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SWOT Analysis Classroom Activity Guide

swot analysis lesson plan

SWOT analysis is a powerful strategic planning tool that helps individuals and organizations assess their internal strengths and weaknesses, as well as external opportunities and threats.

In a classroom setting, conducting a SWOT analysis can be an engaging and insightful activity to foster critical thinking, teamwork, and self-awareness among students.

This guide provides step-by-step instructions on how to facilitate a SWOT analysis classroom activity.

Objective: The primary objective of this activity is to help students analyze a particular subject or topic from different angles, understand its strengths and weaknesses, identify potential opportunities and threats, and develop recommendations for improvement.

Materials Needed:

  • Whiteboard or chalkboard (or any display tool)
  • Markers or chalk
  • Flipchart or large sheets of paper
  • Sticky notes
  • Handouts with guidelines and templates (optional)

Step-by-Step Guide:

Introduction to SWOT Analysis: Begin the activity by explaining the concept of SWOT analysis to the students. Briefly describe what each component represents:

  • Strengths: Internal factors that give an advantage.
  • Weaknesses: Internal factors that hinder progress.
  • Opportunities: External factors that present favorable circumstances.
  • Threats: External factors that pose challenges or risks.
  • Selecting a Topic: Choose a relevant topic for the SWOT analysis activity that aligns with the curriculum or current lesson plan. It could be a historical event, a literary work, a scientific concept, a business case study, or any other subject of interest.
  • Forming Groups: Divide the class into small groups of 4-5 students. Diversity in each group can be beneficial to gather different perspectives.
  • Conducting the SWOT Analysis: Distribute the materials, including sticky notes and markers, to each group. Ask them to label four separate sheets of paper with “Strengths,” “Weaknesses,” “Opportunities,” and “Threats.”
  • Brainstorming Session: Instruct each group to brainstorm and write down their ideas under the corresponding categories. Encourage them to be specific and provide evidence or examples to support their points.
  • Presentation: After the brainstorming session, have each group present their SWOT analysis to the rest of the class. They can use the whiteboard, chalkboard, or flipchart to display their findings visually.
  • Group Discussion: After each presentation, facilitate a discussion among the students. Encourage questions, comments, and constructive feedback from the other groups. Discuss any differences in perspectives and insights gained from the activity.
  • Recommendations: Instruct each group to come up with recommendations based on their SWOT analysis. They should focus on utilizing strengths, addressing weaknesses, capitalizing on opportunities, and mitigating threats.
  • Sharing Recommendations: Have each group share their recommendations with the class. Discuss the feasibility and potential impact of these recommendations.
  • Conclusion: Wrap up the activity with a brief summary of the key takeaways from the SWOT analysis. Emphasize the importance of understanding strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats when making informed decisions and developing strategies.
  • As an extension to the activity, students can develop action plans based on their recommendations and present them to the class or relevant stakeholders.
  • You can provide handouts with guidelines and templates to help students structure their SWOT analysis if needed.

Remember, the SWOT analysis classroom activity should be an interactive and inclusive learning experience, fostering collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity among students.

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SWOT analysis: Examples and templates

Alicia Raeburn contributor headshot

A SWOT analysis helps you identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats for a specific project or your overall business plan. It’s used for strategic planning and to stay ahead of market trends. Below, we describe each part of the SWOT framework and show you how to conduct your own.

Whether you’re looking for external opportunities or internal strengths, we’ll walk you through how to perform your own SWOT analysis, with helpful examples along the way. 

What is a SWOT analysis?

A SWOT analysis is a technique used to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats for your business or even a specific project. It’s most widely used by organizations—from small businesses and non-profits to large enterprises—but a SWOT analysis can be used for personal purposes as well. 

While simple, a SWOT analysis is a powerful tool for helping you identify competitive opportunities for improvement. It helps you improve your team and business while staying ahead of market trends.

What does SWOT stand for?

SWOT is an acronym that stands for: 

Opportunities

Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats

When analyzed together, the SWOT framework can paint a larger picture of where you are and how to get to the next step. Let’s dive a little deeper into each of these terms and how they can help identify areas of improvement. 

Strengths in SWOT refer to internal initiatives that are performing well. Examining these areas helps you understand what’s already working. You can then use the techniques that you know work—your strengths—in other areas that might need additional support, like improving your team’s efficiency . 

When looking into the strengths of your organization, ask yourself the following questions:

What do we do well? Or, even better: What do we do best?

What’s unique about our organization?

What does our target audience like about our organization?

Which categories or features beat out our competitors?

 Example SWOT strength:

Customer service: Our world-class customer service has an NPS score of 90 as compared to our competitors, who average an NPS score of 70.

Weaknesses in SWOT refer to internal initiatives that are underperforming. It’s a good idea to analyze your strengths before your weaknesses in order to create a baseline for success and failure. Identifying internal weaknesses provides a starting point for improving those projects.

Identify the company’s weaknesses by asking:

Which initiatives are underperforming and why?

What can be improved?

What resources could improve our performance?

How do we rank against our competitors?

Example SWOT weakness:

E-commerce visibility: Our website visibility is low because of a lack of marketing budget , leading to a decrease in mobile app transactions.

Opportunities in SWOT result from your existing strengths and weaknesses, along with any external initiatives that will put you in a stronger competitive position. These could be anything from weaknesses that you’d like to improve or areas that weren’t identified in the first two phases of your analysis. 

Since there are multiple ways to come up with opportunities, it’s helpful to consider these questions before getting started:

What resources can we use to improve weaknesses?

Are there market gaps in our services?

What are our business goals for the year?

What do your competitors offer?

Example SWOT opportunities:

Marketing campaign: To improve brand visibility, we’ll run ad campaigns on YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram.

Threats in SWOT are areas with the potential to cause problems. Different from weaknesses, threats are external and ‌out of your control. This can include anything from a global pandemic to a change in the competitive landscape. 

Here are a few questions to ask yourself to identify external threats:

What changes in the industry are cause for concern?

What new market trends are on the horizon?

Where are our competitors outperforming us?

Example SWOT threats:

New competitor: With a new e-commerce competitor set to launch within the next month, we could see a decline in customers.

SWOT analysis example

One of the most popular ways to create a SWOT analysis is through a SWOT matrix—a visual representation of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. The matrix comprises four separate squares that create one larger square. 

A SWOT matrix is great for collecting information and documenting the questions and decision-making process . Not only will it be handy to reference later on, but it’s also great for visualizing any patterns that arise. 

Check out the SWOT matrix below for a simple example. As you can see, each of the quadrants lists out the company's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.

[Inline illustration] SWOT analysis (Example)

When used correctly and effectively, your matrix can be a great toolkit for evaluating your organization’s strengths and weaknesses. 

How to do a SWOT analysis, with examples 

A SWOT analysis can be conducted in a variety of ways. Some teams like to meet and throw ideas on a whiteboard, while others prefer the structure of a SWOT matrix. However you choose to make your SWOT analysis, getting creative with your planning process allows new ideas to flow and results in more unique solutions. 

There are a few ways to ensure that your SWOT analysis is thorough and done correctly. Let’s take a closer look at some tips to help you get started.

Tip 1: Consider internal factors 

Often, strengths and weaknesses stem from internal processes. These tend to be easier to solve since you have more control over the outcome. When you come across internal factors, you can start implementing improvements in a couple of different ways.

Meet with department stakeholders to form a business plan around how to improve your current situation.

Research and implement new tools, such as a project management tool , that can help streamline these processes for you. 

Take immediate action on anything that can be changed in 24 hours or less. If you don’t have the capacity, consider delegating these items to others with deadlines. 

The way you go about solving internal factors will depend on the type of problem. If it’s more complex, you might need to use a combination of the above or a more thorough problem management process.

Tip 2: Evaluate external factors

External factors stem from processes outside of your control. This includes competitors, market trends, and anything else that’s affecting your organization from the outside in. 

External factors are trickier to solve, as you can’t directly control the outcome. What you can do is pivot your own processes in a way that mitigates negative external factors. 

You can work to solve these issues by:

Competing with market trends

Forecasting market trends before they happen

Improving adaptability to improve your reaction time

Track competitors using reporting tools that automatically update you as soon as changes occur 

While you won’t be able to control an external environment, you can control how your organization reacts to it. 

Let’s say, for instance, that you’re looking to compete with a market trend. For example, a competitor introduced a new product to the market that’s outperforming your own. While you can’t take that product away, you can work to launch an even better product or marketing campaign to mitigate any decline in sales. 

Tip 3: Hold a brainstorming session

Brainstorming new and innovative ideas can help to spur creativity and inspire action. To host a high impact brainstorming session, you’ll want to: 

Invite team members from various departments. That way, ideas from each part of the company are represented. 

Be intentional about the number of team members you invite, since too many participants could lead to a lack of focus or participation. The sweet spot for a productive brainstorming session is around 10 teammates. 

Use different brainstorming techniques that appeal to different work types.

Set a clear intention for the session.

Tip 4: Get creative

In order to generate creative ideas, you have to first invite them. That means creating fun ways to come up with opportunities. Try randomly selecting anonymous ideas, talking through obviously bad examples, or playing team building games to psych up the team.

Tip 5: Prioritize opportunities

Now, rank the opportunities. This can be done as a team or with a smaller group of leaders. Talk through each idea and rank it on a scale of one through 10. Once you’ve agreed on your top ideas based on team capabilities, competencies, and overall impact, it’s easier to implement them.

Tip 6: Take action

It’s all too easy to feel finished at this stage —but the actual work is just beginning. After your SWOT analysis, you’ll have a list of prioritized opportunities. Now is the time to turn them into strengths. Use a structured system such as a business case , project plan, or implementation plan to outline what needs to get done—and how you plan to do it.

SWOT analysis template

A SWOT analysis template is often presented in a grid format, divided into four quadrants. Each quadrant represents one of the four elements. 

Use this free SWOT analysis template to jump-start your team’s strategic planning.

Identify the strengths that contribute to achieving your objectives. These are internal characteristics that give you an advantage. Some examples could be a strong brand reputation, an innovative culture, or an experienced management team.

Next, focus on weaknesses. These are internal factors that could serve as obstacles to achieving your objectives. Common examples might include a lack of financial resources, high operational costs, or outdated technology. 

Move on to the opportunities. These are external conditions that could be helpful in achieving your goals. For example, you might be looking at emerging markets, increased demand, or favorable shifts in regulations.

Lastly, let's address threats. These are external conditions that could negatively impact your objectives. Examples include increased competition or potential economic downturns.

Why is a SWOT analysis important?

A SWOT analysis can help you improve processes and plan for growth. While similar to a competitive analysis , it differs because it evaluates both internal and external factors. Analyzing key areas around these opportunities and threats will equip you with the insights needed to set your team up for success.

Why is a SWOT analysis important?

A SWOT analysis isn’t only useful for organizations. With a personal SWOT analysis, you can examine areas of your life that could benefit from improvement, from your leadership style to your communication skills. These are the benefits of using a SWOT analysis in any scenario. 

1. Identifies areas of opportunity

One of the biggest benefits of conducting an analysis is to determine opportunities for growth. It’s a great starting point for startups and teams that know they want to improve but aren’t exactly sure how to get started. 

Opportunities can come from many different avenues, like external factors such as diversifying your products for competitive advantage or internal factors like improving your team’s workflow . Either way, capitalizing on opportunities is an excellent way to grow as a team.

2. Identifies areas that could be improved

Identifying weaknesses and threats during a SWOT analysis can pave the way for a better business strategy.

Ultimately, learning from your mistakes is the best way to excel. Once you find areas to streamline, you can work with team members to brainstorm an action plan . This will let you use what you already know works and build on your company’s strengths.

3. Identifies areas that could be at risk

Whether you have a risk register in place or not, it’s always crucial to identify risks before they become a cause for concern. A SWOT analysis can help you stay on top of actionable items that may play a part in your risk decision-making process. 

It may be beneficial to pair your SWOT analysis with a PEST analysis, which examines external solutions such as political, economic, social, and technological factors—all of which can help you identify and plan for project risks .

When should you use a SWOT analysis?

You won’t always need an in-depth SWOT analysis. It’s most useful for large, general overviews of situations, scenarios, or your business.

A SWOT analysis is most helpful:

Before you implement a large change—including as part of a larger change management plan

When you launch a new company initiative

If you’d like to identify opportunities for growth and improvement

Any time you want a full overview of your business performance

If you need to identify business performance from different perspectives

SWOT analyses are general for a reason—so they can be applied to almost any scenario, project, or business. 

SWOT analysis: Pros and cons

Although SWOT is a useful strategic planning tool for businesses and individuals alike, it does have limitations. Here’s what you can expect.

The simplicity of SWOT analysis makes it a go-to tool for many. Because it is simple, it takes the mystery out of strategic planning and lets people think critically about their situations without feeling overwhelmed. 

For instance, a small bakery looking to expand its operations can use SWOT analysis to easily understand its current standing. Identifying strengths like a loyal customer base, weaknesses such as limited seating space, opportunities like a rising trend in artisanal baked goods, and threats from larger chain bakeries nearby can all be accomplished without any specialized knowledge or technical expertise.

Versatility

Its versatile nature allows SWOT analysis to be used across various domains. Whether it’s a business strategizing for the future or an individual planning their career path, SWOT analysis lends itself well. 

For example, a tech start-up in the competitive Silicon Valley landscape could employ SWOT to navigate its pathway to profitability. Strengths might include a highly skilled development team; weaknesses could be a lack of brand recognition; opportunities might lie in emerging markets; and threats could include established tech giants. 

Meaningful analysis

SWOT excels in identifying external factors that could impact performance. It nudges organizations to look beyond the present and anticipate potential future scenarios. 

A retail company, for example, could use SWOT analysis to identify opportunities in e-commerce and threats from changing consumer behavior or new competitors entering the market. By doing so, the company can strategize on how to leverage online platforms to boost sales and counteract threats by enhancing the customer experience or adopting new technologies.

Subjectivity and bias

The subjective nature of SWOT analysis may lead to biases. It relies heavily on individual perceptions, which can sometimes overlook crucial data or misinterpret information, leading to skewed conclusions. 

For example, a manufacturing company might undervalue the threat of new entrants in the market due to an overconfidence bias among the management. This subjectivity might lead to a lack of preparation for competitive pricing strategies, ultimately affecting the company's market share.

Lack of prioritization

SWOT analysis lays out issues but falls short on prioritizing them. Organizations might struggle to identify which elements deserve immediate attention and resources. 

For instance, a healthcare provider identifying numerous opportunities for expansion into new services may become overwhelmed with the choices. Without a clear way to rank these opportunities, resources could be spread too thinly or given to projects that do not have as much of an impact, leading to less-than-ideal outcomes.

Static analysis

Since SWOT analysis captures a snapshot at a particular moment, it may miss the evolving nature of challenges and opportunities, possibly leading to outdated strategies. An example could be a traditional retail business that performs a SWOT analysis and decides to focus on expanding physical stores, overlooking the growing trend of e-commerce. As online shopping continues to evolve and gain popularity, the static analysis might lead to investment in areas with diminishing returns while missing out on the booming e-commerce market trend.

SWOT analysis FAQ

What are the five elements of swot analysis.

Traditionally, SWOT stands for its four main elements: strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. However, a fifth essential element often overlooked is "actionable strategies." Originally developed by Albert Humphrey, SWOT is more than just a list—it's a planning tool designed to generate actionable strategies for making informed business decisions. This fifth element serves to tie the other four together, enabling departments like human resources and marketing to turn analysis into actionable plans.

What should a SWOT analysis include?

A comprehensive SWOT analysis should focus on the internal and external factors that affect your organization. Internally, consider your strong brand and product line as your strengths, and maybe your supply chain weaknesses. Externally, you'll want to look at market share, partnerships, and new technologies that could either pose opportunities or threats. You should also account for demographics, as it helps in market targeting and segmentation.

How do you write a good SWOT analysis?

Writing an effective SWOT analysis begins with research. Start by identifying your strengths, like a strong brand, and your weaknesses, like a small human resources department. Following that, look outward to find opportunities, possibly in technological advancement, and threats, like fluctuations in market share. Many businesses find it helpful to use a free SWOT analysis template to structure this information. A good SWOT analysis doesn't just list these elements; it integrates them to provide a clear roadmap for making business decisions.

What are four examples of threats in SWOT analysis?

New technologies: Rapid technological advancement can make your product or service obsolete.

Supply chain disruptions: Whether due to natural disasters or geopolitical tensions, an unstable supply chain can seriously jeopardize your operations.

Emerging competitors: New players entering the market can erode your market share and offer alternative solutions to your customer base.

Regulatory changes: New laws or regulations can add costs and complexity to your business, affecting your competitiveness.

How do you use a SWOT analysis?

Once you've completed a SWOT analysis, use the results as a decision-making aid. It can help prioritize actions, develop strategic plans that play to your strengths, improve weaknesses, seize opportunities, and counteract threats. It’s a useful tool for setting objectives and creating a roadmap for achieving them.

Plan for growth with a SWOT analysis

A SWOT analysis can be an effective technique for identifying key strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Understanding where you are now can be the most impactful way to determine where you want to go next. 

Don’t forget, a bit of creativity and collaboration can go a long way. Encourage your team to think outside of the box with 100+ team motivational quotes .

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Article • 17 min read

SWOT Analysis

Understanding your business, informing your strategy.

By the Mind Tools Content Team

What Is a SWOT Analysis?

SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats, and so a SWOT analysis is a technique for assessing these four aspects of your business.

SWOT Analysis is a tool that can help you to analyze what your company does best now, and to devise a successful strategy for the future. SWOT can also uncover areas of the business that are holding you back, or that your competitors could exploit if you don't protect yourself.

A SWOT analysis examines both internal and external factors – that is, what's going on inside and outside your organization. So some of these factors will be within your control and some will not. In either case, the wisest action you can take in response will become clearer once you've discovered, recorded and analyzed as many factors as you can.

In this article, video and infographic, we explore how to carry out a SWOT analysis, and how to put your findings into action. We also include a worked example and a template to help you get started on a SWOT analysis in your own workplace.

Why Is SWOT Analysis Important?

SWOT Analysis can help you to challenge risky assumptions and to uncover dangerous blindspots about your organization's performance. If you use it carefully and collaboratively, it can deliver new insights on where your business currently is, and help you to develop exactly the right strategy for any situation.

For example, you may be well aware of some of your organization's strengths, but until you record them alongside weaknesses and threats you might not realize how unreliable those strengths actually are.

Equally, you likely have reasonable concerns about some of your business weaknesses but, by going through the analysis systematically, you could find an opportunity, previously overlooked, that could more than compensate.

How to Write a SWOT Analysis

SWOT analysis involves making lists – but so much more, too! When you begin to write one list (say, Strengths), the thought process and research that you'll go through will prompt ideas for the other lists (Weaknesses, Opportunities or Threats). And if you compare these lists side by side, you will likely notice connections and contradictions, which you'll want to highlight and explore.

You'll find yourself moving back and forth between your lists frequently. So, make the task easier and more effective by arranging your four lists together in one view.

A SWOT matrix is a 2x2 grid, with one square for each of the four aspects of SWOT. (Figure 1 shows what it should look like.) Each section is headed by some questions to get your thinking started.

Figure 1. A SWOT Analysis Matrix.

Swot analysis template.

When conducting your SWOT analysis, you can either draw your own matrix, or use our free downloadable template .

How to Do a SWOT Analysis

Avoid relying on your own, partial understanding of your organization. Your assumptions could be wrong. Instead, gather a team of people from a range of functions and levels to build a broad and insightful list of observations.

Then, every time you identify a Strength, Weakness, Opportunity, or Threat, write it down in the relevant part of the SWOT analysis grid for all to see.

Let's look at each area in more detail and consider what fits where, and what questions you could ask as part of your data gathering.

Strengths are things that your organization does particularly well, or in a way that distinguishes you from your competitors. Think about the advantages your organization has over other organizations. These might be the motivation of your staff, access to certain materials, or a strong set of manufacturing processes.

Your strengths are an integral part of your organization, so think about what makes it "tick." What do you do better than anyone else? What values drive your business? What unique or lowest-cost resources can you draw upon that others can't? Identify and analyze your organization's Unique Selling Proposition (USP), and add this to the Strengths section.

Then turn your perspective around and ask yourself what your competitors might see as your strengths. What factors mean that you get the sale ahead of them?

Remember, any aspect of your organization is only a strength if it brings you a clear advantage. For example, if all of your competitors provide high-quality products, then a high-quality production process is not a strength in your market: it's a necessity.

Weaknesses, like strengths, are inherent features of your organization, so focus on your people, resources, systems, and procedures. Think about what you could improve, and the sorts of practices you should avoid.

Once again, imagine (or find out) how other people in your market see you. Do they notice weaknesses that you tend to be blind to? Take time to examine how and why your competitors are doing better than you. What are you lacking?

Be honest! A SWOT analysis will only be valuable if you gather all the information you need. So, it's best to be realistic now, and face any unpleasant truths as soon as possible.

Opportunities

Opportunities are openings or chances for something positive to happen, but you'll need to claim them for yourself!

They usually arise from situations outside your organization, and require an eye to what might happen in the future. They might arise as developments in the market you serve, or in the technology you use. Being able to spot and exploit opportunities can make a huge difference to your organization's ability to compete and take the lead in your market.

Think about good opportunities that you can exploit immediately. These don't need to be game-changers: even small advantages can increase your organization's competitiveness. What interesting market trends are you aware of, large or small, which could have an impact?

You should also watch out for changes in government policy related to your field. And changes in social patterns, population profiles, and lifestyles can all throw up interesting opportunities.

Threats include anything that can negatively affect your business from the outside, such as supply-chain problems, shifts in market requirements, or a shortage of recruits. It's vital to anticipate threats and to take action against them before you become a victim of them and your growth stalls.

Think about the obstacles you face in getting your product to market and selling. You may notice that quality standards or specifications for your products are changing, and that you'll need to change those products if you're to stay in the lead. Evolving technology is an ever-present threat, as well as an opportunity!

Always consider what your competitors are doing, and whether you should be changing your organization's emphasis to meet the challenge. But remember that what they're doing might not be the right thing for you to do. So, avoid copying them without knowing how it will improve your position.

Be sure to explore whether your organization is especially exposed to external challenges. Do you have bad debt or cash-flow problems, for example, that could make you vulnerable to even small changes in your market? This is the kind of threat that can seriously damage your business, so be alert.

Use PEST Analysis to ensure that you don't overlook threatening external factors. And PMESII-PT is an especially helpful check in very unfamiliar or uncertain environments.

Frequently Asked Questions About SWOT Analysis

1. who invented swot analysis.

Many people attribute SWOT Analysis to Albert S. Humphrey. However, there has been some debate on the originator of the tool, as discussed in the International Journal of Business Research .

2. What Does SWOT Analysis Stand For?

SWOT Analysis stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats.

3. What Can a SWOT Analysis Be Used For?

SWOT analysis is a useful tool to help you determine your organization's position in the market. You can then use this information to create an informed strategy suited to your needs and capabilities.

4. How Do I Write a SWOT Analysis?

To conduct a SWOT analysis, you first need to create a 2x2 matrix grid. Each square is then assigned to one of the four aspects of SWOT. You can either draw this grid yourself or use our downloadable template to get started.

5. How Do SWOT Analysis and the TOWS Matrix compare?

While SWOT analysis puts the emphasis on the internal environment (your strengths and weaknesses), TOWS forces you to look at your external environment first (your threats and opportunities). In most cases, you'll do a SWOT Analysis first, and follow up with a TOWS Matrix to offer a broader context.

6. What Are the Biggest SWOT Analysis Mistakes?

  • Making your lists too long. Ask yourself if your ideas are feasible as you go along.
  • Being vague. Be specific to provide more focus for later discussions.
  • Not seeing weaknesses. Be sure to ask customers and colleagues what they experience in real life.
  • Not thinking ahead. It's easy to come up with nice ideas without taking them through to their logical conclusion. Always consider their practical impact.
  • Being unrealistic. Don't plan in detail for opportunities that don't exist yet. For example, that export market you've been eyeing may be available at some point, but the trade negotiations to open it up could take years.
  • Relying on SWOT Analysis alone. SWOT Analysis is valuable. But when you use it alongside other planning tools (SOAR, TOWS or PEST), the results will be more vigorous.

How to Use a SWOT Analysis

Use a SWOT Analysis to assess your organization's current position before you decide on any new strategy. Find out what's working well, and what's not so good. Ask yourself where you want to go, how you might get there – and what might get in your way.

Once you've examined all four aspects of SWOT, you'll want to build on your strengths, boost your weaker areas, head off any threats, and exploit every opportunity. In fact, you'll likely be faced with a long list of potential actions.

But before you go ahead, be sure to develop your ideas further. Look for potential connections between the quadrants of your matrix. For example, could you use some of your strengths to open up further opportunities? And, would even more opportunities become available by eliminating some of your weaknesses?

Finally, it's time to ruthlessly prune and prioritize your ideas, so that you can focus time and money on the most significant and impactful ones. Refine each point to make your comparisons clearer. For example, only accept precise, verifiable statements such as, "Cost advantage of $30/ton in sourcing raw material x," rather than, "Better value for money."

Remember to apply your learnings at the right level in your organization. For example, at a product or product-line level, rather than at the much vaguer whole-company level. And use your SWOT analysis alongside other strategy tools (for example, Core Competencies Analysis ), so that you get a comprehensive picture of the situation you're dealing with.

A SWOT Analysis Example

Imagine this scenario: a small start-up consultancy wants a clear picture of its current situation, to decide on a future strategy for growth. The team gathers, and draws up the SWOT Analysis shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2. A Completed SWOT Analysis.

As a result of the team's analysis, it's clear that the consultancy's main strengths lie in its agility, technical expertise, and low overheads. These allow it to offer excellent customer service to a relatively small client base.

The company's weaknesses are also to do with its size. It will need to invest in training, to improve the skills base of the small staff. It'll also need to focus on retention, so it doesn't lose key team members.

There are opportunities in offering rapid-response, good-value services to local businesses and to local government organizations. The company can likely be first to market with new products and services, given that its competitors are slow adopters.

The threats require the consultancy to keep up-to-date with changes in technology. It also needs to keep a close eye on its largest competitors, given its vulnerability to large-scale changes in its market. To counteract this, the business needs to focus its marketing on selected industry websites, to get the greatest possible market presence on a small advertising budget.

It's also possible to carry out a Personal SWOT Analysis . This can be useful for developing your career in ways that take best advantage of your talents, abilities and opportunities.

SWOT Analysis Infographic

See SWOT Analysis represented in our infographic :

SWOT Analysis helps you to identify your organization's Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats.

It guides you to build on what you do well, address what you're lacking, seize new openings, and minimize risks.

Apply a SWOT Analysis to assess your organization's position before you decide on any new strategy.

Use a SWOT matrix to prompt your research and to record your ideas. Avoid making huge lists of suggestions. Be as specific as you can, and be honest about your weaknesses.

Be realistic and rigorous. Prune and prioritize your ideas, to focus time and money on the most significant and impactful actions and solutions. Complement your use of SWOT with other tools.

Collaborate with a team of people from across the business. This will help to uncover a more accurate and honest picture.

Find out what's working well, and what's not so good. Ask yourself where you want to go, how you might get there – and what might get in your way.

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Teaching Strategy: SWOT Analysis

Establishing routines wherein students continually face formative tasks can boost achievement tremendously. The frequent use of formative assessments such as the SWOT analysis technique is recommended when you, the CTE teacher, want to push your students further. SWOT stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. This strategy involves microteaching (.88 effect size), and strategies are designed to integrate new learning with prior knowledge (.93 effect size) (Hattie, 2009).

SWOT analysis strategies are best used to review for performance testing and can also be helpful when attempting to solve a problem. Students examine strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to gain a well-rounded understanding of any idea. Examination complete, they evaluate the given variables before taking the next step in their process.

The Strategy in Action

How it Works

swot analysis lesson plan

  • Divide students into groups. Or choose to keep the whole class together.
  • Distribute a blank SWOT diagram each group. Or have students create a large version on the board or on chart paper. (Note: If you use a large diagram on the board, have students write their ideas on sticky notes. These allow you to move ideas between boxes. And as a bonus, they get students out of their seats.)
  • Present students with a topic, video clip or written scenario. For example, you might show a video of an interaction with a customer.
  • Say, “As a group, analyze the video through four different lenses: strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Jot down ideas in each box as you go.” In the customer interaction example given, students would analyze the actions and words of the employee and gauge customer satisfaction. (Note: Don’t feel constrained to the exact terminology on the diagram. For example, if your situation does not include any threats, use the word “tweaks” instead. Leverage the tools available to help students brainstorm possible challenges.)
  • Lead a group discussion of the positive and negative aspects of the topic. For a customer interaction, challenge students to suggest changes the worker could make.

For an added twist

Have student groups practice performance testing and record themselves on video. Then have groups trade videos and analyze each other’s actions using a SWOT analysis.

Final Thoughts

The SWOT Analysis is one formative tool that provides a lot of flexibility for use. You can use this as a pre-assessment, while reading or delivering content, or as a post-instruction tool. It works to emphasize collaboration, connections and synthesizing information. It also serves as an efficient tool for connecting new information to prior learning. The gist: The SWOT analysis will encourage your students to think critically; implement this strategy in your classroom today.

Sandra Adams is a teacher and instructional coach with the Career Academy, Fort Wayne Community Schools. She co-wrote the ACTE-supported book  But I’m NOT a Reading Teacher!: Literacy Strategies for Career and Technical Educators  with Gwendolyn Leininger. Email her.

Hattie, J. (2009). Visible learning: A synthesis of over 800 meta-analyses relating to achievement . London: Routledge.

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A SWOT analysis can help a small business owner or business assess a company’s position to determine the most optimal strategy going forward. This business practice can help you identify what you’re doing well, what you want to do better, and what kinds of obstacles you might encounter along the way.

This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about a SWOT analysis: what it is, how it works, and how to do it. We’ll also include an example and a template to help guide you as you perform your own SWOT analysis.

What Is a SWOT Analysis?

A SWOT analysis is a strategic planning technique that outlines an organization’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Assessing business competition in this way can help an organization plan strategically and execute more effectively.

The 4 Parts of a SWOT Analysis

Your business’s strengths SWOT section should include anything that your business does differently or better than competitors. Think about your unique value proposition, trends you’ve noticed in positive customer feedback, operational strengths, and company culture. This section is the perfect place to name and celebrate anything you’re already doing well.

Don’t be afraid to toot your own horn (while also remaining objective). Clearly identifying your business’s strengths not only helps you keep your spirits balanced as you address your weaknesses, it will also give you a sense of where to concentrate your resources. It’s easier to build a successful business when you’re working towards something, rather than acting in opposition.

Questions to help you determine your strengths:

  • What is your business’s unique value proposition?
  • What common compliments do you receive from your customers?
  • What does your business do particularly well?
  • How do you operate differently from your competitors?
  • What gives you an edge on the competition ? (This can include something product-related like “better access to raw materials” or “lower cost of goods,” or it can be an internal strength like “strong company culture” or “employee motivation.”)
  • What might your competitors name as your strengths?

Your weaknesses are the areas in which the business has room for improvement. You should include structural weaknesses in this section—those that relate to your systems, procedures, resources, and personnel. This is a great place to look at common feedback from employees (either from exit interviews, anonymous surveys, or other sources) and recurring customer complaints.

Questions to help you determine your weaknesses:

  • What areas of your business could stand to improve?
  • What are common hiccups in your customer experience ?
  • How do you use your resources? Is there room for improvement?
  • What improvements are needed in your employee experience?
  • What weaknesses might your customers see that you tend to overlook?
  • What weaknesses might your competitors think you have?

Opportunities

Your opportunities are the positive, external factors that your business might benefit from… but cannot directly control. That might include market opportunities, consumer purchasing trends, legal or regulatory changes, population changes, the cost of raw materials, and more. For example, businesses that provide accessibility for aging seniors might recognize the forthcoming “silver tsunami” of Baby Boomers entering the target demographic. This would be a clear opportunity to expand their customer base.

Questions to help you determine your opportunities:

  • What trends might affect your industry?
  • How might the right talent create new opportunities?
  • your customers ask for anything you don’t offer (but could)?
  • How might population changes affect your business opportunities? (think: generational shifts)
  • Is there a need in the industry that you’re not creating, but could?
  • Do your competitors have any weaknesses that could be opportunities for you?
  • Is there a way to repackage current products to demand a higher price?
  • Are there any new, or potential, regulatory or tax changes that might provide a new opportunity?

Your threats are the external factors that have the potential to negatively affect your business. A threat can be specific and competitor-based or more structural. buy clomid online buy clomid online no prescription Examples of structural threats could be supply chain challenges, shifts in market requirements, talent shortages, or changes to social media algorithms (especially if your business heavily relies on social media marketing). You might also face a threat (or threats) from your competitors. This can include the way they operate, how they’re marketing, or the products they offer.

Identifying every external threat your business faces is essential for your business to identify how it must adapt in order to meet and overcome these challenges.

Questions to help you determine threats:

  • What happens if a supplier or manufacturer runs out of materials you use?
  • What if a natural disaster (like a pandemic) strikes? buy amitriptyline online buy amitriptyline online no prescription
  • Is your market shrinking?
  • What are your competitors offering? Are they expanding or offering different products?
  • How are your competitors marketing?
  • What technological threats are you vulnerable to (website security, social media algorithm changes)?
  • Are there any businesses that aren’t competitors now but could become competitors in the future?

The Benefits of a SWOT Analysis

SWOT analyses offer a variety of benefits for businesses and personal brands. Here are some of the most common benefits of a SWOT analysis:

  • You can use it to determine a strategic plan.
  • You can use it to drive an innovative, informed marketing plan.
  • It can help you identify external opportunities.
  • It can help you identify external threats.
  • It can reveal environmental factors that might affect your business, either positively or negatively.
  • You can develop a plan for how to tackle internal weaknesses.

How to Do a SWOT Analysis

You can approach SWOT analyses in multiple ways. You can conduct a personal SWOT analysis for yourself as an individual, you can perform a marketing SWOT analysis to determine a competitive advantage in your marketing , or you can use a SWOT analysis as a part of broader strategic planning.

Whatever your end goal for a SWOT analysis, follow these steps.

1. Create a SWOT Matrix

Use a SWOT template or create your own. You can create your SWOT framework on the computer or on a whiteboard—if you choose to do the latter, be sure that someone is in charge of recording the responses so that you don’t lose key insights (you can also take a picture at the end of the SWOT session).

2. Assemble Key Stakeholders

A SWOT analysis is most effective when it collects a variety of perspectives. Gathering key stakeholders with various perspectives will help you see more than you would have seen alone. Marketing leaders might be able to give you a more specific sense of the opportunities and threats related to your content marketing efforts. Your people team is closest to all personnel changes and feedback, so they’ll have the clearest sense of an organization’s strengths and what is driving employee retention (or challenging it). Sales leaders can help translate opportunities into a cohesive business strategy.

It’s simple: when it comes to a SWOT analysis, more heads are better than one.

3. Brainstorm Around Your Companies’ Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats

Go through each field of the SWOT diagram, spending some time with each one. Ask the group the guiding questions to ensure you’re developing a comprehensive picture of the internal and external environment. There are no bad ideas in brainstorming. You’re just trying to get thoughts flowing. Something that feels like a “bad idea” might lead to discovering a potential threat you’d never thought of before or nuanced analysis of how you stack up to your nearest competitor. The key here is to keep the brainstorm going.

4. Record Relevant Thoughts in Their Respective Sections

As you brainstorm, record points and ideas when they are relevant. At the end of the session, your SWOT analysis should leave you with a clear sense of the organization’s strengths and company’s weaknesses that you can use to guide your strategy formulation.

5. Edit Your List

Revisit the SWOT diagram at a later time and edit it, culling out anything you don’t really need. You can also polish up some of the key insights gleaned in the brainstorming session. This is especially important if you plan to use your SWOT analysis as a more formal document that might be disseminated broadly.

6. Create a More Formal Version (Optional)

The final step, if you choose to do it, is to take your SWOT takeaways and put them together in a polished document that you can share.

A SWOT Analysis Example

It can be easier to understand how to approach a SWOT analysis if you’ve seen a SWOT analysis example. For the sake of this example, we will imagine a hypothetical company and what its SWOT analysis might look like.

The Business

An Instagram-friendly fitness business offering virtual workouts.

  • The business is not limited to a specific geographic area.
  • The company offers great benefits so employees tend to stay.
  • Workouts look really good, so they market well on social media (particularly Instagram).
  • The app experience can be glitchy.
  • High customer churn rate.
  • Competitors let you filter classes by the instructor. Ours doesn’t offer that.
  • There is growing interest in our type of workout.
  • As a result of the pandemic, consumers are more interested in at-home workouts.
  • We could start offering retail products and branded workout equipment like our competitors do.
  • Our app is vulnerable to hacking.
  • If Instagram changes its algorithm, we may become wholly dependent on paid ads instead of organic posts.

A SWOT Analysis Template

Use this template to create your own SWOT analysis.

Strengths Section: What Your Company Does Well

Weaknesses section: what your company could improve, opportunities section: external factors you could use to your advantage, threats section: external factors that could harm your business, owning the hard truths of a swot analysis.

A SWOT analysis can bring up a lot of hard truths. It’s difficult to confront your company’s weaknesses and sometimes looking at threats can make them feel like the existential kind. Overcome these obstacles and give yourself the fortitude to confront business challenges head on with the Mental Toughness mini-course. The best part? It’s free.

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About Mary Kate Miller

Mary Kate Miller writes about small business, real estate, and finance. In addition to writing for Foundr, her work has been published by The Washington Post, Teen Vogue, Bustle, and more. She lives in Chicago.

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  • Section 14. SWOT Analysis: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats

Chapter 3 Sections

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  • Section 22. Using Small Area Analysis to Uncover Disparities
  • Section 23. Developing and Using Criteria and Processes to Set Priorities
  • Section 24. Arranging Assessments That Span Jurisdictions
  • Main Section

Change is an inevitable part of community organizing. If you know how to take stock of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, you are more likely to plan and act effectively.

SWOT provides a tool to explore both internal and external factors that may influence your work.

What is a SWOT analysis and why should you use one?

SWOT stands for:  S trength,  W eakness,  O pportunity,  T hreat. A SWOT analysis guides you to identify your organization’s strengths and weaknesses (S-W), as well as broader opportunities and threats (O-T). Developing a fuller awareness of the situation helps with both strategic planning and decision-making.

The SWOT method was originally developed for business and industry, but it is equally useful in the work of community health and development, education, and even for personal growth.

SWOT is not the only assessment technique you can use. Compare it with  other assessment tools in the Community Tool Box  to determine if this is the right approach for your situation. The strengths of this method are its simplicity and application to a variety of levels of operation.

When do you use SWOT?

A SWOT analysis can offer helpful perspectives at any stage of an effort. You might use it to:

  • Explore possibilities for new efforts or solutions to problems.
  • Make decisions about the best path for your initiative. Identifying your opportunities for success in context of threats to success can clarify directions and choices.
  • Determine where change is possible. If you are at a juncture or turning point, an inventory of your strengths and weaknesses can reveal priorities as well as possibilities.
  • Adjust and refine plans mid-course. A new opportunity might open wider avenues, while a new threat could close a path that once existed.

SWOT also offers a simple way of communicating about your initiative or program and an excellent way to organize information you've gathered from studies or surveys.

What are the elements of a SWOT analysis?

A SWOT analysis focuses on Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. 

Remember that the purpose of performing a SWOT is to reveal positive forces that work together and potential problems that need to be recognized and possibly addressed. 

We will discuss the process of creating the analysis below, but first here are a few sample layouts for your SWOT analysis.

Ask participants to answer these simple questions: what are the strengths and weaknesses of your group, community, or effort, and what are the opportunities and threats facing it?

If a looser structure helps you brainstorm, you can group positives and negatives to think broadly about your organization and its external environment.

Below is a third option for structuring your SWOT analysis, which may be appropriate for a larger initiative that requires detailed planning. This "TOWS Matrix" is adapted from Fred David's Strategic Management text. 

David gives an example for Campbell Soup Company that stresses financial goals, but it also illustrates how you can pair the items within a SWOT grid to develop strategies. (This version of the chart is abbreviated.)

This example also illustrates how threats can become opportunities (and vice versa). The limitation of tin cans (which aren't biodegradable) creates an opportunity for leadership in developing biodegradable containers. There are several formats you can use to do a SWOT analysis, including a basic SWOT form that you can use to prompt analysis, but whatever format you use, don't be surprised if your strengths and weaknesses don't precisely match up to your opportunities and threats. You might need to refine, or you might need to simply look at the facts longer, or from a different angle. Your chart, list or table will certainly reveal patterns.

Listing Your Internal Factors: Strengths and Weaknesses (S, W)

Internal factors include your resources and experiences. General areas to consider:

  • Human resources - staff, volunteers, board members, target population
  • Physical resources - your location, building, equipment 
  • Financial - grants, funding agencies, other sources of income
  • Activities and processes - programs you run, systems you employ
  • Past experiences - building blocks for learning and success, your reputation in the community

Don't be too modest when listing your strengths. If you're having difficulty naming them, start by simply listing your characteristics (e.g.., we're small, we're connected to the neighborhood). Some of these will probably be strengths.

Although the strengths and weakness of your organization are your internal qualities, don't overlook the perspective of people outside your group. Identify strengths and weaknesses from both your own point of view and that of others, including those you serve or deal with. Do others see problems--or assets--that you don't?

How do you get information about how outsiders perceive your strengths and weaknesses? You may know already if you've listened to those you serve. If not, this might be the time to gather that type of information. See related sections for ideas on conducting focus groups , user surveys , and listening sessions .

Listing External Factors: Opportunities and Threats (O, T)

Cast a wide net for the external part of the assessment. No organization, group, program, or neighborhood is immune to outside events and forces. Consider your connectedness, for better and worse, as you compile this part of your SWOT list.

Forces and facts that your group does not control include:

  • Future trends in your field or the culture
  • The economy - local, national, or international
  • Funding sources - foundations, donors, legislatures
  • Demographics - changes in the age, race, gender, culture of those you serve or in your area
  • The physical environment (Is your building in a growing part of town? Is the bus company cutting routes?)
  • Legislation (Do new federal requirements make your job harder...or easier?)
  • Local, national or international events

How do you create a SWOT analysis?

Who develops the swot.

The most common users of a SWOT analysis are team members and project managers who are responsible for decision-making and strategic planning.

But don't overlook anyone in the creation stage!

An individual or small group can develop a SWOT analysis, but it will be more effective if you take advantage of many stakeholders. Each person or group offers a different perspective on the strengths and weaknesses of your program and has different experiences of both.

Likewise, one staff member, or volunteer or stakeholder may have information about an opportunity or threat that is essential to understanding your position and determining your future.

When and where do you develop a SWOT analysis?

A SWOT analysis is often created during a retreat or planning session that allows several hours for brainstorming and analysis. The best results come when the process is collaborative and inclusive.

When creating the analysis, people are asked to pool their individual and shared knowledge and experience. The more relaxed, friendly and constructive the setting, the more truthful, comprehensive, insightful, and useful your analysis will be.

How do you develop a SWOT analysis?

Steps for conducting a SWOT analysis:

  • Designate a leader or group facilitator who has good listening and group process skills, and who can keep things moving and on track.
  • Designate a recorder to back up the leader if your group is large. Use newsprint on a flip chart or a large board to record the analysis and discussion points. You can record later in a more polished fashion to share with stakeholders and to update.
  • Introduce the SWOT method and its purpose in your organization. This can be as simple as asking, "Where are we, where can we go?" If you have time, you could run through a quick example based on a shared experience or well-known public issue.
  • The size of these depends on the size of your entire group – breakout groups can range from three to ten. If the size gets much larger, some members may not participate.
  • Give the groups 20-30 minutes to brainstorm and fill out their own strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats chart for your program, initiative or effort. Encourage them not to rule out any ideas at this stage, or the next.
  • Remind groups that the way to have a good idea is to have lots of ideas. Refinement can come later. In this way, the SWOT analysis also supports valuable discussion within your group or organization as you honestly assess.
  • It helps to generate lots of comments about your organization and your program, and even to put them in multiple categories if that provokes thought.
  • Once a list has been generated, it helps to refine it to the best 10 or fewer points so that the analysis can be truly helpful.
  • Proceed in S-W-O-T order, recording strengths first, weaknesses second, etc.
  • Or you can begin by calling for the top priorities in each category -the strongest strength, most dangerous weakness, biggest opportunity, worst threat--and continue to work across each category.
  • Ask one group at a time to report ("Group A, what do you see as strengths?") You can vary which group begins the report so a certain group isn't always left "bringing up the end" and repeating points made by others. ("Group B, let's start with you for weaknesses.")
  • Or, you can open the floor to all groups ("What strengths have you noted?") for each category until all have contributed what they think is needed.
  • Come to some consensus about the most important items in each category
  • Relate the analysis to your vision, mission, and goals
  • Translate the analysis to action plans and strategies
  • If appropriate, prepare a written summary of the SWOT analysis to share with participants for continued use in planning and implementation.

More ideas on conducting successful meetings can be found in Community Tool Box resources on  conducting public forums and listening sessions , conducting focus groups , and  organizing a retreat .

How do you use your SWOT analysis?

Better understanding the factors affecting your initiative put you in a better position for action. This understanding helps as you:

  • Identify the issues or problems you intend to change
  • Set or reaffirm goals
  • Create an action plan

As you consider your analysis, be open to the possibilities that exist within a weakness or threat. Likewise, recognize that an opportunity can become a threat if everyone else sees the opportunity and plans to take advantage of it as well, thereby increasing your competition.

Finally, during your assessment and planning, you might keep an image in mind to help you make the most of a SWOT analysis: Look for a "stretch," not just a "fit." As Radha Balamuralikrishna and John C. Dugger of Iowa State University point out, SWOT usually reflects your current position or situation. Therefore one drawback is that it might not encourage openness to new possibilities. You can use SWOT to justify a course that has already been decided upon, but if your goal is to grow or improve, you will want to keep this in mind.

A realistic recognition of the weaknesses and threats that exist for your effort is the first step to countering them with a robust set of strategies that build upon strengths and opportunities. A SWOT analysis identifies your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to assist you in making strategic plans and decisions.

Online Resources

Coalition Vision, Mission, and Goals defines SWOT Analysis, coalition vision and mission statements, and goals and strategies.

The Essential Guide to SWOT Analysis from Jackson Hille, content associate for FormSwift, a SF-based startup that helps organizations, entrepreneurs, and businesses go paperless.

Mind Tools: SWOT Analysis  provides a quick overview of SWOT

Quality Guide: SWOT Analysis  is a helpful guide from Management Sciences for Health and United Nations Children's Fund.

Print Resources

David, F. (1993). Strategic Management , 4th Ed. New York, NY: Macmillan Publishing Company. 

Jones, B. (1990). Neighborhood Planning: A Guide for Citizens and Planners . Chicago and Washington, DC: Planners Press, American Planning Association.

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SWOT Analysis

SWOT Analysis

Subject: Business and finance

Age range: 14-16

Resource type: Lesson (complete)

bridgebilton

Last updated

14 June 2016

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Home » Blog » Free Training Games & Activities » SWOT Analysis Classroom Activity

SWOT Analysis Classroom Activity

Page Updated on February 16, 2024

The latest free training activity we have for you here is the SWOT analysis activit y. Please feel free to use this in your lesson and training plans.

You might already be familiar with the idea of SMART Goals , which are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound goals. One of the points of the SMART goals is ‘A’ for achievable.

SMARTER goals diagram

In theory, you should be able to achieve any dream you want. But alas, in practice it does not work like that.

Some dreams may not be achievable at all. For example, to become the first dancer of the Bolshoi ballet (one of the most important ballet companies in the world) is not achievable if you, for example, are in your forties and have never danced in your life.

You are still free to dream, of course, but your dream is unlikely to become a reality.

Unlike dreams, goals need to be achievable and there is a tool that can help you analyze your chances of achieving a goal and how to maximize these chances.

This is the SWOT analysis, another tool from the world of business that can also be very useful in your personal life.

Page Contents

Activity Time

10 to 15 minutes is a perfect amount of time for this activity.

At first, start this activity by only showing the title and the diagram but without words, to your participants.

SWOT analysis game for training

Has anyone of you heard of the SWOT analysis? What does SWOT stand for?

Wait for their answers. Then show the titles of each list.

SWOT stands for:

  • Opportunities

Activity Q&A

1. strengths q&a.

Ask the participants as a group, What are strengths in SWOT analysis?

Wait for their answers and allow some time for class discussion around this question.

Then click to reveal the first list.

SWOT personal strengths

These can be:

  • the abilities and skills you have
  • previous experiences that can be useful for achieving your goal
  • your knowledge of the topic and any other resources such as money, technologies, instruments, the time you already have.

2. Weakness Q&A

What are the weaknesses?

Wait for their answers and then click to reveal the second list.

SWOT weaknesses

Weaknesses are the opposite of strengths, such as things or skills you lack, contacts you need to make or other limitations. Listing your weaknesses is not meant to discourage you.

On the contrary, you list what you are lacking so that you can plan how to acquire those skills or things that you need for achieving your goal.

Click to reveal the writing at the top.

Strengths and weaknesses are down to you. They relate to what you as an individual either have or need to get.

3. Strengths and Weaknesses Q&A

What are opportunities?

Wait for their answers and then click to reveal the third list.

SWOT opportunities

Opportunities are situations in the environment around you that can be positive for achieving your goal. You can identify, grab or create opportunities.

For example, an opportunity can be a positive trend; support that is available for you to access; networking channels to tap into; available training, or new technologies that are being developed that could help you.

4. Threats Q&A

Ask the participants ‘What are threats?’.

Wait for their answers and then click to reveal the fourth list.

SWOT analysis activity for teachers

Threats are things that can be an obstacle for you in achieving your goal.

The idea is that you identify threats so you can find ways to overcome them. If threats cannot be overcome, can you at least prepare to minimize their impact?

Threats can be any type of obstacle, including risks to do, for example, with a change in the state of the economy (this can also be an opportunity, depending on the situation) or sudden changes in your circumstances.

Opportunities and threats are down to other people and to the environment around you. They are not under your control but you can plan to make the most out of them or deal with them.

If They Have a Workbook

Explain to your participants that now they need to put into practice the SWOT analysis for their SMARTER goal, which they might have set in a previous activity if you are teaching the concept of SMARTER goals in the same session.

They will find a SWOT analysis template to use in their workbook.

For this activity, participants can start working alone and then chat in pairs. Alternatively, they can start working in pairs straight away, as bouncing ideas off each other might help them with the exercise.

Allow 5 to 10 minutes for the activity and then another 5 minutes to share their thoughts with the class as a whole.

If You Are Teaching Online

Allocate participants in virtual breakout rooms for working in pairs.

They can use the chat facility or a virtual whiteboard if they want to write down and share notes in real time.

At the end of the pair discussion, bring all participants back together to the main room for a final summary of the activity.

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As an online business teacher, I think this is terrific! Thank you so much for providing well thought out lessons.

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Turning a SWOT Analysis into a Lesson Plan

Turning a SWOT Analysis into a Lesson Plan

In this blog, we explain how to use a SWOT analysis to inform your lesson plan when tutoring students, whether one-on-one or as an online tutor.

First, very quickly, here are a few tips we have for you when implementing a SWOT analysis with your student:

This is an enabling tool - it should not make the student feel bad about their weaknesses or challenges in anyway, but rather, these challenges should be viewed in light of the strengths and opportunities the student has to address them. When implementing this tool, attempt to maintain a positive and encouraging attitude (this is not to say that weaknesses and challenges should not be adequately highlighted, it is important that the student is aware of where they are struggling academically, but in a way that allows for a feeling of empowerment and ability to address these needs)

To make the student feel more comfortable, we would suggest you bring along the SWOT analysis you did on yourself, use this as an example. This may also allow the student to feel they know you a little better and can more easily relate to you as a tutor

Guide the student through the analysis, but do not instruct or “talk at” them; this tool should be a guide for them to predominantly figure out for themselves what their strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities are. You are there to assist them toward this self-realisation - you can do this by asking them guiding questions, using your SWOT analysis as a reference and encouraging them to think outside the box"

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  • Lesson Plans

SWOT Analysis ESL Lesson Plan [Free PDF]

  • Posted by by ESL Questions About
  • 2 weeks ago

Table of Contents

Introduction

The SWOT Analysis ESL Lesson Plan is designed to introduce students to the essential business concept of SWOT analysis, focusing on strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. This lesson plan aims to help students develop their English language skills while familiarizing them with important business vocabulary and concepts. Understanding SWOT analysis is crucial for students who are pursuing careers in business or related fields, making this topic highly relevant and beneficial for ESL learning. Through this lesson, students will not only enhance their language proficiency but also gain valuable insight into strategic planning and critical thinking within the context of business management.

Vocabulary Building

Contextual usage.

1. The students conducted a SWOT analysis to assess the company’s position in the market. 2. The strengths of our company lie in its innovative product range and strong brand reputation. 3. Our main weakness is the lack of diversification in our revenue streams. 4. The emergence of new international markets presents lucrative opportunities for expansion. 5. Economic instability poses a significant threat to our supply chain and distribution network strategy.

ESL Warm-up Activity

To kickstart the SWOT analysis ESL lesson plan, initiate a group brainstorming session. Divide the class into smaller groups and provide each group with a different company or organization to analyze. Encourage students to identify and write down the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats they perceive within their assigned entity. Prompt them to think critically and use relevant business vocabulary during this activity. Afterward, each group can present their findings to the class for discussion and feedback.

Main ESL Lesson Activities

Activity 1: vocabulary building – group discussion.

Divide the class into groups and assign each group a specific industry or company. Ask them to brainstorm and identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats for their assigned entity using relevant business vocabulary. Each group will present their SWOT analysis to the class. This activity encourages students to engage in discussions while applying newly acquired vocabulary.

Activity 2: Roleplay – Pair Work

Provide scenarios related to business situations involving SWOT analysis. Students work in pairs, with one student playing the role of a business consultant conducting a SWOT analysis for a client company, while the other portrays a company representative seeking assistance. This interactive roleplay enhances comprehension and application of SWOT concepts in realistic scenarios.

Activity 3: Reading and Writing – Hands-on Exercise

Distribute case studies or articles on real-life examples of successful or unsuccessful implementation of SWOT analyses by companies. Students read the material independently and then complete written exercises where they identify key points from the case study and draft their own SWOT analyses based on the provided information.

These activities offer diverse opportunities for students to engage in collaborative learning through discussions, pair work, hands-on exercises, and practical applications of language skills within relevant business contexts.

ESL Homework Assignment

Assign the following tasks to reinforce the SWOT Analysis ESL lesson plan: 1. Task students with conducting a SWOT analysis for a local business or organization of their choice. They should present their findings in the next class. 2. Ask students to research and write a short essay discussing how businesses can leverage their strengths to overcome potential threats identified in a SWOT analysis. 3. Have students prepare a presentation on successful strategies implemented by companies based on opportunities identified through a SWOT analysis.

These assignments provide practical application of the lesson content, encouraging independent research, critical thinking, and oral presentation skills.

In conclusion, the SWOT Analysis ESL Lesson Plan has provided students with a comprehensive understanding of this important business concept. Throughout the lesson, students have learned to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats associated with a business or project. They have engaged in vocabulary building exercises, participated in interactive activities such as roleplay and group discussions, and applied their knowledge through reading and writing exercises.

Reflecting on this lesson, students can see how SWOT analysis is not only relevant to the field of business but also applicable to their language development. The strategic thinking skills developed during this lesson can be transferred to various aspects of their language learning journey—identifying strengths and weaknesses in their language abilities while exploring opportunities for improvement.

By mastering SWOT analysis concepts and incorporating business vocabulary into their English communication skills, students are better equipped to analyze situations critically and make informed decisions. This lesson has facilitated both language development and critical thinking skills essential for success in academic or professional contexts where strategic planning is required.

Why this topic is great for ESL learning

Enhancing language skills and vocabulary.

The SWOT Analysis ESL Lesson Plan offers a unique opportunity for ESL students to expand their language skills and vocabulary within a business context. By engaging with key terms related to strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, students not only broaden their business-related vocabulary but also improve their overall language proficiency.

Promoting Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving

SWOT analysis requires critical thinking skills as students analyze various factors that can impact a business or project. This lesson plan encourages students to think strategically, make connections, weigh pros and cons, and develop problem-solving abilities. These essential skills are transferrable across different academic disciplines as well as real-life scenarios.

Applying Language Learning in Practical Situations

The SWOT Analysis ESL Lesson Plan provides an avenue for students to apply their language learning in practical situations. Through roleplays, discussions, case studies, and writing exercises centered around SWOT analysis in business contexts, learners have the opportunity to integrate their language skills with real-world applications.

Overall, the SWOT Analysis ESL Lesson Plan offers a dynamic approach that combines language development with critical thinking and strategic planning. It equips students with valuable skills applicable to various professional fields while expanding their vocabulary range within a specific industry context.

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  1. SWOT Analysis Lesson Plan

    This lesson plan will help your students understand SWOT analysis and how to apply it to real companies and imaginary scenarios using a video lesson, discussion, quiz, activity, and...

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  3. SWOT Analysis Classroom Activity Guide

    Step-by-Step Guide: Introduction to SWOT Analysis: Begin the activity by explaining the concept of SWOT analysis to the students. Briefly describe what each component represents: Strengths: Internal factors that give an advantage. Weaknesses: Internal factors that hinder progress.

  4. What Is A SWOT Analysis? An Explanation With Examples

    A SWOT analysis is a high-level strategic planning model that helps organizations identify where they're doing well and where they can improve, both from an internal and an external perspective. SWOT is an acronym for "Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats."

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    Summary A SWOT analysis helps you identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats for a specific project or your overall business plan. It's used for strategic planning and to stay ahead of market trends. Below, we describe each part of the SWOT framework and show you how to conduct your own.

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    SWOT Analysis is a useful technique that helps you do this. What makes SWOT especially powerful is that, with a little thought, it can help you uncover opportunities that you would not otherwise have spotted. And by understanding your weaknesses, you can manage and eliminate threats that might otherwise hurt your ability to move forward.

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    SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats, and so a SWOT analysis is a technique for assessing these four aspects of your business. SWOT Analysis is a tool that can help you to analyze what your company does best now, and to devise a successful strategy for the future. SWOT can also uncover areas of the business that are ...

  8. Teaching Strategy: SWOT Analysis

    How it Works Divide students into groups. Or choose to keep the whole class together. Distribute a blank SWOT diagram each group. Or have students create a large version on the board or on chart paper. (Note: If you use a large diagram on the board, have students write their ideas on sticky notes. These allow you to move ideas between boxes.

  9. SWOT Analysis: Definition, Examples, and Step-by-Step Guide

    A SWOT analysis can help a small business owner or business assess a company's position to determine the most optimal strategy going forward. This business practice can help you identify what you're doing well, what you want to do better, and what kinds of obstacles you might encounter along the way. This guide will walk.

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    Show how your SWOT analysis reflects your achievements, challenges, plans, and actions. Report it to those who can monitor or evaluate your learning and development. Add your perspective

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    Online Resources. Coalition Vision, Mission, and Goals defines SWOT Analysis, coalition vision and mission statements, and goals and strategies.. The Essential Guide to SWOT Analysis from Jackson Hille, content associate for FormSwift, a SF-based startup that helps organizations, entrepreneurs, and businesses go paperless.. Mind Tools: SWOT Analysis provides a quick overview of SWOT

  12. SWOT Analysis

    pptx, 1.15 MB. doc, 28 KB. docx, 29.93 KB. docx, 73.35 KB. docx, 60.73 KB. Feedback welcome... I am on my GTP year and am grateful of all feedback. Report this resource to let us know if it violates our terms and conditions. Our customer service team will review your report and will be in touch.

  13. Free SWOT Analysis Training Activity

    SWOT Analysis Classroom Activity. The latest free training activity we have for you here is the y. Please feel free to use this in your lesson and training plans. You might already be familiar with the idea of , which are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound goals. One of the points of the SMART goals is 'A' for ...

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    SWOT Analysis: Lesson Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunites and Threats (SWOT). SWOT analysis is a tool for auditing an organization and its environment. It is the first stage of planning and helps marketers to focus on key issues. SWOT stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Strengths and weaknesses are internal factors.

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  16. Turning a SWOT Analysis into a Lesson Plan

    Turning a SWOT Analysis into a Lesson Plan In this blog, we explain how to use a SWOT analysis to inform your lesson plan when tutoring students, whether one-on-one or as an online tutor. First, very quickly, here are a few tips we have for you when implementing a SWOT analysis with your student:

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    swot analysis Clear All Sort By: Relevance + Lesson Plan Curated OER SWOT Teams: Analyzing the Political Parties for the 2010 Midterm Elections For Teachers 6th - 12th What are political parties and what so strategists do? In this political analysis lesson, young scholars analyze political strategies to understand their strengths and weaknesses.

  18. Lesson Plan SWOT Analysis.docx

    Instructional Content: 1. Go through PowerPoint and explain biases, proper ways investors evaluate a company, and SWOT Analysis; Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. Have students take notes while I go through and explain. (15 minutes) 2. Go through and do a sample SWOT Analysis with Costco showing the different quadrants of SWOT.

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    1. identify various forces/elements of the firm's environment 2. summarize these forces using SWOT analysis framework 3. Subject Matter: Organization and Management Topic: SWOT ANALYSIS References:http.//distance.mgt.educ/uploads/doc/samples/management-theoryand practice_a Book.pdf, Organization and Management textbook