Analysis, Goals and Action A SWOT analysis is easy to work with. SWOT 2.0 builds on the SWOT analysis and is really different at the same time. In addition to an analysis, it immediately yields concrete goals and a targeted action plan. I will share the lessons I learned here. You can download an extra eBook about SWOT 2.0 to learn more. The use of SWOT 2.0 is completely free. It is easy to work with, widely applicable and gives concrete results.

1. SWOT
or is there
something better?
Copyright © 2020 - SWOT 2.0 by Maarten van Walsem is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

2. Table of Contents
What can you do with this e-book? 04
Part 1: The SWOT experience 05
The power of SWOT 06
What are the main objections to the SWOT-analysis? 07
SWOT: What to do next? 08
SWOT: the negative outcome 08
SWOT: takes a lot of time 09
SWOT: too little incitement to action 10
SWOT: often lacking energy and enthusiasm 10
How can the SWOT analysis be improved? 11
2
Copyright © 2020 - SWOT 2.0 by Maarten van Walsem is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

3. Table of Contents
Part 2: The use of traditional SWOT 13
Steps to make the SWOT successful 14
Step 1: strengths versus opportunities 14
Step 2: strengths against threats 14
Step 3: weaknesses compared to opportunities 14
Step 4: weaknesses compared to threats 15
Finally 17
Comparison between SWOT 1.0 and SWOT 2.0 18
Tips to use during the SWOT analysis 23
About SWOT 2.0 24
3
Copyright © 2020 - SWOT 2.0 by Maarten van Walsem is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

4. Is the SWOT analysis an effective way to become
successful?
A SWOT can clarify the challenges you face. A
global analysis that you need to work with in your
organization.
A cautious conclusion is that the widely used
SWOT does not go further than an analysis.
However, SWOT is unsuitable for directly
performing targeted actions. The result is 'just' a
strategic analysis. A SWOT does not provide clear
goals and a focused action plan. It takes a lot of
time and the results are often unsatisfactory.
The first part of this eBook explains that there are
objections to SWOT, which has been in use since
the late 1960s.
It then describes how to get started with a SWOT.
Finally, the SWOT is compared with another, new
and successful approach: Focus, Potential, Goals,
Obstacles and Actions (SWOT 2.0).
In addition to an analysis, SWOT 2.0 provides a
concrete action plan based on clear goals. A SWOT
2.0-session will not cost you more time. SWOT 2.0 is
explained in a second eBook. SWOT 2.0 is very easy
to understand and can be used freely by anyone.
SWOT's weaknesses are turned into a more
powerful approach.
What can you do with this e-book?
Is the SWOT analysis an effective management tool?
4

5. Who has never experienced a SWOT session?
Even today, SWOT is often used to analyze the
situation in which an organization, product or
service finds itself.
SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses,
Opportunities and Threats. It is part of almost
every organizational and marketing plan and the
result is a strategic analysis.
After years of using SWOT in all kinds of advisory
processes, there is only one conclusion for me: the
current SWOT approach needs a thorough review.
To get more than a post-SWOT analysis, I've used
a number of additional tools over the years.
Because just an analysis and a good feeling at the
end of the SWOT session is not enough to make
my clients successful.
Using those extra tools felt a bit artificial. It also took
longer before an acceptable result was achieved.
With my experience and some tinkering, a more
workable result could be obtained. But is it really
fun to work like this? No, that was far from the case.
Part 1: The SWOT experience
Is the SWOT an effective tool?
5

6. The power of SWOT
SWOT is a management tool for
analyzing strategic issues.
SWOT has been used worldwide
since the 1960s to find out where an
organization stands.
Hereby internal (Sterngths and
Weaknesses) and external
(Opportunities and Threats) factors
are combined.
The result is a list of points for
attention that an organization can
focus on.
• Can be used in many situations
• Good overview of and insight into internal and external
factors
• It aligns teams
• Various knowledge and experience is shared
• It is an analysis of the current situation
• It's easy to understand
• It can be performed at low cost
• It makes people and their organizations think
• It gives direction to setting priorities
• It's short and sweet
• There is speed in the process
6

7. What are the main objections to the SWOT-analysis?
A SWOT should not be missing in most
organizations' plans, because it feels
unprofessional.
While you do so little with it.
A SWOT 2.0 session goes further: targeted goals
and a concrete action plan, in addition to an
analysis.
20% use a SWOT for what it is intended for: a
strategic analysis. 80% actually want more. That's
not what the SWOT analysis was originally
intended for.
• A SWOT session takes a lot of time from often the best
people within the organization. The result only
provides an organization with a global analysis. There
is often some disappointment afterwards.
• A SWOT can only be made somewhat action-oriented
with a few extra tools. And that takes a lot of time and
feels unnatural. Coherence is often lacking.
• The weaknesses and threats, important points in a
SWOT, generate unnecessary negative energy and
certainly do not contribute to a well-considered action
plan.
• A SWOT often gets stuck in generalities and open
doors. It's hard to get specific during a SWOT session.
• And not unimportantly: there is often the feeling of
'we have to do it again' because there is no better
approach available. It doesn't deliver what you
actually need: targeted action based on concrete
objectives
• However, a SWOT is never missing from most
organizations' plans, because it feels unprofessional
not to do it. While you achieve and do so little with it.
• A SWOT 2.0 session avoids the objections mentioned
above.
7
• A SWOT lacks a clear demarcation and direction.
• The team members who perform the SWOT often do not
have the same idea about the subject and the goals of
the SWOT analysis.
• There is a lack of direction, because what goals do we
now have in mind?

8. A SWOT is an analysis tool, but after a day of hard
work and struggling you don't have concrete goals.
And a thorough action plan does also not come
from such a SWOT day. There is, of course, a need
for this.
Organizations are looking for sound (action) plans
based on concrete achievable goals.
Because the goals are difficult to derive from SWOT,
you arrive at global goals and an even more global
action plan.
After a lot of effort, the SWOT itself does not yield
much more than lists of points for attention. That's
not enough to take the next steps with ease.
SWOT: What to do next?
8
It is almost automatic, a SWOT analysis. Yet the
energy in a group quickly disappears. After a good
start looking for the strong points, there is a
continuation of the weak points. You feel the
positive energy sinking away: what are we all bad
at. Not really pleasant to do.
Often there is a critical participant in the group,
who goes completely crazy and takes the rest in
tow. The list of weaknesses is torment.
Obviously it is important to know your weaknesses.
However, this is not the way to go about it.
The weaknesses are often things that everyone has
known for a long time. It gets bogged down in
generalities and doesn't improve at all. And the
energy in the group disappears like snow in the sun.
Naming these external threats does not lead to
action. A 'we can't do anything about it' feeling
arises.
SWOT: the negative outcome

9. A SWOT analysis takes a lot of time from a
team of people who often play an important
role within the company. How desirable is that
if the result is limited? It is no more than an
analysis. Is that enough to keep your best
people busy for a day? Or is there more to get
out of such a day?
A well-executed SWOT takes one to
one and a half days with a team of
the best and most creative people in
the organization. At a time when
people constantly have to make
choices to spend their time
efficiently, a SWOT does not provide
enough concrete things. And the
outcome is just an analysis.
SWOT: takes a lot of time
9

10. The SWOT analysis itself does not produce a plan
of approach or concrete action plan. This can be
adjusted to some extent by deploying additional
instruments. It is and often feels somewhat
contrived.
The added value for an organization lies in
concrete goals and a targeted plan of approach.
And that's not what the SWOT delivers. One or
two days of toil for an analysis without goals and
a plan of action. Just an analysis of the strategy
and nothing more.
SWOT: too little incitement to action
10
Entrepreneurs, together with management and
employees, are looking for enthusiasm and energy
to work on innovative solutions that customers
need. You can ask your employees many questions,
but support them with the right approach.
When goals and an action plan are lacking, there
is little positive energy available to go back to
work the next day. Every organization needs an
energetic and positive team of employees that
radiates to customers and colleagues! And that
simply does not yield a SWOT analysis.
SWOT: often lacking energy and enthusiasm

11. Slowly but surely, the conclusion is: an approach
other than SWOT is not only desirable, but also
necessary. A SWOT version 2.0, a fundamentally
different approach, which does yield concrete
results.
With SWOT 2.0, the analysis remains a part. Clear
objectives and a concrete action plan are added to
this.
This new approach takes as long as a traditional
SWOT analysis. In addition to an analysis, you will
then have concrete goals and a detailed action
plan.
The next day you can start with the
implementation. That perspective gives a lot of
energy. The combination of quick follow-up and a
concrete result greatly increases the positive
energy with which a team goes home.
How can the SWOT analysis be improved?
11

12. 12
The aforementioned drawbacks of a SWOT
analysis can be circumvented to some extent. The
outcome of a SWOT can be supplemented with a
number of steps to get input for an organization or
marketing plan.
These steps will be discussed in more detail here.
SWOT 2.0 will be explained in the second eBook.
How can you run a SWOT2.0 session in the same
time as a SWOT analysis with a much better result
(analysis, objectives and action plan)? How can
you get started right after a SWOT 2.0 session?
At the end of this eBook a summary is
given of the differences between SWOT
and SWOT 2.0.
This eBook continues on how to successfully
execute a traditional SWOT.
If you did not use the check mark before
downloading this eBook, you can request the
second eBook "SWOT 2.0: from analysis to targeted
action plan" from here.

13. A SWOT is often held with a small team of
people directly involved, with a lot of expertise.
The composition of a team should be such that it
can work in an open, honest and trusted
manner. Often there is someone who takes
notes.
The aim is to gain insight into the 4 elements:
strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and
threats.
A set of substantive points is reached for each
component, which are listed in random order.
After looking at the four elements, the internal
factors (strengths and weaknesses) and the
external factors (opportunities and threats), the
combination of these factors is explained.
Many know the SWOT. Here's a brief explanation
of how a SWOT session works.
The outcome of the SWOT is a strategic analysis.
How is your organization doing or where are we
in the market
Part 2: The use of traditional SWOT
The SWOT as an analysis tool
13

14. By combining and comparing the internal and external factors, insight is gained into strategic points of
attention. These can then be combined into a list arranged by importance.
Steps to make the SWOT successful (1)
14
Step 1: strengths versus opportunities
• How can we use current strengths to seize opportunities?
• Which new forces do we need (in the future) to take advantage of these opportunities?
Step 2: strengths against threats
• How can we use the current strengths to prevent or neutralize the threats?
• What new forces do we need (in the future) to prevent or neutralize the threats?
In the above steps, a team often quickly comes up with a number of points that require attention in the
coming period. There is often a lack of direction, especially if the input, which is our challenge, is limited at
the start of the SWOT.
Step 3: weaknesses compared to opportunities
• How can we prevent or neutralize existing weaknesses in order to take advantage of the opportunities
presented?
• Which weaknesses could hinder us (in the future) because competitors do seize these opportunities? After
all, the competition does not sleep!

15. Steps to make the SWOT successful (2)
15
Step 4: weaknesses compared to threats
• How can we prevent or neutralize existing weaknesses related to the threats that come our way?
• What existing weaknesses should we turn into a strength to prevent or neutralize the threats.

16. The result of these steps is a confrontation that
leads to a strategic analysis. It is too vague and
often feels uncomfortable. It is difficult for a team
participating in the SWOT analysis to stay away
from generalities.
With a SWOT you achieve varying results.
Sometimes one comes to very substantive and
applicable points. It is often difficult to avoid
generalities. The connection with the vision,
mission and goals of an organization and/or
project is often lacking. Good preparation is also
often lacking.
One way to get rid of generalities is to prioritize
the points from the 4 steps. Because team
members are not aligned, this leads to an
unsatisfactory result.
Steps 3 and 4 are often difficult, take a lot of time
and yield little. It leads to theoretical points that
often cannot be changed in the short term. It
would take a lot of effort from an organization to
tackle them. The result is negative energy and few
concrete points.
Steps to make the SWOT successful (3)
With a SWOT you achieve varying results.
16

17. Or could you have achieved much more with the
team of the most knowledgeable people in the
organization?
In the second eBook "SWOT 2.0: from analysis to a
targeted action plan" you can see that things can be
done better and faster. And SWOT 2.0 has the same
simplicity as the SWOT analisys, which was
developed in the 1960s. However, the result is much
better: goal-oriented, concrete and immediately
usable to get started.
All in all, SWOT as a strategic analysis tool takes a
lot of time from an important group of employees
within your organization. Completing a process, as
mentioned above, within a day is a hell of a job.
After that, you are no further than an analysis with
a few specific areas of attention. Not enough to act
quickly.
Is a SWOT enough to get started with focus and
motivation?
Finally
Is that enough to get your organization moving?
17

18. 18
Comparison (1)
Aspects SWOT 1.0 SWOT 2.0
Start Change Process -- ++
Familiarity ++ --
Learning curve ++ ++
Simplicity ++ +
Concreteness - ++
On the next pages is the comparison table that is also shown in the e-book "SWOT
or is there something better".
Comparison between SWOT 1.0 and SWOT 2.0

19. 19
Comparison between SWOT 1.0 and SWOT 2.0 (2)
Aspects SWOT 1.0 SWOT 2.0
Horizon
Long - ++
Short +/- ++
Pontenial
Guiding -- ++
Analysis ++ +
Clear direction - ++

20. 20
Comparison between SWOT 1.0 and SWOT 2.0 (3)
Aspects SWOT 1.0 SWOT 2.0
Results
Analysis ++ +
Goals -- ++
Action Plan - ++
Time - +
Teambuilding -/+ ++
Applicability - ++
Communication -- ++

21. Comparison between SWOT 1.0 and SWOT 2.0 (4)
21
A SWOT analysis team ends up with little energy left. How could it be otherwise: you
end up with Threats and there is no clear action plan ready to start the next day.

22. Comparison between SWOT 1.0 and SWOT 2.0 (5)
22
At SWOT 2.0, the team ends in a good spirit. Making an action plan is motivating, so
that at the end of the SWOT 2.0 session, the positive feeling and energy go up.

23. Tips to use during the SWOT analysis
23
With a SWOT, make sure that
everyone knows in advance what
the focus is on.
Limit generalities as much as
possible.
Find a balance between the more
negative and positive factors.
Maintain a strict schedule.
Combine the internal and external
SWOT factors.
Come up with a series of concrete
points for attention.
Make a clear appointment for a
further follow-up.
Communicate the results of the
SWOT in the organization.
Create a good atmosphere during
the SWOT session.
Appreciate good contributions and
teamwork.
Provide good reporting.
Provide plenty of coffee and lunch.

24. SWOT also has its downside. After many years of
experience, I adjusted the SWOT to SWOT 2.0.
Besides an analysis SWOT 2.0 delivers Goals and an
Action plan.
About SWOT 2.0
Is that enough to start working in a focused and motivated way?
24
I have tested SWOT 2.0 extensively in practice
(more than 25 cases). It works like a charm.
SWOT 2.0 stands for Focus, Potential, Goals,
Obstacles and Action. SWOT 2.0 is more focused
and results in concrete goals and a sound action
plan.
You will find some more information on the
website. About SWOT 2.0 as well as SWOT 1.0
SWOT 2.0 gets people and organizations
moving; it immediately starts the change
process.
SWOT 2.0 is completely free to use.
Copyright © 2020 - SWOT 2.0 by Maarten van Walsem is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
Just contact me
- Maarten van Walsem -