A SWOT analysis is a strategic planning tool used to identify and evaluate the internal Strengths and Weaknesses of an organization, as well as the external Opportunities and Threats it faces. This tool is widely used by successful organizations, including patient advocacy groups, during their strategic planning process. A SWOT analysis can seem daunting, especially for individuals who have never conducted one. To address this, we have previous broken it down into its parts. First, we discussed the internal factors (Strengths and Weaknesses). Last, we discussed external factors (Opportunities and Threats). This week, we will bring them all together to demonstrate how these factors work together to inform organizational strategies.
Example SWOT analysis:
The above picture provides an example of what a SWOT analysis might look like once the internal and external factors have been added. However, writing down observed internal and external factors, as shown above, is just the first step. These findings should be synthesized in order to develop strategies for the organization, which is why SWOT analyses are often part of a greater strategic planning effort.
Here is a guide to synthesizing all elements of a SWOT analysis, based on the above example:
- Identify Key Themes or Patterns.
- Questions to ask:
- What are some common themes or patterns that have emerged?
- What do these themes/patterns suggest about the organization’s internal and external environment?
- Example:
- Financial hardship is a concern. The organization is already struggling with limited resources and an economic downturn is likely to impact the number of grants approved and donations received in the future.
- The group has a knowledgeable team, who each have an extensive network of potential partners; given rapidly changing legislation and priorities in healthcare, and advancements in technology, this knowledge will be a strong benefit to the organization.
- Questions to ask:
- Develop Strengths-Opportunities Strategies.
- Develop strategies that leverage the organization’s strengths to capitalize on opportunities.
- Example:
- The organization should take advantage of their strong network and develop even more partnerships. Many patient advocacy groups, scientific groups, clinical research groups, media outlets, etc., are looking to collaborate. Collaborating can pool resources, increase their collective strength and/or influence, and bring more diverse perspectives.
- Develop Strengths-Threats Strategies.
- Develop strategies that leverage the organization’s strengths to mitigate potential threats.
- Example:
- The organization’s strong, passionate, and knowledgeable team will be an asset during the economic downturn, as they are likely to be resilient, adaptable, and resourceful. Strategies that foster and harness these attributes will help the organization mitigate the impact of the economic crisis. For example, add content to your website to illustrate your passion and knowledge base to your audience as well as potential collaborators.
- Develop Weaknesses-Opportunities Strategies.
- Develop strategies to address internal weaknesses in order capitalize on external opportunities.
- Example:
- The organization is currently struggling with limited financial resources. There are increasing opportunities to collaborate with other organizations. Given the financial state of the organization, the group should prioritize partnerships that will mutually benefit all parties, extend the organization’s reach to potential supporters, and create a larger pool of volunteers.
- Develop Weaknesses-Threats Strategies.
- Develop strategies to mitigate weaknesses and minimize the impact of external threats.
- Example:
- The organization should learn and develop tools/methods to measure the impact of their efforts. This is especially important to mitigate the threats of competing priorities in healthcare, as it would allow the organization to know how far-reaching, impactful, and cost-effective their current efforts are.
- Prioritize Strategies.
- It is important for organizations to prioritize potential strategies. Organizations may not be able to address certain weaknesses, for instance, based on other weaknesses or threats. Looking at the example SWOT analysis, the organization likely cannot address their over-reliance on volunteers based on the financial constraints already in place as well as the looming economic downturn. Therefore, other strategies, like the ones listed above, will likely take precedence.
- Create Action Plans.
- Once strategies have been prioritized, organizations should develop detailed plans for implementing each strategy. This includes outlining specific tasks, timelines, responsibilities, and resource allocations. It is important to ensure that action plans are realistic, achievable, and aligned with organizational objectives.
- For example, if the organization wanted to implement a strategy to maintain their volunteer engagement by recognizing/celebrating the work and achievements of their team, the action plan might include:
- Establishing what exactly the organization wants to recognize and celebrate. This could include volunteers going above and beyond, length of time with the organization or other milestones achieved, times when the team dedicates a lot of their time and effort, and more.
- Asking volunteers what they would value as tokens of appreciation. It is likely that each volunteer will have slightly different preferences – some will like quiet, individualized recognition like a thank-you card, some will value more public appreciation initiatives like Volunteer of the Month, and some may prefer appreciation in the form of gift cards or customized awards.
- Implementing regular recognition initiatives based on the above. The organization may want to implement a few recognition initiatives that accommodate the fact the preferences of their volunteers.
- Asking for feedback. The organization should regularly ask their volunteers for their feedback on these initiatives, including whether they find the initiatives valuable, if they feel more/less/equally committed to the organization now compared to before the initiatives, and if they have any suggestions for different recognition strategies.
- Monitor and Review.
- An organization should regularly review their SWOT analysis and monitor the progress of implemented strategies. This is why factors within the SWOT analysis as well as the strategies implemented should be measurable; it is impossible to know if a threat has been mitigated or a strategy is successful if it cannot be measured. Based on findings from this step, strategies can be refined to be even more effective.
- Using the example of an organization implementing a strategy to maintain their volunteer engagement by recognizing/celebrating the work and achievements of their team, some measures of effectiveness could include volunteer participation, satisfaction, and retention rates. If these rates are all high, it suggests that the recognition program(s) are successful in maintaining volunteer morale. If some of these rates are decreasing, the organization should investigate why that may be and adjust their strategy.
By bringing together the components of a SWOT analysis and developing related strategies, patient advocacy groups can leverage their strengths, address weaknesses, capitalize on opportunities, and mitigate threats to achieve sustainable growth and competitive advantage.
