Guidance

SWOT: facilitation worksheet

Published 29 August 2024

This worksheet is for the user to adapt and fill in as needed – timings and wording are suggestions only and will need to be tailored to the user’s context. Read other Futures Toolkit resources.

Scoping question:   

Participants:

Time	Activity	Content	Notes
-	-	-	-
	Pre-workshop briefing	Ensure that those attending the workshop are familiar with the reports from any previous Seven Questions and Horizon Scanning work, and have given some thought to the environment you are working in. Alternatively, you could draw on existing trend analysis or horizon scanning materials.
-00:30	Set up	If face-to-face, you will need note pads, pens, screen. Make sure that you are able to pin flip charts up on a wall. Provide space for each group to work. If virtual, make sure that you have prepared your online whiteboard with the scenarios to be explored. You will need to be able to use breakout rooms in the video meeting package. Display the Scoping Question prominently. Prepare slides if using.	If you are working virtually, you may need an introduction to the online whiteboard before you start or send a short “how-to guide”.
00:00 (5 mins)	Introduction and agenda	Introduce the aims of the project. Explain how this workshop fits in with any wider futures process. Introduce the focus for the workshop – this could be a policy, strategy, issue, event or organisation. Then explain what people will do and what the outcomes will be. Share the agenda.	Agenda: 1. Introduction to SWOT. 2. Pre-workshop briefing. 3. Internal factors. 4. External factors. 5. Identifying inter-relationships
	Introduction to SWOT
00:05 (10 mins)	SWOT overview	SWOT helps you position your policy/strategy area in the realities of your organisation and environment. It is vital that participants take a measured view of these factors – neither too pessimistic nor too optimistic.	Slide with the SWOT matrix
00:15 (15 mins)	Pre-workshop briefing	Ask the group to identify the most interesting and challenging things they saw in the pre-workshop briefing.	Capture output on flip charts or the online whiteboard. Try to get a variety of views on different PESTLE factors
00:30 (30 mins)	Internal factors	Get one group to focus on Strengths and the other on Weaknesses – of the policies/strategies/issues in question. Encourage the group to be honest about Weaknesses. In plenary: are Strengths and Weaknesses just the opposite of each other?	In at least two groups. Each group should have their own flip chart paper or their own space on the online whiteboard with a template for SWOT. If you are looking at multiple policies/ strategies, you may need several SWOT tables and factor in more time. 20 mins then 10 mins in plenary
01:00 (30 mins)	External factors	Get one group to focus on Opportunities and the other on Threats – you are now thinking about the external environment and should draw on any horizon scanning/ trend analysis you have shared. Encourage the group to be positive about Opportunities. In plenary: are they just the opposite of each other?	In at least two groups. Each group should have their own flip chart paper or their own space on the online whiteboard with a template for SWOT. 20 mins then 10 mins in plenary
01:30 (30 mins)	Identify inter-relationships	Get one group to focus on exploiting strengths to seize Opportunities and mitigate Threats. And the other to focus on how Weaknesses may limit the Opportunities you can take and exacerbate Threats you may face. Encourage the group to be positive about Opportunities. In plenary: what are the critical issues?	In at least two groups. Each group should have their own flip chart paper or their own space on the online whiteboard. Draw links between S/W and O/T. 20 mins then 10 mins in plenary
02:00	Close	Thank you, questions and next steps	Remind participants how you will use the outputs