Description

Participants perform a thorough assessment of the business in a specific context. For example, their competitive position when launching a new product. They do this from 4 core perspectives: strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Thus, they gain a deeper and clear understanding of the current situation. Having the bigger picture in detail, they become able to develop a strategic plan. Also, to make better decisions on high-stakes situations and objectives. In short, it’s about focusing on how to make things happen, despite shortcomings or possible setbacks. This keeps future approach in the realm of realism and balance.

Flow

Introduction

• Introduce the activity to the participants.
• Split them into teams.
• Encourage the teams to nominate a team coordinator. They will hey will facilitate the discussion in the breakout room. In the end, they will present the outcome to the other teams. The team coordinators can rely on the ideas written within the predefined template.
• Join each team and provide the activity link.

Work

• Participants brainstorm and write down on sticky notes their findings on the matter. They will do this for all 4 perspectives of SWOT.
• Encourage them to be thorough – the more ideas, the better.
• Then they discuss and refine as much as they can the information (e.g. drop redundancies).

Debrief (suggested)

• The team coordinator from each team will present the outcome to the other teams.
• The facilitator may ask the following questions:
  • Are there any common points between the lists? What does this mean to you?
  • Which of the four quadrants was the most challenging one to approach and why?
  • Is there an aspect that you find surprising in any way?
  • What would you prioritize from what you’ve written in each quadrant and why?
  • Are there any aspects that you don’t find to be vital and can be put aside? Which one?
  • What can you use in your professional activity from this activity?

Variations

SWOT Analysis can be performed for a person, product, industry, company, initiative, project, etc.

Additional info

This activity follows activity type guide from CARTA

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