strategy-document

# Strategy Document Writer

Produces strategic documents that are specific enough to act on. The quality bar: every statement should be falsifiable ("We have 3 React developers with 10+ years experience" vs "We have a strong team") and every recommendation should be implementable within a defined timeframe.

## Process

### Step 1: Determine the mode

Ask the user which document type they need:

1. **SWOT analysis** — assess current position
2. **Business plan** (lean or full) — articulate the business model
3. **OKRs / Goals** — set measurable objectives
4. **Competitive analysis** — understand the market landscape

If the user is unsure, ask what decision they are trying to make. That usually reveals the right mode:
- "Should we enter this market?" -> Competitive analysis + SWOT
- "What should we focus on this quarter?" -> OKRs
- "We need funding / a partner deck" -> Business plan
- "Something feels off but I can't pinpoint it" -> SWOT

### Step 2: Gather context

Ask for:
- Business name, industry, size (team, revenue if comfortable sharing)
- Current situation (what prompted this exercise?)
- Key competitors (if known)
- Time horizon (this quarter, this year, 3-year)
- Audience for the document (internal team, board, investors, bank, personal clarity)

The audience determines the level of detail. A bank wants financial projections. A founder wants clarity. A team wants direction.

### Step 3: Draft and validate

Write the document, then review every entry against the specificity test: could this statement apply to any business in the industry? If yes, it is too vague. Rewrite with the user's specific context.

---

## Mode 1: SWOT Analysis

### Structure

Present as a 2x2 grid with 3-5 points per quadrant. Each point is one sentence — specific and actionable.

```
             HELPFUL                    HARMFUL
          to achieving objectives    to achieving objectives

INTERNAL  STRENGTHS                  WEAKNESSES
(origin)  - ...                      - ...
          - ...                      - ...

EXTERNAL  OPPORTUNITIES              THREATS
(origin)  - ...                      - ...
          - ...                      - ...
```

**Internal** (Strengths, Weaknesses) = things the business controls: team skills, processes, technology, finances, culture, IP.

**External** (Opportunities, Threats) = things the business does not control: market trends, competitors, regulation, economic conditions, technology shifts.

### Quality bar for entries

| Too vague | Specific and useful |
|-----------|-------------------|
| "Strong team" | "3 developers with 10+ years React experience; only 1 has backend skills" |
| "Good reputation" | "4.8 Google rating from 127 reviews; 94% client retention over 3 years" |
| "Growing market" | "Australian SME SaaS market growing 12% annually (IBISWorld 2025)" |
| "Competition" | "Competitor X launched a free tier in Q4 2025, capturing 200+ of our target segment" |
| "Cash flow issues" | "Average debtor days: 58; target: 30. $120K outstanding beyond 60 days" |

Every entry should pass the "so what?" test — it must be clear why this point matters for strategic decisions.

### The "So What?" Section

After the grid, add a section that translates findings into actions:

**Strategic implications:**
- Which strengths can be leveraged against which opportunities? (attack)
- Which weaknesses are exposed by which threats? (defend)
- What should the business start doing, stop doing, or change?

This is the most valuable part of a SWOT. The grid without implications is an exercise in categorisation, not strategy.

### Anti-patterns

- Listing the same point in both Strengths and Opportunities (if it is internal, it is a strength)
- Including items the business cannot influence in Strengths/Weaknesses
- Generic entries that apply to every business in the industry
- No implications section — the grid alone is not actionable

---

## Mode 2: Business Plan

### Lean format (one page)

Use when the audience is the founder or a small team needing clarity. One paragraph per section, no padding.

| Section | What to write |
|---------|--------------|
| **Problem** | What pain exists? Who feels it? How do they cope today? |
| **Solution** | What does the business offer? In one sentence. |
| **Key Metrics** | 3-5 numbers that indicate health (MRR, churn, CAC, LTV, NPS) |
| **Unique Value Prop** | Why this business over alternatives? One sentence. |
| **Channels** | How do customers find you? Rank by effectiveness. |
| **Revenue Streams** | How does money come in? List each stream with approximate % of total. |
| **Cost Structure** | Top 5 cost categories with approximate monthly/annual figures. |
| **Unfair Advantage** | What cannot be easily copied? (team expertise, proprietary data, network effects, regulatory position) |

The test for each section: if you cannot say it in one paragraph, you do not understand it well enough yet. Rewrite until you can.

### Full format

Adds to the lean format:

- **Executive Summary** (write last — it summarises everything else)
- **Market Analysis** — TAM/SAM/SOM with sources, customer segments, market trends
- **Financial Projections** — 12-month P&L, cash flow forecast, break-even analysis
- **Team** — key people, their relevant experience, gaps to fill
- **Milestones** — what happens in the next 3, 6, and 12 months with specific deliverables

### Writing principles for plans

- Present tense for current state, future tense for plans. Never past tense for the core model.
- Financial projections must state assumptions explicitly. "$50K MRR by month 12" needs "assuming 15% monthly growth from current $12K base and 5% churn."
- Acknowledge risks. Investors and lenders trust founders who see the dangers, not those who pretend they do not exist.
- No aspirational filler. "We aim to be the leading provider" is not a plan. "We will acquire 200 paying customers in 12 months through Google Ads ($5K/month budget, target $25 CAC)" is a plan.

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