Title: TASK: Do a SWOT analysis
Course: Project week - Leuphana-Copy > Section: Day 3

For this task you will perform a so-called SWOT analysis. Before you proceed, take some time to learn what this is. Below is an introduction. Discuss any questions you might have with your classmates and teacher.

[fa-glyphicon-plus] What is a SWOT analysis?

Introduction

SWOT stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. A SWOT analysis is an organizational exercise that helps planners to identify the strengths and weaknesses as well as opportunities and threats that will support or prevent the success of a plan or project. In business and economics, SWOT analyses are often performed to assess the potential of a company or the success of a business idea. It is also useful for community energy planning.

Components

These are the components of a SWOT analysis:

Strengths. Existing resources that can be used to meet the goals of the community energy plan (for example, stable funding, a system that monitors power use and carbon dioxide emissions, designated areas for power plants, etc.)

Weaknesses. Existing barriers or challenges that must be overcome to meet the goals of the community energy plan (for example, slow bureaucratic procedures, insufficient funding, insufficient technology for electricity storage, laws and regulations, etc.)

Opportunities. External influences that could support the plan in the future, i.e. they are visible on the horizon and are less easy to assess or measure (for example, future trends, conditions, or events that can be exploited to support the success of the plan like political initiatives, rapidly dropping prices for renewable energy technologies, expected government funding and subsidies, etc.).

Threats. External challenges or risks for the plan’s future, i.e. they are visible on the horizon and less easy to assess or measure (for example, reduction of government support for renewable energy sources, changing political climate or competition with other political issues, etc.).

Procedure

The first step of a SWOT analysis is to analyze your project/idea/approach with regard to these four areas. Once this is done, these four areas must be compared and assessed. Important questions to ask include:

- How can strengths be used?
- How can weaknesses be stopped?
- How can opportunities be exploited?
- How can threats be defended against?

Third, based on how these questions are answered, guidelines or strategies for a plan can be formulated that will systematically guide future actions.

Summary

Look at this video about doing a SWOT analysis to learn more about it: https://youtu.be/goxMsPCs_z0

Before you start, review your assigned work unit in your expert group, or complete this using the project plan template if you have not done this already.  You will do a SWOT analysis for your work unit, i.e. the goal and proposed actions or measures that belong to your work unit.

1. SWOT analysis: Focus on strengths and weaknesses

Form two groups: Group 1 will look at strengths, group 2 will look at weaknessess. Begin by filling in the relevant strengths, or weaknesses respectively. Start from the following resources:

- renewable energy technology sheets
- documents on air, health, and water impacts and financial costs
- the mayor’s letter
- your city’s community and energy profiles
- relevant best practice case studies
- if necessary, other information online

[fa-pencil] Use the SWOT template in the handout (see link below).

2. SWOT analysis: Focus on opportunities and threats

Now, do the same for opportunities (Group 1) and threats (Group 2). Use the same resources as above. (Note that opportunities and threats concern the future of your work package like potential changes in technology, pricing, public perception, policies and so on.)

3. SWOT analysis: Exchanging findings

Groups 1 and 2, brief each other on your results and complete the SWOT chart with your partners’ findings. Based on your analysis, decide on at least three measures or strategies to be implemented as a result of your work package.

4. SWOT analysis: Evaluate your findings

Finally, evaluate your results and make changes to your original work packages if necessary:

- What are the biggest opportunities and the biggest threats connected to a successful execution of your work package?
- Do strengths and opportunities outweigh weaknesses and threats?
- How can strengths be used? How can weaknesses be stopped? How can opportunities be exploited? How can threats be defended against?

[fa-comments-o] You can discuss your results with othern groups in the Course Forum.

[fa-pencil] You can also share a summary in the Project Journal.