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

Method session90-120 minWorkshopSWOT matrix

Session: SWOT Analysis

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 3-12. 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 SWOT matrix. After the session, the artifact should be shareable, reviewable, or reusable.

  1. 1

    Phase 1: Sharpen scope and evidence

    15 min

    Make strategic occasion and unit of analysis explicit (whole company, business area, product). Tighten evidence rule: no entry without source or metric. Hint: If unit stays unclear, group mixes statements about corporation and product. Choose one level, otherwise double work.

    FacilitatorSWOT matrix
  2. 2

    Phase 2: Strengths and Weaknesses

    25 min

    Collect only internally influenceable factors. Every entry with evidence and differentiating reference size (against competition, market, previous year). Hint: Statements like "motivated team" without comparison are not a strength. If every competitor could claim same, it is not differentiator.

    FacilitatorStrategic options
  3. 3

    Phase 3: Opportunities and Threats

    25 min

    Collect only external factors that company does not control. Note probability and expected impact per entry. Hint: If group places internal topics in Opportunities ("we could build X"), move them. X is measure, not opportunity.

    FacilitatorAction list
  4. 4

    Phase 4: TOWS linking

    30 min

    Cross fields pairwise: SO (use strengths for opportunities), WO (reduce weaknesses for opportunities), ST (use strengths against threats), WT (avoid weaknesses and threats). Derive 2-3 options per quadrant. Hint: Without TOWS, SWOT remains a list. Only crossing creates options. If a quadrant stays empty, data basis there is thin.

    FacilitatorSWOT matrix
  5. 5

    Phase 5: Prioritization and follow-up

    15 min

    Choose three to five strategic directions from TOWS options, each with owner, hypothesis and success indicator. Remaining options into backlog. Hint: If all options seem equally important, prioritization is missing. Add dot-voting or Decision Matrix.

    OwnerStrategic options
  6. 6

    Publish artifact

    10 min

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

    OwnerSWOT matrix
Usable artifact

Session Brief

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

session-brief.md

Session Brief: SWOT Analysis

Goal

Artifact: SWOT matrix

Working Question

Which internal strengths and weaknesses meet which external opportunities and threats, and which action logic follows from that?

Context

Current market data and competitor analysis; internal performance metrics from last two quarters; known trends from PESTLE; existing strategy or vision papers.

Setup

  • Format: Method session
  • Duration: 90-120 min
  • Mode: Workshop
  • Participants: One facilitator who structures discussion; four to eight participants from strategy, sales, product and operations; one scribe who records evidence and sources.
  • Owner: One facilitator who structures discussion
  • 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 SWOT matrix. After the session, the artifact should be shareable, reviewable, or reusable.

Input

Whiteboard or Miro board with four-field grid (Strengths, Weaknesses on top; Opportunities, Threats below); stickies in four colors; markers; template for TOWS linking as second page.

Preparation

Create grid, make definition of every cell visible (internal vs. external, positive vs. negative). State rule: every entry needs evidence (number, source, observation). Timer at 20 min per cell.

Agenda

  1. Phase 1: Sharpen scope and evidence (15 min) Owner: Facilitator Action: Make strategic occasion and unit of analysis explicit (whole company, business area, product). Tighten evidence rule: no entry without source or metric. Hint: If unit stays unclear, group mixes statements about corporation and product. Choose one level, otherwise double work. Output: SWOT matrix

  2. Phase 2: Strengths and Weaknesses (25 min) Owner: Facilitator Action: Collect only internally influenceable factors. Every entry with evidence and differentiating reference size (against competition, market, previous year). Hint: Statements like "motivated team" without comparison are not a strength. If every competitor could claim same, it is not differentiator. Output: Strategic options

  3. Phase 3: Opportunities and Threats (25 min) Owner: Facilitator Action: Collect only external factors that company does not control. Note probability and expected impact per entry. Hint: If group places internal topics in Opportunities ("we could build X"), move them. X is measure, not opportunity. Output: Action list

  4. Phase 4: TOWS linking (30 min) Owner: Facilitator Action: Cross fields pairwise: SO (use strengths for opportunities), WO (reduce weaknesses for opportunities), ST (use strengths against threats), WT (avoid weaknesses and threats). Derive 2-3 options per quadrant. Hint: Without TOWS, SWOT remains a list. Only crossing creates options. If a quadrant stays empty, data basis there is thin. Output: SWOT matrix

  5. Phase 5: Prioritization and follow-up (15 min) Owner: Owner Action: Choose three to five strategic directions from TOWS options, each with owner, hypothesis and success indicator. Remaining options into backlog. Hint: If all options seem equally important, prioritization is missing. Add dot-voting or Decision Matrix. Output: Strategic 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: SWOT matrix

Closeout

  • Update result artifact: SWOT 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

SWOT matrix: SWOT Analysis

Working Question

Which internal strengths and weaknesses meet which external opportunities and threats, and which action logic follows from that?

Context

Current market data and competitor analysis; internal performance metrics from last two quarters; known trends from PESTLE; existing strategy or vision papers.

Participants

  • Owner: One facilitator who structures discussion
  • Participants: One facilitator who structures discussion; four to eight participants from strategy, sales, product and operations; one scribe who records evidence and sources.

Input

Whiteboard or Miro board with four-field grid (Strengths, Weaknesses on top; Opportunities, Threats below); stickies in four colors; markers; template for TOWS linking as second page.

Template

Strategy Brief

Context

Why is this strategic clarification needed now?

Target state

What should be different in 6-12 months?

Priorities

  1. ...
  2. ...
  3. ...

Non-goals

  • ...

Metrics

  • North Star Metric:
  • Guardrail Metrics:

Risks

  • ...

Decisions

Which decisions should follow from this?

Completion Check

  • SWOT 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

Strategy Brief

View templateCompact briefing for strategic context, target state, priorities, and non-goals.
markdown

strategy-brief-markdown.md

Compact briefing for strategic context, target state, priorities, and non-goals.

Strategy Brief

Context

Why is this strategic clarification needed now?

Target state

What should be different in 6-12 months?

Priorities

  1. ...
  2. ...
  3. ...

Non-goals

  • ...

Metrics

  • North Star Metric:
  • Guardrail Metrics:

Risks

  • ...

Decisions

Which decisions should follow from this?

Ready to use when
  • Working question, owner, and target artifact are visible.
  • The result fits SWOT matrix.
  • One file per strategy cycle with date and unit of analysis in header. Archive previous version, do not overwrite. Re-reference evidence with source and date on every update.
  • Open questions are noted as follow-ups.
  • The next review or decision point is scheduled.
ProfileRunsheet