SWOT Analysis

A strategic format borrowed from business analysis and adapted for team reflection. The team maps its strengths and weaknesses against external opportunities and threats to see the bigger picture. It works especially well for longer horizons — a quarter, a release or a project — where strategy matters as much as day-to-day fixes.

Strength

Internal advantages the team can rely on

Roman

We ship to production several times a day without drama

Maria

Strong support-to-engineering feedback loop

Weakness

Internal gaps that cost the team time or quality

Anna

One person holds all the billing knowledge

Daria

No automated tests around the reporting module

Opportunity

External openings worth taking while they are open

Maria

The new API opens a self-serve segment we cannot serve today

Kirill

Support tickets show a clear gap competitors have not filled

Threat

External risks that would hurt if nothing changes

Daria

Our main vendor is deprecating the API we rely on

Roman

Peak season load is twice last year and untested

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Instruction for SWOT Analysis

The SWOT analysis is a powerful technique used to assess the current condition of a team and identify its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. The goal of the analysis is to gather information from all aspects of the team and use it to improve performance and reach goals.

What is SWOT Analysis?

The SWOT analysis is a study that focuses on four key aspects of a team or project: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. The goal of the analysis is to gather information about the team's current situation and use it to make informed decisions and improvements.

Strengths: What sets your team apart and gives it an advantage

Weaknesses: Areas where the team can improve or lacks in

Opportunities: Opportunities that the team can explore

Threats: Threats faced from external and internal sources

Conducting a SWOT analysis can be done through internal interviews or using online tools like QRetro. The results of the analysis can be used to create action items for improvement and strengthen relationships between team members.

Example of SWOT Analysis

Strengths

Strong team collaboration
Good communication within the team
Ability to deliver projects efficiently

Weaknesses

Lack of commitment to company goals
Need for improvement in certain areas

Opportunities

Opportunity to influence other teams with our working methods
Possibility to increase company revenue

Threats

Uncertainty about which technology to use
Doubts about the readiness of an API in time for use

How to do a SWOT Analysis?

To conduct a SWOT analysis using QRetro, start by conducting a single Retro session. During the session, the participants can write down their thoughts on the current situation and classify them into the appropriate categories (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats). The cards can then be merged and voted on, with the most popular cards being selected for review and further discussion. The results of the SWOT analysis can be used to create action items for improvement and strengthen relationships between team members.

Benefits of SWOT Analysis

The SWOT analysis has numerous immediate and long-term benefits, including:

Gathering feedback from every team member
Creating action items to improve issues
Generating new pathways to successful projects
Strengthening relationships between team members
Creating a comfortable environment where everyone can contribute

Similar templates

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Agile Kanban

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Rose Bud Thorn

A gentle, well-balanced format that gives equal weight to the good, the painful and the promising. The rose marks what went well, the thorn what hurt or got in the way, and the bud what shows potential and is worth nurturing. Including the bud keeps the conversation forward-looking instead of dwelling only on the past.

Hopes and Fears

A forward-looking format best used at the start of a project, quarter or initiative. The team shares its hopes for what could go right alongside its fears about what might go wrong. Naming both early builds shared understanding and surfaces risks while there's still time to act on them.

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