Business communication: writing a SWOT analysis

Writing a SWOT Analysis with Confidence

Business communication: writing a SWOT analysis is a free OpenLearn course from The Open University that focuses on one practical skill: turning case-study evidence into a clear, formal SWOT analysis report. Rather than treating SWOT as a checklist, the course shows how to read for relevant detail, make concise notes, organise your material, and write in a way that suits a business context.

The course uses the example of Brompton Bicycle to show how strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats can be identified and then developed into a structured report with recommendations. That makes it especially useful for learners who need to move from analysis to writing, not just from reading to highlighting.

What the Course Covers

• the SWOT framework and how it works in business study
• reading a case study with purpose
• selecting useful information and writing concise notes
• structuring a paragraph-based SWOT analysis
• using formal, coherent language
• drawing recommendations from your analysis

Why It Stands Out

This is a practical, skills-led course rather than a broad overview. Its value lies in showing the writing process itself: how evidence becomes notes, how notes become paragraphs, and how analysis becomes recommendations. For students and business learners, that step-by-step approach can make a familiar framework much easier to apply in assignments or workplace writing.

Who Will Find It Useful

If you are studying business, improving academic writing, or preparing to write SWOT analysis reports in a professional setting, this course offers a focused and approachable route through the task. It is concise, structured, and aimed at helping readers write with more confidence and precision.