SWOT Analysis

What is a SWOT Analysis?

A SWOT Analysis is a structured planning tool used to assess the internal and external factors that can impact the success of a project, initiative, or organizational strategy. It stands for:

1. Strengths – Internal capabilities or assets that support success
2. Weaknesses – Internal limitations or challenges
3. Opportunities – External trends or conditions that could be leveraged
4. Threats – External risks or obstacles that could hinder progress

In higher education, a SWOT analysis can be used at the start of a project to inform direction, during a planning process to evaluate readiness, or after a project to reflect on lessons learned. It’s especially helpful in complex environments where internal dynamics and external pressures both play a role.

What are the benefits of a SWOT Analysis?

Although it’s a classic framework, SWOT remains useful because it:

• Supports Strategic Thinking: It prompts teams to consider the big picture before diving into tactics.
• Identifies Risks and Advantages: By naming potential challenges and assets, you can plan more effectively.
• Encourages Diverse Perspectives: When completed collaboratively, SWOT surfaces different experiences and priorities.
• Guides Decision-Making: SWOT can inform project charters, help define scope, or shape a resource management plan.
• Improves Adaptability: By anticipating external threats or shifts, your team can stay agile and responsive.

Where might you see a SWOT Analysis in higher education?

SWOT analyses are often used in planning, assessment, or decision-making processes such as:

• Strategic planning, such as informing institutional, departmental, or divisional strategies
• Program or service evaluations, including reviewing the effectiveness and sustainability of an academic program or student initiative
• Accreditation or self-study, where you might provide a snapshot of institutional strengths and areas for growth
• Grant development, in helping teams evaluate whether they are well-positioned to pursue a particular funding opportunity
• Change readiness assessments, such as exploring internal capacity and external trends before launching a major change

A step-by-step guide to conducting a SWOT Analysis

1. Identify what initiative, program, team, or process the SWOT will examine. Keep the scope manageable.
2. Invite people who bring different perspectives—those implementing the work and those impacted by it.
3. Create a 2×2 grid with the four categories: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. You can do this in a document, whiteboard, or online collaboration tool.
4. Use prompts such as:
5. What are we doing well? (Strengths)
6. Where are our gaps or limitations? (Weaknesses)
7. What trends or needs could we address? (Opportunities)
8. What external factors could cause problems? (Threats)
9. Once ideas are gathered, identify themes and prioritize the most critical or actionable items in each category. This analysis might directly inform deliverables, strategies, or next steps.
10. Use what you’ve learned to strengthen your project plan, revise your scope, or advocate for needed resources. Consider pairing your SWOT with a change log to track any resulting adjustments.

Reflective questions

• When was the last time your team used a SWOT analysis? How did it inform your strategy?
• How might a SWOT analysis help you clarify readiness before starting a new initiative?
• Where could a SWOT uncover blind spots—either risks or underutilized strengths—in your project?
• Could a SWOT analysis help you better articulate a case to a sponsor or stakeholder group?
• What’s one project or decision coming up that could benefit from a SWOT discussion?
• How might you combine SWOT with tools like SOAR analysis or after-action reviews for a fuller view?