Alternative plays: SWOT Analysis
Follow-up plays: How Might We, Who / What / When Matrix
Timing: Planning
Origin: Francis Aguilar
Prep time
1 minute
Run time
45-90 minutes
Group size
1-20
Why: Enable teams to adapt their strategies, mitigate risks, and capitalize on opportunities effectively
When: Use to evaluate how business decisions fits aligns the outside world before embarking on a major change
This workshop exercise is part of the Workshop Patterns printed card deck.
A collection of workshop exercises that will help you ditch dull meetings and facilitate with confidence. It will help you master the design process and have more productive time with your team. The card deck will be ready for purchase in the end of 2023 and is now undergoing rigorous testing.
Reserve your deck!Instructions for running this play
- Before the meeting. Ask participants before the meeting to bring or prepare relevant research and insights related to each factor.
- Draw the following PEST canvas on a large surface
- Explain and discuss each factor of the canvas to build a shared understanding of what you are embarking on.
Political factors. Break down laws and regulations you must follow for products to be sold legally.
Economic factors. What expenses & revenue and which laws/taxes/inflation percentages are affecting the current cash flow?
Social factors. Who are your target customers, why do they need your product, and what is affecting their spending habits?
Technological factors. What technology does your business rely on? - Go through each PEST factor one by one, crafting sticky notes by Silentstorming, Timeboxed for 10 minutes each. Playback your results after each round.
- Identify opportunities and threats (consider transitioning into a SWOT analysis) through a group discussion or a new Silent Storming session, based on what you have learned.
- Take Action. Consider continuing the exercise with How Might We… or a Who/What/When.
Tips to perfect this play
Master and adapt the play to fit your context and needs.
Tip: Go for SLEPT
Expand the canvas with the Legal factor to make it a SLEPT analysis and with both Legal and Environmental factors to make it a PESTLE analysis.
Tip: Futurespective thinking
Use the insights from the PEST Analysis to develop different future scenarios and assess their potential impact, facilitating strategic decision-making and proactive planning.