SOAR Analysis

What the framework is

SOAR is a strategy framework in four sections: Strengths, Opportunities, Aspirations and Results. It grew out of appreciative inquiry as a counterpart to SWOT that starts from what works and where people want to go, rather than from weaknesses and threats. Aspirations describe the future people want; Results are the measures that would show it is happening.

What the result looks like

When it earns its place

Use it for strategy days, team away days, a new project's kick-off, or with groups that a SWOT would turn into a list of complaints. It suits organisations that want buy-in to a direction as much as an analysis.

The trap is staying positive and vague. "Be the best" is not an aspiration anyone can act on, and a result that cannot be measured will not be. Ranking inside each section forces the group to say which few matter most.

How to run it with a group

1. Before the session, collect candidate items for each of the four sections. Five to eight per section is plenty; merge duplicates first.
2. Participants do not need an account to respond. They work through the sections one at a time, comparing items two at a time and picking the one that matters more.
3. Read the top items in each section. Pair the top strengths with the top opportunities, and check that each top aspiration has at least one result that would measure it.

More templates like this

• SWOT Analysis

  Rank the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats facing your team or initiative.

• PESTLE Analysis

  Rank the Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal and Environmental factors shaping your team or initiative.

• Porter's Five Forces

  Rank the competitive forces shaping your market — rivalry, supplier power, buyer power, substitutes, and new entrants.

• Balanced Scorecard

  Rank performance drivers across the four Balanced Scorecard perspectives — Financial, Customer, Internal Process, and Learning & Growth.

• Risk Prioritisation

  Identify and compare the most significant threats, vulnerabilities, and uncertainties. Useful for governance, strategy, cybersecurity, operational planning, and compliance. The criteria can be changed, added to and weighted.

• Stakeholder Prioritisation

  Compare the importance, influence, and engagement needs of different stakeholder groups. Useful for strategy, governance, sustainability, partnerships, and change management. The criteria can be changed, added to and weighted.