SWOT Analysis

Engage and focus everyone on critical opportunities and issues

The SWOT Analysis is an acronym for a:

• Strengths
• Weaknesses
• Opportunities
• Threats

analysis.

The SWOT analysis is often used in planning processes.  It can be used at any time a team wants to understand is current strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats with regard to its performance.

The SWOT focuses heavily on the internal working of the company and is often used by units, departments and teams inside an organisation. In some cases it is used as a guide by individuals to help them frame the forces that are impacting them.

A sister analysis called the TOWS analysis emphasises the 'external' nature of Threats and Opportunities and is often used within strategic planning processes or where there is a heavy need to look outside the company or unit's boundaries.

A SWOT is often used as one of the first steps in analysing the environment the unit is operating in and its challenges.

Sometimes SWOT is known as 'WOTS up' to help people with its focus and a more memorable approach.

These simple four headings form a matrix framework where ideas and information about what is facing the unit can be generated and categorised.  The categories create focus and allow deeper understanding so each item can be given a value and be prioritised.

SWOT Analysis can be an excellent way of generating ideas from a business, unit or team, helping people understand each other and work through consensus to important decision making.

As it can be easily and quickly grasped it provides a useful way of kick starting discussion about the challenges a unit faces and the opportunities it can grasp.

The Strengths and Weaknesses section looks inward to the team or unit itself and examines what the internal strengths and weakness are.

The Opportunities and Threats section looks outwards to the external environment and assesses the world the unit lives in and how it impacts the unit in question.

Join and use this topic to learn or refresh what make a SWOT Analysis successful and use the technique with your team at the start of planning processes and in problem solving. 

Following Completion of the SWOT Analysis use the 'See also' tools and techniques to help turn the SWOT into an effective action plan