swot-analysis

name	swot-analysis
description	Map Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats — then generate cross-referenced strategic moves (SO, WO, ST, WT).
group	thinking
keywords	["swot","foda","strengths","weaknesses","opportunities","threats","strategy","positioning","analysis"]
task_strategies	["spike","investigation"]
stream_affinity	["roadmap","research"]
allowed-tools	["Read","Glob","Grep","AskUserQuestion"]
status	experimental
source	Albert Humphrey — Stanford Research Institute (1960s); Kenneth Andrews — The Concept of Corporate Strategy (1971)
acquired	2026-06-15

SWOT Analysis (FODA)

Map internal position and external landscape. Then generate strategic moves.

SWOT is not a list exercise — it's a cross-reference exercise. The value is not in generating the four lists but in asking "how does each internal factor interact with each external factor?" That intersection generates strategy.

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When to use

• Before committing to a product direction, market entry, or partnership
• When re-evaluating an existing strategy
• When you need to defend or argue for a direction
• At the start of a new project or initiative
• Pairs with /brana:jobs-to-be-done (JTBD tells you the job to win; SWOT tells you if you're positioned to win it)

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Step 1 — Define the scope

What are we analyzing? One product, feature, business, team, or personal situation.

AskUserQuestion: "What are we doing a SWOT analysis for? Be specific."

Clarify the timeframe: current state, or projected 12–24 months?

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Step 2 — Internal analysis

Strengths — what do we do better than alternatives? What assets, capabilities, or advantages do we have?

• Technical (codebase, infrastructure, data)
• Team (skills, domain knowledge, network)
• Product (UX, features, reliability)
• Market (brand, distribution, relationships)
• Financial (runway, margins, revenue)

Weaknesses — what do alternatives do better? Where are we genuinely behind? Same categories as Strengths. Be honest — overoptimism here kills the rest of the analysis.

For each item, ask: "Is this real, specific, and verifiable?" Remove vague entries.

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Step 3 — External analysis

Opportunities — what external trends, shifts, or gaps could we capitalize on?

• Market trends (growing demand, underserved segments)
• Technology shifts (new capabilities, falling costs)
• Competitor moves (retreating from a segment, product gaps)
• Regulatory/social changes (new compliance requirements, behavior shifts)
• Partnership/ecosystem openings

Threats — what external forces could harm us? Same categories as Opportunities. A competitor's strength is a threat. A trend you're not riding is a threat.

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Step 4 — Cross-reference analysis (the actual strategy)

This is where SWOT generates value. Create four strategic quadrants:

	Opportunities (O)	Threats (T)
Strengths (S)	SO — Build	ST — Protect
Weaknesses (W)	WO — Improve	WT — Defend

SO (Maxi-Maxi) — Build: How can we use our strengths to capture opportunities?

S[1] + O[2] → [strategic move]

WO (Mini-Maxi) — Improve: How can we address weaknesses to capture opportunities?

W[1] + O[3] → [investment or partnership that bridges the gap]

ST (Maxi-Mini) — Protect: How can we use our strengths to neutralize threats?

S[2] + T[1] → [defensive move]

WT (Mini-Mini) — Defend: How do we avoid the worst-case (weak position meeting active threat)?

W[2] + T[2] → [contingency plan or exit]

Generate 2–4 moves per quadrant. The SO quadrant is growth; the WT quadrant is survival.

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Step 5 — Prioritize

Rate each strategic move:

• Impact: High / Medium / Low
• Feasibility: High / Medium / Low (given current resources)
• Urgency: Now / Soon / Later

Focus first on High Impact + High Feasibility moves. Flag any WT moves with High Urgency as immediate risks.

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Step 6 — Output

**SWOT Analysis — [scope]**

Internal:
  Strengths: [top 3]
  Weaknesses: [top 3]

External:
  Opportunities: [top 3]
  Threats: [top 3]

Strategic moves:
  SO (Build): [top move]
  WO (Improve): [top move]
  ST (Protect): [top move]
  WT (Defend): [top move]

Priority 1 action: [move with highest Impact + Feasibility]
Key risk to monitor: [WT move with highest urgency]

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Notes

• Distinguish between symptoms and causes. "Low brand awareness" is a symptom; "no marketing budget and no viral mechanism" are causes
• SWOT becomes stale fast. Mark the date; revisit quarterly for anything strategic
• External factors (OT) are things you don't control — internal factors (SW) are things you do
• The cross-reference matrix is often skipped. Don't skip it — it's where the strategy lives
• Pair with /brana:second-order-thinking on the top SO move to trace its consequences before committing