How to Facilitate SWOT Analysis
A SWOT analysis is an approach commonly used in organizational settings to facilitate decision making. SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. By mapping out these factors, organizations can assess internal and external factors that can either assist them in achieving objectives, or present obstacles that must be overcome. While SWOT analysis is conceptually simple, the process requires some effort to do it well.
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Instructions
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1
Explain the goal of SWOT analysis to the exercise participants. This will help them identify relevant factors that fit into the SWOT categories.
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Split up the participants into groups. Each group should have no more than four participants.
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Give each group of participants a sheet of paper on which you have previously drawn a blank SWOT matrix. This is a table with two rows and two columns, where the left column consists of internal factors (strengths and weakness on the top and bottom row, respectively), and the right column has the external factors (opportunities and threats on the top and bottom row, respectively).
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Ask each group of participants to jot down factors that belong in the respective cells in the table. Give them a predetermined amount of time to work on it.
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Draw a large version of the blank SWOT matrix on the flip chart. Ask a member of each group in turn to come up to the flip chart, and write their group's results in the respective cells, using a different colored marker for each cell. Also ask them to explain to everyone their rationale for the factors they identified.
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Allow some time for free discussion, then consolidate the results into a set of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats in which all participants can agree.
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References
- Photo Credit Three office workers image by Vladimir Melnik from Fotolia.com
