SWOT Analysis

Origin. Albert Humphrey at Stanford Research Institute (1960s-1970s); widely adopted in strategic planning.

Mechanism. Partitions the situation into four quadrants by two dimensions: internal/external and favorable/unfavorable. Strengths and Weaknesses are internal; Opportunities and Threats are external. The partition forces consideration of all four, preventing fixation on either the positive or the negative.

Procedure. List Strengths (internal capabilities that help). List Weaknesses (internal limitations that hinder). List Opportunities (external factors that could be exploited). List Threats (external factors that could cause trouble). Cross the quadrants: how can Strengths exploit Opportunities? How can Strengths mitigate Threats? How do Weaknesses limit Opportunities? How do Weaknesses amplify Threats?

Applies to. Strategic planning, competitive analysis, project scoping, personal career planning.

Limitations. The quadrants are filled with vague assertions that resist verification. 'Strong brand' is a strength; whether it is strong enough to matter for this decision is not addressed. SWOT produces a list, not a strategy; the synthesis step is where the work happens and is usually skipped.