SWOT Analysis

SWOT Analysis - 5-Day Process

SWOT Analysis - 5-Day Process

Completing a SWOT Analysis every quarter may help to ensure that appropriate attention is directed toward opportunities, as they relate to internal strengths. This tool will facilitate the SWOT Analysis process through 5 steps and can be completed over a period of 5 days (one week). Please complete each question for each section. The questions for each section are designed to be starter questions for your company. You may find that modifying them, or adding additional questions may be appropriate to your circumstance.

Day 1 - Step 1: Opportunities
Please answer these questions related to various external conditions - focusing on opportunities. In this section, please only look at issues from an opportunistic perspective.
1. What are some new and emerging technologies that can help your business (explain how)?
2. Which portion of the economy is growing that can help your business (industries)?
3. What are interest rate/inflation trends (high or low) and how might your business gain by them?
4. What are new government regulations (or certification requirements) that may benefit your particular business?
5. What are current demographic trends (income levels, employment) and how might they help your particular business?

Day 2 - Step 2: Threats
Please answer the questions related to various external conditions - focusing on threats. In this section, please only look at issues from a perspective that focuses on threats.
6. What are some new and emerging technologies that can hurt your business (explain how)?
7. Which portion of the economy is shrinking/contracting that can hurt your business (industries)?
8. What are interest rate/inflation trends (high or low) and how might your business get hurt by them?
9. What are new government regulations (or certification requirements) that may harm your particular business?
10. What are current demographic trends (income levels, employment) and how might they hurt your particular business?

Day 3 - Step 3: Strengths
After entering your company name (or your name), please answer the questions related to various types of strengths. In some cases, you may not currently have a measurement system in place, so this exercise may help with contunued awareness.
11. What do you DO WELL (that you must do well) in order to survive and thrive in your business? How do you measure each of these skills (if not currently measuring, how will you measure these skills)?
12. Describe the types of customers you match the best (the ones you can service the best):
13. With which vendors do you have the best relationship?
14. Which results, that you measure each month, would you consider to be your greatest strengths?

Day 4 - Step 4: Weaknesses
Please answer the questions related to various types of weaknesses. In some cases, you may not currently have a measurement system in place, so this exercise may help with contunued awareness.
15. What do you NOT DO WELL, but you must do well in order to survive and thrive in your business? How do you measure each of these skills (if not currently measuring, how will you measure these skills)?
16. Describe the types of customers you match the least (the ones you can least service properly).
17. With which vendors should you have a strong relationship, but don't?
18. Which results, that you measure each month, would you consider to be your greatest weaknesses?

Day 5 - Results Analysis
We need to make the connection between internal strengths and external opportunities, as well as internal weaknesses and external threats. Please complete your analysis using this process:
Identify which strengths match which opportunities.
Please be sure to measure (or set up a measurement system and begin to measure) those things that you must do well (whether or not you actually do them well). This will give you the chance to maximize your strengths in areas with maximum potential professional impact. (80% of your efforts should be devoted here)

Identify which weaknesses make you vulnerable to which threats. 
Please be sure to measure (or set up a measurement system and begin to measure) those things that you must do well (whether or not you actually do them well). This will help you to overcome potentially fatal flaws, given current conditions. (20% of your efforts should be devoted here)