Saïd Business School, University of Oxford Careers Service
A Platform Proposal for Saïd Business School

A data-driven coaching platform to help Oxford students secure MBB offers

CaseLab brings structure, measurement, and accountability to case interview preparation — enabling the Careers Service to track student readiness, allocate coaching resources effectively, and raise offer rates across the cohort.


5
Evaluation clusters
mapped to MBB standards
19
Individual criteria
scored per session
50+
Self-study drill
modules included
360°
Visibility for students,
coaches & Careers Service
The Opportunity

Why Oxford needs a structured approach to case coaching

Students invest hundreds of hours in MBB preparation, yet the process remains largely informal, unmeasured, and difficult for the Careers Service to support at scale.

01

Coaching sessions produce no lasting record

Feedback is verbal, forgotten within days. Neither the student nor the university retains structured data on strengths, weaknesses, or improvement.

02

No visibility into student readiness

The Careers Service cannot identify which students are on track, who needs support, or where to direct limited coaching resources for maximum impact.

03

Peer practice lacks intelligent pairing

Students practise with whoever is available rather than being matched with partners whose complementary profiles would accelerate mutual development.

The Platform

What CaseLab delivers

A complete coaching ecosystem with dedicated experiences for students, coaches, and university administration.

Student Performance Dashboard

Each student sees live scores across all 19 MBB criteria grouped into 5 clusters, session-over-session trends, development priorities, and recommended drills.

Student view

Structured Coach Scorecards

After each session, coaches complete a standardised evaluation across the official MBB framework with criterion-level scores and qualitative comments.

Coach view

Cohort Analytics & League Table

Rankings, risk flags, and resource allocation insights let the Careers Service identify top candidates, spot students falling behind, and prioritise investment where it matters.

University view

Intelligent Peer Matching

The platform analyses skill profiles to pair students whose strengths and weaknesses complement each other — maximising the learning value of every practice session.

All users

Self-Study Drill Library

Structured exercises students complete independently between sessions — market sizing, framework application, chart interpretation — each mapped to specific MBB criteria.

Student view

Full Session Documentation

Every coaching interaction logged with case type, performance data, and qualitative notes — building a complete, searchable learning history for each student.

All users
Evaluation Framework

Scored on the criteria MBB firms actually use

Every coaching session produces a structured evaluation across five clusters and nineteen individual criteria. Click any criterion to see details.

Problem Solving

  • Structuring
    Breaks problems into clear, MECE components with logical and exhaustive issue trees.
  • Prioritisation
    Focuses on highest-value analyses using 80/20 thinking to drive efficient problem solving.
  • Analytical Rigour
    Accurate math, sound logic, and careful data handling under time pressure.
  • Insight Generation
    Extracts non-obvious insights from data that change the direction of analysis.
  • Synthesis
    Converts analysis into clear, actionable conclusions and recommendations.

Communication

  • Top-Down Comms
    Leads with the answer first, then supports with structured reasoning — pyramid principle.
  • Clarity & Conciseness
    Structured delivery with no unnecessary detail — every word earns its place.
  • Active Listening
    Accurately understands interviewer input, builds on it, and uses it to redirect analysis.

Drive & Ownership

  • Initiative
    Acts proactively without prompting — identifies opportunities and takes action independently.
  • Resilience
    Handles pressure, ambiguity, and setbacks without losing composure or analytical quality.
  • Execution Discipline
    Delivers reliably against goals — follows through on commitments with consistent quality.
  • Learning Agility
    Improves rapidly through feedback and reflection — applies lessons from one session to the next.

Leadership & Influence

  • Influence
    Persuades effectively using logic, data, and stakeholder understanding.
  • Empathy
    Understands motivations and perspectives of others — reads the room and adapts approach.
  • Team Leadership
    Aligns, motivates, and coordinates teams toward shared goals with clarity and energy.
  • Stakeholder Mgmt
    Builds trust and long-term relationships with colleagues, clients, and stakeholders.

Results Orientation

  • Impact Delivered
    Achieves tangible, measurable results that move the needle on business outcomes.
  • Trade-off Mgmt
    Balances speed, quality, and resources — makes pragmatic decisions under constraints.
  • E2E Ownership
    Drives from idea to execution to outcome — takes full accountability for delivery.
Dashboard Preview

What students and the Careers Service will see

Real-time visibility into individual performance and cohort-wide readiness — all built on the MBB evaluation framework.

Student View
Careers Service View
Student Individual Performance Dashboard
Case Evaluation Scores
Dashed line = MBB readiness threshold (4.0)
Problem Solving
Structuring
4.1
Prioritisation
3.6
Analytical Rigour
3.0
Insight Generation
3.8
Synthesis
3.7
Communication
Top-Down Comms
4.0
Clarity
4.3
Active Listening
3.5
Behavioural / PEI Scores
Drive & Ownership
Initiative
4.4
Resilience
3.9
Execution
4.2
Learning Agility
4.1
Leadership & Influence
Influence
3.8
Empathy
4.1
Team Leadership
3.3
Stakeholder Mgmt
3.6
Results Orientation
Impact Delivered
3.9
Trade-off Mgmt
3.5
E2E Ownership
4.1
Overall Standing
3.9
Avg Score
Developing
72nd
Percentile
within cohort
Ahead of 72% of active students. 0.1 points from MBB readiness threshold.
Development Focus
FocusAnalytical Rigour
FocusTeam Leadership
BuildActive Listening
BuildTrade-off Mgmt
TopInitiative
TopClarity
Score Trend
Peer Matching

Paired for maximum development

The algorithm analyses each student's skill profile to suggest practice partners whose strengths complement their development areas.

AW

Alice W.

MBA — Michaelmas Term
Insight Gen.
Communication
Analytical Rigour
Structuring
87%
Match
RK

Raj K.

MPhil Economics — Hilary Term
Insight Gen.
Communication
Analytical Rigour
Structuring
Self-Study Library

Structured drills between coaching sessions

Each exercise is mapped to specific MBB criteria, allowing students to practise independently and track their development.

Quantitative

Market Sizing Blitz

12 progressively harder market sizing prompts with model answers and scoring rubrics.

45 minAnalytical Rigour
Frameworks

Structure Sprint

Build a MECE issue tree in under 90 seconds for each prompt. Timed, self-graded.

30 minStructuring
Communication

Synthesis Elevator Pitch

Read a case pack, summarise findings in a 60-second top-down recommendation.

20 minSynthesis & Top-Down Comms
Analysis

Chart Interpretation Lab

Extract the three most important insights from 10 data exhibits under time pressure.

40 minInsight Generation
Creativity

Lateral Thinking Cases

Unconventional prompts that reward creative brainstorming and non-obvious solutions.

35 minInsight Generation
Behavioural

PEI Story Bank Builder

Craft and pressure-test personal experience interview stories using the PEI framework.

50 minDrive & Leadership

Interested in bringing CaseLab to Oxford?

We would welcome the opportunity to present a full demonstration to the Careers Service and discuss how CaseLab could be tailored to Saïd Business School's specific needs.

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