SWOT Analysis Skill
This skill executes a complete SWOT analysis process, from environmental scanning to strategy selection, divided into four phases.
This skill directly addresses six major practical challenges of SWOT analysis:
| Challenge | How This Skill Responds |
|---|
| Challenge 1: How to think and select reasonable elements? | Use validation questions to filter S/W/O/T items and eliminate unreasonable ones |
| Challenge 2: Is there an order of thinking? | Fixed four-phase sequence: External → Internal → Collision → Selection |
| Challenge 3: How to form different candidate strategies? | Systematic collision via SO/ST/WO/WT, generating strategies for each quadrant separately |
| Challenge 4: How to convert into recommended strategies? | Use situation judgment logic (S vs. W + O vs. T) to define positioning and output a strategy positioning card |
| Challenge 5: How often to update? | Each output includes "regular review suggestions" and marks time-sensitive items |
| Challenge 6: Which levels or targets can it be used for? | Applicable to different levels such as enterprises, business units, product lines, brands, projects, etc. |
Design Principles (Source: Zhu Cheng 2015, Revised Version)
Identification Principles for Strengths and Weaknesses
- All strengths must be tested in the market: Not just internal self-perception; external validation is required (customer behavior, market share, repurchase rate, etc.)
- Avoid contamination by corporate performance: If the company's overall performance is poor, do not list "strong leadership" or "good culture" as strengths
- Eliminate easily misunderstood weaknesses: For example, "high price" may be a positioning choice rather than a weakness; "insufficient budget" is a current situation, not a competitive weakness
- Non-binary opposition: Some elements are neutral, neither strengths nor weaknesses; do not force classification
- Incorporate consumer experience: Strengths and weaknesses must be from the customer's perspective, not just the enterprise's internal view
- Confirm comparison objects: Strengths and weaknesses are relative concepts; you must first determine "compared with whom" (matching market segmentation/positioning and industry definition)
- Rank strengths: Focus on core strengths rather than listing a long list; do what you are good at and avoid what you are not
Identification Principles for Opportunities and Threats
- Treat opportunities rigorously: Only opportunities that are "visible and achievable" are real opportunities; consider whether competitors can also seize them
- Symbolic opportunity descriptions have no substantive meaning: For example, "growing market" does not mean the enterprise has the ability to benefit
- Threats must be immediate and urgent: Only threats that affect the enterprise's survival are real threats; long-term risks should be de-prioritized
- Opportunities and threats are two sides of the same coin: Depending on the enterprise's capabilities and positioning, the same trend has different meanings for different companies
- Timeliness: Both opportunities and threats have time windows; mark the urgency level
Four-Phase Workflow
Phase 1: Accept PESTEL Output → Confirm O and T
PESTEL is a prerequisite for SWOT and must be completed first.
Scenario A: PESTEL Input Package Exists
Directly accept the "SWOT Input Package" output by the pestel-analysis skill, which includes:
- Opportunity Pool (O Candidates): Derived from valid PESTEL factors, opportunity-oriented, with priority scores
- Threat Pool (T Candidates): Derived from valid PESTEL factors, threat-oriented, with priority scores
After acceptance, conduct secondary verification, reviewing each O/T candidate one by one:
O Verification (Three Checks)
1. Can we see this opportunity? (Information/Insight)
2. Can we seize it? (Existing capabilities/resources)
3. Can competitors also grasp it equally? (If yes, it is not a differentiated opportunity, reduce priority)
→ Pass all three checks → Listed as valid O, retain PESTEL number (e.g., O1 ← [E-02])
→ Fail → Demoted to observation item, with conditions attached
T Verification (Two Checks)
1. Will this threat immediately and urgently affect the enterprise's survival or competitive position?
2. Will it occur specifically within the time window?
→ Pass both checks → Listed as valid T, retain PESTEL number (e.g., T1 ← [P-01])
→ Fail → Demoted to observation item
Scenario B: PESTEL Not Executed Yet
Stop executing SWOT and call the pestel-analysis skill first.
Inform the user:
"PESTEL is the foundation of SWOT external environment analysis. Please complete the PESTEL analysis first to obtain the opportunity pool and threat pool, then return to this step to continue."
After PESTEL is completed, proceed to Scenario A.
Phase 2: Internal Capability Inventory → Identify S and W
Necessary Prerequisite: Confirm Comparison Benchmark
Before listing any S or W, first answer: "In which market/segment/against which competitors are we comparing?"
Strength Identification Process
S Candidate Items → Ask four questions:
1. Is this strength verified by the market? (Customer recognition/data support)
2. Is this a strength relative to competitors, not an absolute capability?
3. Is this strength not contaminated by the enterprise's recent performance?
4. Can consumers perceive it and choose us because of it?
→ Only pass all to be listed as valid S, and mark importance (High/Medium/Low)
Weakness Identification Process
W Candidate Items → First exclude:
- "High price" → Exclude if it is a positioning choice
- "Insufficient budget" → This is a resource status, not a competitive weakness
- "Low brand awareness" → Exclude if the target customer group is already aware
→ The remaining items are the real W that need to be addressed
Strength Ranking (Focus on core strengths)
After listing all S, rank them according to the two axes:
- Vertical Axis: Importance to target customers (High → Low)
- Horizontal Axis: Degree of differentiation relative to competitors (Strong → Weak)
Top-right corner (High Importance × High Differentiation) = Core strengths; focus strategies on these
Phase 3: SWOT Matrix Collision → Form Candidate Strategies
Core Rule: Every strategy must clearly indicate which S/W is paired with which O/T to generate it. Do not propose strategies out of thin air.
Element Numbering Rule
After completing Phases 1 and 2, all elements must be numbered first:
- Strengths: S1, S2, S3...
- Weaknesses: W1, W2, W3...
- Opportunities: O1, O2, O3...
- Threats: T1, T2, T3...
Collision Process
For each quadrant, pair elements one by one; only write a strategy if the pairing produces real strategic significance:
SO Collision:
S1 × O1 → Does it have strategic significance? → Yes: Write strategy, mark source [S1×O1]
S1 × O2 → Does it have strategic significance? → No: Skip
S2 × O1 → ...
(And so on, exhaust all S × O combinations)
ST Collision:
S1 × T1 → [S1×T1]
S2 × T1 → ...
(And so on)
WO Collision:
W1 × O1 → [W1×O1]
...
WT Collision:
W1 × T1 → [W1×T1]
...
Mandatory Strategy Writing Format:
[Source Tag] Strategy Description
Example:
[S2×O1] Leverage our mature cold chain logistics capability (S2) to preemptively lay out in the e-commerce fresh food delivery market (O1)
[W1×O2] Cooperate with local channel partners (O2) to make up for insufficient store coverage (W1)
[S1×T2] Use brand premium capability (S1) to maintain high-end market stickiness and reduce erosion from low-price competitors (T2)
Criteria for Judging Meaningless Pairings:
- No direct causal or synergistic relationship between the two elements → Skip, do not force a match
- Cannot use both elements in the strategy description → Split and re-pair or discard
Core Spirit of Each Quadrant
| Quadrant | Strategy Name | Core Spirit | Collision Question |
|---|
| SO | Seize the Moment | Attack / Maintain Leadership | Can S maximize the benefits of O? |
| ST | Hold Ground (Transfer) | Stabilize / Defend | Can S make the damage of T to us less than to competitors, or transfer T to competitors? |
| WO | Strategic Alliance (Transformation) | Defend / Strengthen | Can supplementing W allow us to seize O? Build, cooperate or acquire? |
| WT | Fight to Survive | Retreat / Avoid Risk | Will T amplify the exposure of W? How to reduce losses or make a desperate move? |
Phase 4: Strategy Selection — Determine the Company's Final Core Strategy
Goal: Select one core strategy from all candidate strategies generated by collisions, and explain the reasons.
Step 1: Confirm Core Quadrant
Based on the overall situation judgment, first lock the main operational quadrant:
If S > W and O > T → Core Quadrant: SO (Seize the Moment)
If S > W and T > O → Core Quadrant: ST (Hold Ground)
If W > S and O > T → Core Quadrant: WO (Strategic Alliance)
If W > S and T > O → Core Quadrant: WT (Fight to Survive)
Judgment Criteria: Not based on quantity, but on strength of core strengths × timeliness and impact of opportunities/threats.
Step 2: Score Candidate Strategies in the Core Quadrant
Score all candidate strategies in the core quadrant (each with
tag) using three dimensions (1-3 points each):
| Scoring Dimension | Description | 1 Point | 2 Points | 3 Points |
|---|
| Feasibility | Can it be executed with existing resources/capabilities? | Requires large investment to start | Requires minor supplementation | Executable with existing resources |
| Impact | Magnitude of change to competitive position? | Marginal improvement | Moderate enhancement | Structural change |
| Timeliness | Is the O or T window still open? | Window is closing soon | Still time but needs acceleration | Window is wide open |
The strategy with the highest total score is the core strategy candidate. In case of a tie, prioritize the one with the highest feasibility.
Step 3: Final Decision — Select One Core Strategy
Select one core strategy from the scoring results, in the following format:
✅ Core Strategy (Final Selection)
Source: [Sx×Oy]
Strategy Description: ____
Selection Reason: Feasibility ____ points / Impact ____ points / Timeliness ____ points, Total Score ____
Why It Is Better Than Other Candidates: ____
🔁 Supporting Strategies (Can Be Executed Simultaneously Without Competing for Resources)
[Sx×Oy] ____
⏸ Suspended Strategies (Launch When Conditions Are Mature)
[Wx×Oy] ____ Waiting Conditions: ____
❌ Abandoned Strategies (Clearly Explain Reasons for Not Implementing)
[Wx×Ty] ____ Abandonment Reason: ____
Not doing is also a strategy: The abandonment list must be filled out, explaining why it is not worth investing at this moment, so that resources can be concentrated on the core strategy.
Output Format: Complete Strategy Positioning Card
【SWOT Strategy Positioning Card】
Analysis Level: ____
Comparison Benchmark (Compared With Whom): ____
Overall Situation: S>W / W>S, O>T / T>O → Core Quadrant: ____
【Overview of Candidate Strategies】
SO Candidates: [Sx×Oy] ____ (Feasibility__ / Impact__ / Timeliness__)
ST Candidates: [Sx×Ty] ____ (Feasibility__ / Impact__ / Timeliness__)
WO Candidates: [Wx×Oy] ____ (Feasibility__ / Impact__ / Timeliness__)
WT Candidates: [Wx×Ty] ____ (Feasibility__ / Impact__ / Timeliness__)
✅ Core Strategy (Final Selection): [Sx×Oy] ____
Selection Reason: ____
🔁 Supporting Strategies: [____] ____
⏸ Suspended: [____] ____ Waiting Conditions: ____
❌ Abandoned: [____] ____ Reason: ____
【Action Directions】
Short-Term (0-6 Months): ____
Mid-Term (6-18 Months): ____
Long-Term Observation Items: ____
【Regular Review Suggestions】
Review Frequency: ____ months
Key Focus for Next Review: ____
Conditions Triggering Immediate Re-Review: ____
Applicable Levels (Addressing Challenge 6)
This skill can be applied to the following analysis levels; confirm before each use:
| Level | Description | Comparison Benchmark |
|---|
| Enterprise Level | Overall corporate competitive strategy | Industry competitors |
| Business Unit Level | Specific BU or department | Sub-market competitors |
| Product / Brand Level | Single product line or brand | Direct competitors in the same category |
| Project Level | Specific proposal or plan | Alternative options or opportunity cost of not doing it |
Default Output Language: Traditional Chinese
Standard Output Structure:
- External Environment Scanning Summary (PEST + Key Findings)
- Opportunity List (Valid O, with verification explanations)
- Threat List (Valid T, with urgency level)
- Strength List (Valid S, with ranking)
- Weakness List (Valid W, with misunderstood items excluded)
- SWOT Matrix Collision (Four-Quadrant Candidate Strategies)
- Strategy Positioning Card (Final Selection and Explanation)
Format: Presented with tables + bullet points + strategy positioning card; avoid large paragraphs of plain text
User Input Prompts
If the user only provides a company name or industry, actively ask:
- What is the target market / main segment?
- Who are the main competitors? (Define "compared with whom")
- What is the purpose of the analysis? (New market entry, strategic transformation, investment evaluation?)
- Time window: Short-term decision or medium-to-long-term layout?
If the user has provided sufficient information, directly execute the four-phase process without confirming each item.