An Alternative to SWOT Analysis

The Tool's Purpose

• SWOT analysis is a much-used (and helpful) tool but it can precipitate a negative mindset.
• It is an acronym that stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats
• If people perceive something as a danger or threat (rather than a useful challenge) their blood vessels etc. contract.
• This physiological change is likely to impede their ability to think in a constructive and affirmative way.
• We wanted to create a tool that offers a more creative and opportunistic frame of reference
• If successful, users would find themselves occupying a more serendipitous space of conjecture
• This does not mean that 'Threats' or 'Weaknesses' do not exist.
• Our tool is not a panacea for every situation - more for the creative aspects
• Others have found it practically helpful and enjoyable to use

The Tool's Process

• An alternative to SWOT is POUT
• Each letter has an alternative meaning

POUT in 2 phases

POUT in phase 1
P	O	U	T
PREDICAMENT	OPPORTUNITIES	UNNOTICED	TRIGGERS
map your situation	what does it reveal?	who can see clearest?	What makes u feel better?
POUT in phase 2
P	O	U	T
POTENTIAL	OUTCOME	UNNAMEABLE	TRANSFORMATIVE
map your future	what is your dream?	can u picture / sing it?	how many changes?

• There are also alternative ways to arrange these four letters,
• Its use is straightforward and needs little expert introduction
• Context/conditions for use

An Example

• POUT can be mapped within a quadrant, using 2 (X-Y) axes
• The values of the X axis can be made to correspond to Left=evaluative and Right=creative
• The values of the right axis can be made to denote Bottom=ambiguous values and Top=explicit values
• This equates it with our system of 'working styles, i.e. where:

P=Envisioning
O=Pushing-Doing
U=New Knowing
T=Languaging

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