SWOT Analysis Session

Kathryn FialkowskiFialkowski Executive Advisor505 Kennett PikeChadds Ford, PA [email protected]

SWOT Analysis Session

In Preparation forStrategic Planning

Facilitator’s Guide

23 June 2009 Fialkowski, Executive AdvisorSWOT Facilitators Guide

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Agenda

Set-Up (30 min) Ground Rules (15 min) Warm-Up (30 min) Strengths (30-45 min) Weaknesses (30-45 min) S/W Actions (45 min) Opportunities (30-45 min) Threats (30-45 min) O/T Actions (45 min) Wrap-Up (30 min) Total~ 5-6 Hrs

Don’t forget to add breaks and lunch


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Ground rules

Do This process is about the future and we need to evaluate the present with an eye to the

future. This is the time for brutal honesty and absolute realism– this is not a sales tool. Be analytical and specific. We’ll log all thoughts and ideas and filter later. When we filter, we’ll be highly selective. You’ll have to make crucial trade-offs which may

include passing on some opportunities and abandoning some markets in order to focus on what you do best.

Don't Try to disguise weaknesses. Merely list errors and mistakes. Lose sight of external influences and trends. Allow the SWOT to become a blame-laying exercise. Ignore the outcomes at later stages of the planning process.

Next step This will be used as input to strategic planning. May be refined or adjusted during the next

step.


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Top 3 Market SegmentsCharacteristics

Market A Market B Market C

Key Customers in the Market

Main Products and Services fulfilling the needs of the market

Current financial value of Market Segment to you today (H-M-L)

Your Market Share (current and target)

Main Industry Competitors and their share)

Industry’s Life Cycle (growth, maintain, decline)

30-min WARM-UP

Start the session by looking externally. Quickly fill in your top three target markets (markets not products). If you’re doing this as an internal organization, think about other businesses that perform the same function you perform. Give yourself a competitor or a benchmark to compare your self to. Adjust the characteristics accordingly.


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STRENGTHS (with back-up)• One• Two• Three

THOUGHT PROVOKERS

• Advantages of proposition? • Capabilities? • Competitive advantages? • USP's (unique selling

points)? • Resources, Assets, People? • Experience, knowledge,

data? • Financial reserves, likely

returns? • Marketing - reach,

distribution, awareness? • Innovative aspects? • Location and geography? • Price, value, quality? • Accreditations, qualifications,

certifications? • Processes, systems, IT,

communications? • Cultural, attitudinal,

behavioral? • Management cover,

succession?• Philosophy and values?

INTERNAL ASSESSMENT: STRENGTHS (30-45 min)

Strengths – internal to your business; characteristics or qualities of your business/ organization that make you better than your competitors. Add any additional strengths that are unique to your business. All strengths should be assets to growth.

FACILITATOR TIP: You may want to consider breaking the conversation into: tangibles, intangibles, and processes


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WEAKNESSES/CONSTRAINTS (with back-up)• One• Two• Three

THOUGHT PROVOKERS

• Disadvantages of proposition?

• Gaps in capabilities? • Lack of competitive strength? • Reputation, presence and

reach? • Financials? • Own known vulnerabilities? • Timescales, deadlines and

pressures? • Cash flow, start-up cash-

drain? • Continuity, supply chain

robustness? • Effects on core activities,

distraction? • Reliability of data, plan

predictability? • Morale, commitment,

leadership? • Accreditations, etc? • Processes and systems, etc? • Management cover,

succession?

INTERNAL ASSESSMENT: WEAKNESSES (30-45 min)

Weaknesses – internal to your business/ organization; characteristics or qualities of the way you work that make you less competitive than your competitors. Add any additional weaknesses that are unique to your business/ organization. These weaknesses constrain growth.

FACILITATOR TIP: You may want to consider breaking the conversation into: tangibles, intangibles, and processes


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STRENGTHS

1. abc2. def3. ghi

WAYS TO EXPLOIT

• xxx• yyy• zzz

WEAKNESSES

1. abc2. def3. ghi

WAYS TO REDUCE


INTERNAL ASSESSMENT: Action Steps (45 min)

Based on the criteria of corporate growth, • identify top 3-5 strengths and how you can exploit them so that they are competitive assets you can leverage to get accelerated growth.• Identify top 3-5 weaknesses that, if you do nothing, will constrain your opportunities for growth. Find solutions/workarounds for the

constraints, mitigating their risk to your plan.


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OPPORTUNITIES (and timing)• One• Two• Three

THOUGHT PROVOKERS

• Market developments? • Competitors' vulnerabilities? • Industry or lifestyle trends? • Technology development and

innovation? • Global influences? • New markets, vertical,

horizontal? • Niche target markets? • Geographical, export, import? • New USP's? • Tactics: eg, surprise, major

contracts? • Business and product

development? • Information and research? • Partnerships, agencies,

distribution? • Volumes, production,

economies? • Seasonal, weather, fashion

influences?

EXTERNAL ASSESSMENT: OPPORTUNITIES (30-45 min)

Opportunities -- external to your business. They exist either within your industrial sector or outside of your sector. Add any additional opportunities that are unique to your business. Keep in mind, opportunities may have a “shelf-life”

FACILITATOR TIP: You may want to consider breaking the conversation into: INDUSTRY opportunities and EXTERNAL

FACTORS (politics, economics, etc)


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THREATS• One• Two• Three

THOUGHT PROVOKERS

• Political effects? • Legislative effects? • Environmental effects? • IT developments? • Competitor intentions -

various? • Market demand? • New technologies, services,

ideas? • Vital contracts and partners? • Sustaining internal

capabilities? • Obstacles faced? • Insurmountable weaknesses? • Loss of key staff? • Sustainable financial

backing? • Economy - home, abroad? • Seasonality, weather effects?

EXTERNAL ASSESSMENT: THREATS (30-45 min)

Threats -- are external to your business. They exist either within your industrial sector or outside of your sector. Add any additional threats that are unique to your business.

FACILITATOR TIP: You may want to consider breaking the conversation into: INDUSTRY opportunities and EXTERNAL

FACTORS (politics, economics, etc)


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OPPORTUNITIES

• abc• def• ghi

WAYS TO EXPLOIT


THREATS

• abc• def• ghi

WAYS TO REDUCE


EXTERNAL ASSESSMENT: Action Steps (45 min)Based on the criteria of corporate growth, • identify top 3-5 opportunities and how you can exploit them so that they are market assets you can leverage to get accelerated growth.• Identify top 3-5 threats that, if you do nothing, will constrain your opportunities for growth. Find solutions/workarounds for the threats,

mitigating their risk to your plan.• be sure to include any relevant market timing


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Wrap-Up and Next Steps

SWOT analysis should be summarized for all participants.

Bring SWOT analysis to Planning Sessions

Provide a copy of the facilitators documents for any organizations who participated in the session – they can then cascade this exercise to others.

Documents

SWOT Analysis Session