Strategy Analysis
What it does
Strategy analysis bridges the current and future state. It covers analyze current state, define future state, assess risks, and define change strategy. The output is a justified direction and a viable path to it.
Concepts to know
Current state analysis examines business need, organizational structure, capabilities, technology, policies, and internal and external forces. Future state defines goals and objectives, scope boundaries, and the value expected. Risk assessment weighs uncertainties and their potential effect on value. Change strategy defines the transformation: scope of change, the transition states, the delivery approach, and how readiness and adoption will be achieved. Candidates should be comfortable with the idea that strategy analysis is not solution design - it is deciding what change is worth making and how it will be approached, before detailed requirements are built.
Traps
The main trap is jumping to a solution before the future state is defined, or accepting a stated goal without testing whether it addresses the real need. Another is confusing change strategy with a project plan; strategy sets direction and transition, the plan schedules work. A third is ignoring readiness and stakeholder adoption, which causes technically sound changes to fail. Also watch for risk assessment that lists risks without linking them to value.
Rule of thumb
Current state → future state → gap → change strategy. If you cannot state the gap, you cannot justify the change.
Worked example
A retailer wants "an app" because competitors have one. Current state: stores lose customers at checkout queues. Future state: reduce wait time by a target percentage. Gap: capacity and process, not necessarily an app. Change strategy: process redesign plus targeted technology, phased by store. The app becomes one option, not the premise.