BUS602: Marketing Management

___ At your meeting or retreat, designate a leader or group facilitator

___ Designate a recorder if your group is large. Use newsprint on a flip chart or a large board to record the analysis and discussion points

___Introduce the SWOT method and its purpose in your organization

___Divide your stakeholders into smaller groups (of three to 10, depending on your size). Mix the small groups to get a range of perspectives, and give people a chance to introduce themselves

___Direct each group to designate a recorder, and provide each with newsprint or dry-erase board. Instruct them to create a SWOT analysis in the format you choose -a chart, columns, a matrix, or even a page for each quality

___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

___Reconvene the group to share results, recording on the flip-chart or board. Collect and organize the differing groups' ideas and perceptions by asking for results from one group at a time or by opening the floor to all groups. Use one of the following orders to record results:

• S-W-O-T order, recording strengths first, weaknesses second, etc.
• Top priority order for each category -the strongest strength, most dangerous weakness, biggest opportunity, worst threat

___Discuss insights, repeated items, and cross connections between categories -"This strength plays into that opportunity"

___Use the results to support your purpose for the meeting:

• Come to some consensus about 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 for participants to use in planning and implementing your effort