Summer Intern —
Optional Internship Applicant Exercise
(60 Minutes)
Thank you for applying to Crawford Business Consulting. This brief exercise is an optional next step in our process and mirrors the type of work that could be supported by a Summer Intern.
Exercise — Business Ecosystem Design
Open Until : February 28, 2026, 11:59pm
Submission format: One PDF (1–2 page memo or 5-slide brief)
File name: LastName_FirstName_Ecosystem-Brief.pdf
Overview of the exercise
You will design a concept for a membership-based service that helps households better manage recurring monthly costs by coordinating multiple independent businesses into a single, coherent ecosystem.
This is not about having the “perfect” idea. We are evaluating:
- How you structure a problem,
- How you think about multi-business ecosystems,
- How you improve a user journey and how you propose practical technology (including AI) with trust in mind.
Important notes (fairness + compliance)
This is a selection exercise, not client work.
Do not include sensitive personal data.
Do not contact any third parties as part of this exercise.
You may use AI tools to support drafting, but your submission must reflect your own thinking (optional one-line disclosure).
What you’ll do (60 minutes total)
1. Read the scenario and the provided materials
2. Create your memo or slide brief using the recommended sections
3. Export as one PDF and upload by the deadline
What could be included:
1. Ecosystem map (who + why): 3–5 partner categories, roles, and incentives
2. Member journey: signup → discovery → decision → follow-through → retention (friction + fixes)
3. AI enhancements (max 3): problem → approach → outcome → metric → trust/privacy safeguard
4. Target market + benefits: 1–2 segments; benefits labeled core/adjacent/misaligned
5. Measurement & risks: 4 KPIs + 3 risks with mitigations
6. One-paragraph thesis: what it is, who it’s for, why it works
What happens next
We will review your submissions as a part of the entire application. You will receive an email regarding an extended interview with further instructions.