15 Free SWOT analysis templates you can edit
Summary/Overview
SWOT — which stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats — is a framework used to analyze what a business is doing right or wrong and what could be improved upon or altered to make the business better staffed and better organized. SWOT analysis is helpful as a guide when applied strategically to real-life situations, and relies on a diversity of perspectives, experiences, and opinions.
What is SWOT analysis?
SWOT was originally created to analyze businesses in the corporate world. Its utility has now been made clear as a business tool that can be applied to many different situations; SWOT can be helpful for restaurant teams, non-profit structures, governmental bodies, and for individual quandaries on a person-to-person level.
Though seemingly self-explanatory, each of the four elements of a SWOT analysis chart have their own power in determining a situation.
- Strengths
- Strengths apply to what an organization excels at, where its talent lies, and what separates it from its competitors.
- Weaknesses
- Weaknesses are what prevents an organization from accessing those strengths or performing at its highest possible level.
- Opportunities
- Opportunities can refer to external factors that would enable an organization to develop a competitive advantage or sector of specialization that would distinguish them in their field.
- Threats
- Threats are both internal and external factors that could potentially harm an organization, affect its workflow or product output negatively, or hurt its workforce.
Creating a SWOT analysis diagram
A SWOT analysis diagram can be created a few different ways. If you’d like to be more DIY, you could take the central components and animate them in a Powerpoint-style presentation or pitch deck on your own. If you’d rather leave the labor to us, within minutes you could be leveraging a free SWOT template from Adobe Express to organize your workplace analysis and thoughts on your organization.
Every SWOT analysis diagram is usually comprised of four quadrants that designate the positive and negative aspects of a department, situation, proposal, or quandary. A SWOT table is typically structured with the internal items — strengths and weaknesses — laid out at the top or on the left side, with the external items — opportunities and threats — laid out on the bottom or on the right side. With that being said, you can also play with form and structure to see what works best for you and your team.
Using SWOT analysis effectively to communicate business needs and risks
SWOT analysis is first and foremost a business tool that is specifically focused on extending the longevity of an organization. These diagrams were created for anticipating issues in the workplace and brainstorming how best to work through them.
SWOT is most helpful when used to address a specific issue. Is your company trying to break into new markets, choose which team to fully fund for a new venture, or cut costs somewhere? Use any of these examples to start your first SWOT diagram to see what floats to the top of your brainstorming and analysis sessions.
How to present a SWOT chart as a communication tool for management or to influence product/business decisions
- Look for the holes.
- Examine your company or organization thoroughly; no one is perfection, and there can always be areas of improvement. These areas can be where you being your SWOT analysis.
- Follow the money.
- The bottom line is typically a workplace’s main motivating factor. Show your managerial staff how SWOT analysis can save money or develop additional resources for your company.
- Growth is the watchword.
- In order to extend a company’s lifespan, there needs to be a passion for growing the brand using thoughtful tools. SWOT analysis can shine a light on areas that can be diversified or supported in different ways, which can, in turn, lead to new opportunities for your employees and workplace overall.
