SWOT Analysis
  • A way to examine the internal (inside 
   your geoscience program) and external 
   factors (beyond your geoscience 
   program) that help or hinder your 
   program in achieving its goals.  
  • Keys to a successful SWOT analysis
    • use it in the context of a particular objective.
    • get input from a wide variety of 
     perspectives.  
         http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/departments/degree_programs/swot.html
     Do a SWOT analysis of your geoscience program using your 
     visualization and considering the three project strands 
    • Take a few minutes to think about the strengths                   Helpful            Harmful
     and weaknesses of your geoscience program, and                              
     external opportunities and threats.  
                                                               Internal    Strengths       Weaknesses
    • Using a Sharpie, write ONE point per sticky note 
    • If a team includes more than one campus or more 
     than one institution, use different color sticky notes 
     for different campuses / different institutions.   
    • Place each of your sticky notes into the appropriate     External  Opportunities        Threats
     SWOT space on the big post-it note.   
    • Note: all four quadrants are equally important 
    • Review and discuss to identify commonalities and 
     differences. 
     SWOT analysis: Next steps 
    • Use sticky dots to identify elements in your SWOT as               Helpful            Harmful
     they apply to the three project strands of the SAGE                          
     2YC project. Do any trends emerge? Are there any 
     additions to be made?                                      Internal    Strengths       Weaknesses
       • Supporting student success (red)
       • Broadening participation (blue)
       • Facilitating students professional pathways (yellow)
    • Scatter and look at other SWOTs. Then add other           External Opportunities         Threats
     sticky notes to your SWOT analysis if you want. 
    • Pair off in teams to share a focused set of 
     conclusions about how this analysis can or should 
     inform your action planning.