S-SWOT Analysis

We adapted the traditional SWOT analysis as a way to frame scenarios for organizations new to foresight. (Hence, Scenarios-SWOT.) Because this framework is already known to most organizations, it reduces some of the frustration that can sometimes be associated with data-rich scenarios.

SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats, each of which occupies a quadrant, and the quadrants are further classified as internal versus external to the organization, and as favorable or adverse.

In the context of foresight, we use this tool with teams new to scenario writing. It helps them prepare to write scenarios with optimistic and catastrophic framings. A completed SWOT matrix helps teams develop the components to include in narratives. The optimistic scenario will describe a future in which teams capitalize on their strengths and seize the opportunities identified, while a catastrophic scenario will describe a future in which the weaknesses they identified are exploited or prevent them from succeeding, and the threats they surfaced are actualized.