# Option Analysis: Opportunities and Challenges

Participants review a proposed option against set criteria and silently post opportunities, challenges, and notes. The group clusters contributions to assess whether the proposal is worth pursuing.

**Time:** 15 minutes. Fits the 5 to 15 minute band indicated in source materials. 15 minutes provides adequate time for individual drafting and group review.
**People:** 4 to 24. Individual silent generation followed by full-group clustering and review.

## Choose this exercise

**Purpose:** Collect balanced critique on a single proposed option before making a commit-or-drop decision.
**Use it when:** Use when a team has drafted a potential solution and needs an initial check on risks, benefits, and practical questions.
**Skip it when:** Skip when you have no concrete option drafted yet, or when you need broad open-ended ideation across multiple divergent concepts.

## Materials and tools

- 1 shared board or wall space with 5 designated zones: Summary of Option, Key Criteria, Opportunities, Challenges, Other Notes
- 3 sticky note pads (different colors for Opportunities, Challenges, Notes recommended)
- 1 fine-point marker per person
- Timer

## Before participants arrive

1. Write the 1 to 2 sentence Summary of Option at the top of the board before the session starts.
2. Post the 2 to 4 agreed Key Criteria alongside the summary.
3. Draw three distinct columns below: Opportunities, Challenges, Other Notes.

## Say this to open

We have one option on the board along with the key criteria we agreed to evaluate it against. Take two minutes to read both carefully. Then, silently write down the opportunities you see, the challenges that might emerge, and any questions or modifications under Other Notes. Write one point per sticky note.

## How to run it

### 1. Review proposal and criteria (3 minutes)

Facilitator reads the Option Summary and Key Criteria aloud. Give participants 2 minutes to read silently. Ask if anyone needs factual clarification on what the option means. Do not debate merits yet.

### 2. Silent note generation (5 minutes)

Participants work individually and silently. Each person writes observed opportunities, challenges, and neutral notes or amendments on separate sticky notes. Participants post them directly into the matching columns as they finish writing.

### 3. Cluster and review (5 minutes)

The facilitator reads notes aloud column by column, grouping obvious duplicates. Limit reading to 15 seconds per cluster. Invite up to three participants to clarify ambiguous notes if needed.

### 4. Take the initial balance check (2 minutes)

Ask the group for a quick show of hands on whether this option is viable enough to refine further, or if the challenges outweigh the benefits. Record the consensus in Other Notes.


## Debrief questions

- Looking across both columns, which single challenge presents the biggest barrier to moving forward?
- Does the strongest opportunity justify solving the main challenges listed?
- What amendment from Other Notes would make this option significantly stronger?

**Finished output:** A populated board with grouped opportunities, challenges, and neutral notes, ending in an initial logged decision to pursue, adjust, or drop the option.

## Remote

Use a digital whiteboard with pre-labeled frames for Summary, Criteria, Opportunities, Challenges, and Other Notes. Enable anonymous sticky notes if participants prefer private submission. Have participants post silently during Step 2, then screen-share while the facilitator clusters them.

## Hybrid

Set up a shared digital whiteboard accessible on laptops in the room and online. In-person and remote participants both type notes directly into the board during the silent writing phase. The facilitator shares their screen in the room to keep focus united.

## Access and participation choices

- Participants may submit notes anonymously or dictate them to a partner.
- Anyone may choose to observe silently without posting notes or speaking during whole-room clustering.

## If the session gets stuck

**Participants jump straight into verbal debate during silent writing.**

Remind everyone that writing silently ensures all perspectives get posted without being crowded out. Pause talking until the timer finishes.

**Notes list vague complaints rather than specific challenges tied to criteria.**

Point to the Key Criteria section on the board and ask the author to specify which operational, technical, or resource boundary is affected.


## Terms used here

- Key Criteria: The explicit standards, constraints, or goals previously agreed upon to judge proposed solutions.

## Sources and adaptation

Observed in EasyRetro template collection credited to user Ciara.

Retained the five core board categories (Summary of Option, Key Criteria, Opportunities, Challenges, Other Notes) and the anonymous silent-reflection mechanic from EasyRetro template records. Added explicit facilitation steps, time budgeting to 15 minutes, concrete board setup, and a closing balance check.

[EasyRetro](https://easyretro.io/templates/option-analysis-opportunities-and-challenges/)

Current run sheet: https://unitedwetransform.com/exercises/option-analysis-opportunities-challenges/