SWOT Analysis
To begin, it is essential to understand the SWOT acronym. SWOT analysis stands for:
S: strengths
W: weaknesses
O: opportunities
T: threats
A SWOT analysis is a critical component of the strategic planning process. If completed thoughtfully, a thorough SWOT analysis can "facilitate thinking through the implications of environmental data and the capabilities of your organization" (Evans & Alire, 2013, Ch. 4, SWOT Analysis, para. 1). This can help the organization view its external threats as well as opportunities while reviewing its internal strengths alongside its weaknesses.
It is important to consider the data gathered during the environmental planning process informs how the organization "performs" or "measures up" in specific ways. When conducting a SWOT analysis, data from the environmental scan can be condensed, synthesized and categorized as strengths, weaknesses, opportunities or threats which can then support the creation of mission, vision and values statements. Some of these data might arise from factors such as "staff skills, competencies, programs, service-community relations, and fiscal base", among many others (Evans & Alire, 2013, Ch. 4, SWOT Analysis, para. 1). Strategic planners must go through each factor in turn and determine to which category - strengths, weaknesses, opportunities or threats - the data most closely align. In other words, do these particular data suggest that this particular element (e.g., staff skills) will help or hinder the fulfillment of the strategic plan?
As my team and I were working on the SWOT analysis component of our Organizational Analysis project, it was incredibly helpful to ponder the information we had collected through the SWOT "lens". This was partially in order to make sense of the immense amount of contextual (external and internal) information we had gathered over the course of the environmental scan. When considering where a particular piece of information fit into the SWOT puzzle, it became easier to see where a certain element might impact our organization positively or negatively for long-term planning purposes. This wasn't always a straightforward process, as some elements had multiple components that could fit into multiple categories (e.g,. technological strength in one area, technological weakness in another). It taught us to understand the "real world" is not quite so neat and that complexity in operating environments is something which should be prepared for wisely.
S: strengths
W: weaknesses
O: opportunities
T: threats
A SWOT analysis is a critical component of the strategic planning process. If completed thoughtfully, a thorough SWOT analysis can "facilitate thinking through the implications of environmental data and the capabilities of your organization" (Evans & Alire, 2013, Ch. 4, SWOT Analysis, para. 1). This can help the organization view its external threats as well as opportunities while reviewing its internal strengths alongside its weaknesses.
It is important to consider the data gathered during the environmental planning process informs how the organization "performs" or "measures up" in specific ways. When conducting a SWOT analysis, data from the environmental scan can be condensed, synthesized and categorized as strengths, weaknesses, opportunities or threats which can then support the creation of mission, vision and values statements. Some of these data might arise from factors such as "staff skills, competencies, programs, service-community relations, and fiscal base", among many others (Evans & Alire, 2013, Ch. 4, SWOT Analysis, para. 1). Strategic planners must go through each factor in turn and determine to which category - strengths, weaknesses, opportunities or threats - the data most closely align. In other words, do these particular data suggest that this particular element (e.g., staff skills) will help or hinder the fulfillment of the strategic plan?
As my team and I were working on the SWOT analysis component of our Organizational Analysis project, it was incredibly helpful to ponder the information we had collected through the SWOT "lens". This was partially in order to make sense of the immense amount of contextual (external and internal) information we had gathered over the course of the environmental scan. When considering where a particular piece of information fit into the SWOT puzzle, it became easier to see where a certain element might impact our organization positively or negatively for long-term planning purposes. This wasn't always a straightforward process, as some elements had multiple components that could fit into multiple categories (e.g,. technological strength in one area, technological weakness in another). It taught us to understand the "real world" is not quite so neat and that complexity in operating environments is something which should be prepared for wisely.