Every goal or objective needs a solid foundation(plan).

Trying to make your work right?

How do we develop a workable strategy?

How do we make all the pieces fit?

SWOT Analysis

Introduction• SWOT Analysis is a

strategic planning tool used to evaluate the:– Strengths, –Weaknesses, –Opportunities, –Threats

History of SWOT Analysis

• Developed at Stanford• Funded by Fortune 500

companies• Took 9 years to develop• Involved 5000

interviews

Internals

Externals

Strengths

What you do very well – maybe better than anyone else

WeaknessesWhat you lack in or what you don’t do very well

OpportunitiesWhat is it that you could do – but aren’t?

ThreatsElements in the environment that could cause trouble for the you to achieve objective or goal.

Creative Use of SWOTs

• How can we Use each Strength? • How can we Stop each Weakness? • How can we use each Opportunity? • How can we Defend against each Threat?

Strengths Weaknesses

Opportunities S-O Strategies W-O Strategies

Threats S-T Strategies W-T Strategies

SWOT MatrixAlso known as TOWS Matrix

Current conditions

The Plan for the future

Matching strengths to opportunities

Otherwise known as:S-O or Maxi-Maxi strategy

Using a strength to maximise an opportunity

Matching weaknesses to opportunities

Otherwise known as:W-O or Mini-Maxi strategy

Improving capability to maximise an opportunity

Matching strengths to threats

Otherwise known as:S-T or Maxi-Mini strategy

Minimising a threat with a strength

Matching weaknesses to threats

Otherwise known as:W-T or Mini-Mini strategy

Minimising weaknesses and threats at same time

(often last choice)

Strategies that can come from SWOT Analysis…

S-O W-OS-T W-T

How to conduct SWOT Analysis?

3. Prepare Action Plan

Things that MUST be addressed immediately

Once the SWOT analysis has been completed, mark each point with:

Things that can be handled now

Things that should be researched further

Things that should be planned for the future

Pitfalls of SWOT Analysis

Can be very subjective. Two people rarely come up with the same final version of a SWOT. Use it as a guide and not as a prescription.

May cause organizations to view circumstances as very simple due to which certain key strategic contact may be overlooked.

Categorizing aspects as strengths, weaknesses, opportunities & threats might be very subjective as there is great degree of uncertainty in market.

To be effective, SWOT needs to be conducted regularly. The pace of change makes it difficult to anticipate developments.

The data used in the analysis may be based on assumptions that subsequently prove to be unfounded [good and bad].

It lacks detailed structure, so key elements may get missed.

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Tips & Exercise

Do’s Be analytical and specific.

Record all thoughts and ideas.

Be selective in the final evaluation.

Choose the right people for the

exercise.

Choose a suitable SWOT leader or

facilitator.

Think out of the box

Be open to change

Don’ts

х Try to disguise weaknesses.

х Merely list errors and mistakes.

х Lose sight of external influences and

trends.

х Allow the SWOT to become a blame-

laying

exercise.

х Ignore the outcomes at later stages of

the

planning process.

TIPS

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