TOWS matrix
TOWS: Hillside Café
Strengths
Weaknesses
Opportunities
S+O: use a strength to take a chance
W+O: use a chance to fix a weakness
Threats
S+T: use a strength to block a threat
W+T: shrink a weakness, dodge a threat
Best coffee in town (reviews)
Big sunny courtyard
Small kitchen
Two staff at lunchtime
Office block opening next door
Farmers' market on Saturdays
Chain café opening nearby
Milk prices going up
Courtyard lunch deals for the new office
Pre-order app, so lunch needs fewer hands
Loyalty card that leads with our reviews
A short menu of food made ahead
Make a TOWS matrix
Free · no sign-up
What a TOWS matrix is
“In strategic planning and strategic management, SWOT analysis (also known as the SWOT matrix, TOWS, WOTS, WOTS-UP, and situational analysis) is a decision-making technique that identifies the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of an organization or project.”
Types of SWOT analysis
When to use a TOWS matrix
Strategy
Pair each strength and weakness with each opportunity and threat, and write a plan for every pair.
A company
Turns a café's SWOT into moves: courtyard lunch deals when an office opens next door.
Planning
Start from a finished SWOT; the four boxes in the middle become your to-do list.
How to make a TOWS matrix
- 1Fill the edgesTOWS: Hillside CaféStrengthsWeaknessesOpportunitiesS+O: use a strength to take a chanceW+O: use a chance to fix a weaknessThreatsS+T: use a strength to block a threatW+T: shrink a weakness, dodge a threat
- 2Pair them upTOWS: Hillside CaféStrengthsWeaknessesOpportunitiesS+O: use a strength to take a chanceW+O: use a chance to fix a weaknessThreatsS+T: use a strength to block a threatW+T: shrink a weakness, dodge a threatBest coffee in town (reviews)Big sunny courtyard
- 3Write the strategiesTOWS: Hillside CaféStrengthsWeaknessesOpportunitiesS+O: use a strength to take a chanceW+O: use a chance to fix a weaknessThreatsS+T: use a strength to block a threatW+T: shrink a weakness, dodge a threatBest coffee in town (reviews)Big sunny courtyardSmall kitchenTwo staff at lunchtimeOffice block opening next doorFarmers' market on SaturdaysChain café opening nearbyMilk prices going upCourtyard lunch deals for the new officePre-order app, so lunch needs fewer handsLoyalty card that leads with our reviewsA short menu of food made ahead
Helpful resources
Questions
- Do I need an account?
- No. Press the button and start. It saves in this browser; sign in only if you want it on your other devices too.
- Can I print it?
- Yes. Print it from the board's settings, or pick “Save as PDF” in the print window to keep a file.