SWOT Analysis

How to use

SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. Although SWOT analysis originated in the business sector (see, for example, Hill and Westbrook, 1997), it is a flexible tool that is used widely across health and social care to aid decision making and problem solving, and to help steer organisations through periods of change.

The purpose of a SWOT analysis is ultimately to assess, on balance, whether an objective is achievable. It can be used to support strategic planning as well as the management of smaller-scale, local issues. Crucially, it helps to develop your contextual awareness by encouraging you to think about the strengths and weaknesses of your situation, while attending to any opportunities and threats that may exist.

At the simplest level, the results of SWOT analyses are presented in a basic grid system, comprising four sections, one for each of the headings:

This basic grid can be developed to differentiate internal and external factors: distinguishing between internal strengths and weaknesses and external opportunities and threats. Whether you use the most basic grid or explore the distinctions between internal and external factors, for the most effective use of SWOT you should involve your team fully in identifying what they feel should be in each quadrant.

While the popularity and widespread use of SWOT is linked to its simplicity, there is a danger that it leads managers to adopt a somewhat simplistic, list-making approach, which fails to get to the heart of complex issues. SWOT analysis is therefore a key tool for developing goal awareness and contextual awareness – understanding what factors may support or undermine you reaching a particular goal – but you must also engage critically with what you discover. Valerie Iles (2006), an expert in healthcare management, suggests that SWOT can be more effective when followed up with critical questions about the issues that have been identified.

So, once you have completed your grid, you need to address the information gathered to help you take a more nuanced and strategic approach when dealing with the issues that have been identified. This is the approach we adopted in designing this tool. By addressing the key critical questions we have identified, you will arrive at an action plan to improve your chances of success.

References

Hill, T. and Westbrook, R (1997) ‘SWOT analysis: it’s time for a product recall’, Long Range Planning, vol. 30, no. 1, pp. 46–52.

Tilley, L. and Jones, R.L. (2013) ‘Managing change in health and social care’, in McKian, S. and Simons, J. (eds) Leading, Managing, Caring: Understanding Leadership and Management in Health and Social Care, London, Routledge.