company information and brainstorming as an issue that a customer or client encounters and detail how they respond.

It would help if you considered following a classic narrative arc where you have an introduction, an inciting incident, rising action, a climax, falling action, and a resolution.

4. Research possible solutions

You are not inventing the wheel but discovering the wheels that have been created. Therefore, you will begin by working with established solutions, key indicators of success and failure, and the top ways to solve the problem. Then, what and why have these worked or not worked, why and how must they be modified for your specific institution, how might other factors impact the solution, and what kinds of results can they expect? Ultimately, it would help if you strived to devise several solutions and select the most important one.

5. Select an optimal solution(s) that reflects best practices. Is your answer relatable, achievable, and generalizable? 

Finally, select an optimal solution (s) that reflects best practices. Is it relatable? Can it be scalable? Remember that one size does not fit all, but all answers can be modified to fit the unique situation that you are dealing with. Next, consider whether the solution(s)  is(are) generalizable, accessible, feasible, and doable. Essentially, what evidence do you have that it can work? In the process, consider the costs, the buy-in, accountability measures, and anticipated objectives. In the end, does evidence suggest that it is realistic, and what are the pros and cons of doing this or nothing? 

6. Include these sections

To organize your problem-focused case study document, include the following sections:

• Introduction: Use this space to state the purpose and identify key issues.
• Background: This is the start of your narrative, where you begin to lay out a scene that makes sense for the reader.
• Evaluation of case: In the problem section, outline important highlights of the problem-focused case study, evaluate the highlighted segments based on what works and what doesn't, and explain why.
• Solutions: In this part of the document, highlight your proposed solutions and why they are effective for solving the problem.
• Recommendations: End the document with recommendations for moving forward.

Tips for writing a winning problem-focused case study

Consider these tips for writing a case study:

• Take notes. As you read and examine research, theories, best practices, and related material. How does it reflect what you have already learned about the matrix, intersectional identities, stock stories, resistance stories, and hidden stories? As you proceed, take notes on important details that could help you compellingly craft your narrative.
• Know your audience. To select the best solution, you must know to who you are directing your problem statement/solutions. Are they the CEO and upper management, rank and file, board, other stakeholders, or the external audience?   To format it correctly, understanding who will read the problem-focused case study is critical.
• Make relatable content. Write about a scenario and person who is relatable to your average client. This will help create a winning problem-focused case study that your audience can understand and identify.