methodatlas
Session Builder

Plan my session

Plan a concrete work block with agenda, roles, preparation, and a copyable result artifact.

Method session3-4 h workshop, plus 1 day of data researchWorkshop or asyncAnsoff Matrix

Session: Ansoff Matrix

The plan translates the method into a concrete facilitated work block. Your inputs flow directly into the session brief and work artifact.

Derived automatically

Method session with 2-8. The plan uses the existing method logic and the runsheet.

Runsheet
Participation logic
Team round, shared work and alignment

Use the session for shared understanding. Contributions are collected visibly, assumptions are aligned, and open differences remain traceable in the artifact.

Outcome logic
Finish artifact

The session works directly toward Ansoff Matrix. After the session, the artifact should be shareable, reviewable, or reusable.

  1. 1

    Phase 1: Capture the current situation

    20 min

    Write down existing product-market combinations with revenue, margin, and growth rate. Make the growth target and available budget visible. Hint: If the current situation fills two A4 pages, the business is too complex for a single Ansoff session. Analyze each business unit separately.

    FacilitatorAnsoff Matrix
  2. 2

    Phase 2: Options per quadrant

    60 min

    Collect 3-5 concrete growth options per quadrant. Market penetration: more share in the existing market. Market development: new geography or segment. Product development: new features or lines. Diversification: new market with a new product. Hint: Diversification options are often overvalued. Risk is highest here, and the hit rate is empirically 10-20%. Require an explicit justification for each diversification option.

    FacilitatorGrowth Options
  3. 3

    Phase 3: Risk and investment needs

    45 min

    Estimate risk (1-5) and investment need (k EUR and FTE quarters) per option. Document expected revenue contribution and time to revenue per option. Hint: Market penetration usually has risk 1-2, diversification 4-5. If the team rates diversification at 2, it lacks experience with real market entries.

    FacilitatorRisk Notes
  4. 4

    Phase 4: Portfolio selection

    45 min

    Assemble an option set that reaches the growth target and stays within the risk budget. Rule of thumb: 60-70% in market penetration/product development, 20-30% market development, 0-15% diversification. Hint: If the set contains 80% diversification, the growth plan is a bet, not a plan. Check the distribution explicitly instead of letting it stay implicit.

    FacilitatorAnsoff Matrix
  5. 5

    Phase 5: Roadmap and triggers

    30 min

    Set the sequence: Which option starts when, with which milestone. Define stop triggers per option (for example, no pilot revenue in 6 months). Hint: Without stop triggers, weak options keep running for three years because nobody stops them. Triggers matter just as much as start decisions.

    OwnerGrowth Options
  6. 6

    Publish artifact

    10 min

    Check the artifact for completeness, define location, set version or status, and name review recipients.

    OwnerAnsoff Matrix
Usable artifact

Session Brief

For invitations, boards, tickets, PR descriptions, or workshop notes.

session-brief.md

Session Brief: Ansoff Matrix

Goal

Artifact: Ansoff Matrix

Working Question

Which mix of market penetration, market development, product development, and diversification fits the growth target and risk capacity?

Context

Revenue share per product-market combination; margin by combination; current market-share trends; cash position and investment budget; known regulatory hurdles in target markets.

Setup

  • Format: Method session
  • Duration: 3-4 h workshop, plus 1 day of data research
  • Mode: Workshop or async
  • Participants: One facilitator with strategy experience; three to six participants from Strategy, Product, Sales, Marketing, and Finance; one decider with budget responsibility; one scribe.
  • Owner: One facilitator with strategy experience
  • Participation mode: Team round, shared work and alignment
  • Outcome logic: Finish artifact

Participation Logic

Use the session for shared understanding. Contributions are collected visibly, assumptions are aligned, and open differences remain traceable in the artifact.

Outcome Logic

The session works directly toward Ansoff Matrix. After the session, the artifact should be shareable, reviewable, or reusable.

Input

2x2 matrix template (X: existing/new products, Y: existing/new markets); current product-market combinations with revenue; growth goals; resource overview (available capital, hiring plan); risk grid.

Preparation

Put the 2x2 matrix on the wall. Name the quadrants: market penetration, market development, product development, diversification. Prepare a sticky-note lane per quadrant, plus a risk scale (1 low to 5 high). Make the growth goal visible in the header.

Agenda

  1. Phase 1: Capture the current situation (20 min) Owner: Facilitator Action: Write down existing product-market combinations with revenue, margin, and growth rate. Make the growth target and available budget visible. Hint: If the current situation fills two A4 pages, the business is too complex for a single Ansoff session. Analyze each business unit separately. Output: Ansoff Matrix

  2. Phase 2: Options per quadrant (60 min) Owner: Facilitator Action: Collect 3-5 concrete growth options per quadrant. Market penetration: more share in the existing market. Market development: new geography or segment. Product development: new features or lines. Diversification: new market with a new product. Hint: Diversification options are often overvalued. Risk is highest here, and the hit rate is empirically 10-20%. Require an explicit justification for each diversification option. Output: Growth Options

  3. Phase 3: Risk and investment needs (45 min) Owner: Facilitator Action: Estimate risk (1-5) and investment need (k EUR and FTE quarters) per option. Document expected revenue contribution and time to revenue per option. Hint: Market penetration usually has risk 1-2, diversification 4-5. If the team rates diversification at 2, it lacks experience with real market entries. Output: Risk Notes

  4. Phase 4: Portfolio selection (45 min) Owner: Facilitator Action: Assemble an option set that reaches the growth target and stays within the risk budget. Rule of thumb: 60-70% in market penetration/product development, 20-30% market development, 0-15% diversification. Hint: If the set contains 80% diversification, the growth plan is a bet, not a plan. Check the distribution explicitly instead of letting it stay implicit. Output: Ansoff Matrix

  5. Phase 5: Roadmap and triggers (30 min) Owner: Owner Action: Set the sequence: Which option starts when, with which milestone. Define stop triggers per option (for example, no pilot revenue in 6 months). Hint: Without stop triggers, weak options keep running for three years because nobody stops them. Triggers matter just as much as start decisions. Output: Growth Options

  6. Publish artifact (10 min) Owner: Owner Action: Check the artifact for completeness, define location, set version or status, and name review recipients. Output: Ansoff Matrix

Closeout

  • Update result artifact: Ansoff Matrix
  • Define location, version, and review recipients.
  • Define owner, next step, and review date.
Usable artifact

Work artifact

Pre-filled starting point based on the matching template.

work-artifact.md

Ansoff Matrix: Ansoff Matrix

Working Question

Which mix of market penetration, market development, product development, and diversification fits the growth target and risk capacity?

Context

Revenue share per product-market combination; margin by combination; current market-share trends; cash position and investment budget; known regulatory hurdles in target markets.

Participants

  • Owner: One facilitator with strategy experience
  • Participants: One facilitator with strategy experience; three to six participants from Strategy, Product, Sales, Marketing, and Finance; one decider with budget responsibility; one scribe.

Input

2x2 matrix template (X: existing/new products, Y: existing/new markets); current product-market combinations with revenue; growth goals; resource overview (available capital, hiring plan); risk grid.

Template

Ansoff Matrix Working Matrix

ElementDescriptionRatingEvidenceOwnerNext step
1
2
3

Output artifacts

  • Ansoff Matrix:
  • Growth Options:
  • Risk Notes:

Decision or recommendation

What consequence follows from the matrix?

Completion Check

  • Ansoff Matrix is complete enough for review:
  • Location:
  • Version / status:
  • Review by:
  • Next step:

Next Step

  • Review result
  • Mark open questions
  • Schedule review or decision
Template base

Ansoff Matrix Working Template

View templateCompact working template for Ansoff Matrix with context, input, output artifacts, and next step.
spreadsheet

ansoff-matrix-working-template.md

Compact working template for Ansoff Matrix with context, input, output artifacts, and next step.

Ansoff Matrix Working Matrix

ElementDescriptionRatingEvidenceOwnerNext step
1
2
3

Output artifacts

  • Ansoff Matrix:
  • Growth Options:
  • Risk Notes:

Decision or recommendation

What consequence follows from the matrix?

Ready to use when
  • Working question, owner, and target artifact are visible.
  • The result fits Ansoff Matrix.
  • One version per strategy cycle (typically yearly) with date and decider. Quarterly updates with trigger status, without overwriting the previous version.
  • Open questions are noted as follow-ups.
  • The next review or decision point is scheduled.
ProfileRunsheet