4 Completing the SWOT analysis

Now that you understand the sections in the SWOT Analysis Template, it’s time to go ahead and complete it! It is important to have a clear objective for developing your SWOT analysis, and its content will vary significantly according to the question(s) you want to answer. Use the tips below to help you construct an effective SWOT analysis.

  • Do not overestimate the strengths or underestimate the weaknesses of your project. Be realistic in your analysis.
  • Be prepared with all the relevant facts and figures.
  • Get input from other people.
  • Focus on the current situation and what you know rather than what you want the project to become.
  • Prioritise facts over opinions.
  • Only include information that is relevant to your decision making.
  • Use your competitors or similar organisations in your sector as a benchmark to assess your internal factors against.
  • Keep your SWOT analysis short and simple – avoid unnecessary complexities.
  • Use no more than ten factors for each section.

3.2 Opportunities and threats

5 Using the SWOT analysis for decision making