Swot Analysis

# Create a "Swot Analysis" AI Skill

I want you to help me set up a reusable AI skill that I can use in future conversations. Read the complete skill definition below, then help me install it.

## Complete Skill Definition

# SWOT Analysis

A grounded, evidence-backed SWOT — not the bullet-point ceremony most
people perform at the start of a planning offsite.

## When to use this skill

- **Annual strategic planning** input
- **New market entry** assessment
- **Pivot conversations**
- **Competitive response** decisions
- **Org restructure** evaluation
- **Pre-board** strategic review
- **Pre-fundraise** investor narrative grounding

## The 2x2

|                | Helpful | Harmful |
|----------------|---------|---------|
| **Internal**   | Strengths | Weaknesses |
| **External**   | Opportunities | Threats |

Internal = within our control (people, IP, ops, brand, capital).
External = outside our control (market, competition, regulation, tech shifts).

The single most-common SWOT failure: confusing internal with external.

## Clarify First

Before building the SWOT, confirm these inputs. If any is unknown or vague, ASK — do not assume:

- [ ] **Explicit scope/subject** — e.g. "entering market X" or "our position vs Competitor X" (a SWOT for "the company" produces four lists pointing in four directions)
- [ ] **Evidence per item** — the data/quote/benchmark behind each entry (strengths must be facts, not aspirations; a SWOT with no real weaknesses signals bias)
- [ ] **Competitor/market reference frame** — what you're comparing against (strengths and threats are relative, not absolute)
- [ ] **TOWS actions wanted** — whether to cross-cut into SO/ST/WO/WT moves (converts the static SWOT into strategy rather than a wall of bullets)

Stop rule: ask only the 2-3 that most change the output. If the user says "just draft it," proceed and list your assumptions at the top of the artifact.

## Workflow

### Step 1 — Define the scope
A SWOT must have an explicit subject:
- "Acme entering the European market"
- "Our enterprise sales motion vs SMB"
- "Our position vs Competitor X in vertical Y"

A SWOT without scope produces 4 lists of bullets that point in 4 directions.

### Step 2 — Strengths (with evidence)
For each strength:
- What is it specifically?
- What's the evidence (data, customer quote, benchmark)?
- How does it compare to competitors?
- Does the market actually care?

A strength no customer cares about isn't a strength.

### Step 3 — Weaknesses (with honesty)
For each weakness:
- What is it specifically?
- What's the evidence?
- Are we fixing it? Why or why not?
- What's the cost of leaving it?

A SWOT with no real weaknesses signals bias or low candor.

### Step 4 — Opportunities (with sizing)
For each opportunity:
- What's the trigger / shift creating this opportunity?
- What's the size (TAM/SAM/SOM if quantifiable)?
- What's the time window?
- What's our right to win?

"AI is hot" is not an opportunity. "Regulated industries replacing
manual GDPR processes — $8B SAM, 36-month window" is.

### Step 5 — Threats (with severity)
For each threat:
- What is it specifically?
- How likely (1-5)?
- How severe if realized (1-5)?
- What can we do to mitigate?

### Step 6 — TOWS matrix (cross-cuts)
The most-valuable post-SWOT step:

|              | Opportunities | Threats |
|--------------|---------------|---------|
| **Strengths** | SO: leverage strength to capture opportunity | ST: leverage strength to defend against threat |
| **Weaknesses** | WO: address weakness to capture opportunity | WT: minimize weakness to avoid threat |

This converts a static SWOT into strategic actions.

### Step 7 — Run `swot_scorer.py`
Audit for: generic items, missing evidence, internal/external misclassification,
no quantification, no TOWS actions, one-sided SWOT.

```bash
python3 project-management/strategy-frameworks/swot-analysis/scripts/swot_scorer.py \
  --input swot.json --format markdown
```

## Decision frameworks

### Internal vs external — the test

If the item depends on something we own (people, money, tech, brand,
process, IP) → internal.

If the item depends on something we don't own (market, customers,
competitors, regulators, technology trends) → external.

Common miscategorizations:
- "Strong brand recognition in segment X" — internal (we own it)
- "Customers love our brand" — external (customer behavior)
- "Strong eng team" — internal
- "Hard to recruit eng talent" — external
- "Our cloud bill is high" — internal
- "Cloud prices rising" — external

### When to do a SWOT vs other frameworks

| Use SWOT | Use other |
|----------|-----------|
| Broad strategic positioning | Industry analysis → Porter's Five Forces |
| Multi-stakeholder alignment | Macro environment → PESTLE |
| Annual planning input | Growth options → Ansoff Matrix |
| New market entry overview | Business model design → BMC / Lean Canvas |

SWOT is breadth. Other frameworks add depth on specific dimensions.

### From SWOT to strategy

A SWOT alone isn't a strategy. It's input. Strategy comes from:

1. SWOT → identifies positioning realities
2. TOWS → identifies strategic options
3. Prioritization → which 2-3 options to pursue
4. Resourcing → what we'll fund + give up
5. KPIs → how we'll know it worked

Skipping any step produces a wall of analysis without action.

## Common engagements

### "Run a SWOT for entering market X"
1. Scope: explicitly "entering market X."
2. List internal capabilities relevant to that market (Strengths, Weaknesses).
3. List external factors specific to market X (Opportunities, Threats).
4. Score evidence + materiality per item.
5. Run TOWS.
6. Recommend 2-3 strategic moves.

### "Audit our existing SWOT"
1. Pull current SWOT.
2. Run `swot_scorer.py` for generic/ungrounded/miscategorized items.
3. Surface bias: too many strengths, no real weaknesses, vague opportunities.
4. Add TOWS if missing.

## Anti-patterns to avoid

- **No explicit scope.** SWOT for "the company" = SWOT for nothing.
- **Generic items.** "Great team, great product, growing market, competitors."
- **Strengths = aspirations.** What you wish were true, not what is.
- **No weaknesses.** Either bias or low candor.
- **Opportunities = topics, not options.** "AI" isn't an opportunity.
- **Threats = abstract anxieties.** Quantify likelihood + severity.
- **No TOWS.** SWOT without TOWS is just a wall.
- **Internal/external confusion.** Common; check every item.
- **SWOT replaces strategy.** SWOT is input, not output.

## References

- `references/swot-framework.md` — categorization, evidence standards, TOWS
- `references/swot-anti-patterns.md` — common failures + worked fixes

## Related skills

- `project-management/strategy-frameworks/porters-five-forces` — competitive dynamics
- `project-management/strategy-frameworks/ansoff-matrix` — growth options
- `project-management/strategy-frameworks/business-model-canvas` — operational view
- `project-management/strategy-frameworks/lean-canvas` — startup view
- `c-level-advisor/ceo-advisor` — strategic context

---

## What I Need You to Do

First, detect which platform I'm using (Claude.ai, ChatGPT, etc.) and follow the matching instructions below.

### If I'm on Claude.ai:

Walk me through these exact steps:

1. **Create the Project:** Tell me to go to **claude.ai > Projects > Create project** and name it **"Swot Analysis"**

2. **Add Project Knowledge:** Give me the COMPLETE skill definition above as a single copyable text block inside a code fence. Tell me to click **"Add content" > "Add text content"** inside the project, then paste that entire block. Do NOT say "paste from above" -- give me the actual text to copy right there.

3. **Set Custom Instructions:** Tell me to open project settings and paste this exact instruction:
   "You are an expert Swot Analysis in the Project Management domain. Use the project knowledge as your expertise. Follow the workflows, frameworks, and templates defined there. Always provide specific, actionable output."

4. **Test It:** Give me a specific sample prompt I can use inside the new project to verify it works. Pick a real task from the skill's workflows.

### If I'm on ChatGPT:

Walk me through these exact steps:

1. **Create a Custom GPT:** Tell me to go to **chatgpt.com > Explore GPTs > Create**
2. **Configure it:**
   - Name: **"Swot Analysis"**
   - Description: "SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) for strategic positioning. Use when assessing a new market entry, a strategic pivot, a competitive response, an org restructure, or as input to annual strategic planning."
   - Instructions: Give me the COMPLETE skill definition above as a single copyable text block inside a code fence to paste into the Instructions field. Do NOT say "paste from above."
3. **Test It:** Give me a sample prompt to verify it works.

### If I'm on another platform:
Ask which tool I'm using and adapt the instructions accordingly.

## Important
- Always provide the full skill text in a ready-to-copy code block -- never tell me to "scroll up" or "copy from above"
- Keep the setup steps simple and numbered
- After setup, test it with me using a real workflow from the skill

Source: https://github.com/borghei/Claude-Skills/tree/main/project-management/strategy-frameworks/swot-analysis/SKILL.md