The document discusses using a SWOT analysis within a community charrette to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats for urban planning issues in Toronto's West Queen West neighborhood. It notes critiques of SWOT analyses for being too simplistic but finds that within a charrette, the SWOT analysis focused discussion and familiarized the community with planning issues. A strong community organization formed that continues to be involved in planning issues, and non-experts gained knowledge about city planning systems.

1. the framework
‘swot inside a charrette’
swot : a strategic charrette : a kind of idea jam,
planning method used which, in this case study, brought
to tease out Strengths, together experts and non-
Weaknesses, experts : architects, urban
Opportunities and planners, designers, artists, local
Threats of and for a businesses, residents of toronto
particular design
problem
strengths weaknesses
opportunities threats
KMD1001 5x5 - Michelle Gay

2. the context
SWOT ANALYSIS
USED TO FOCUS
DISCUSSIONS
in a community-driven and
community-organized charrette to
brainstorm around pressing urban
planning issues in the
West Queen West Triangle precinct
in Toronto.

3. findings in 2006
Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats

4. critiques of swot method
• offers no strategy to translate findings into real action
• no resolutions emerge and no link to an implementation plan comes from a
swot analysis
• items may not seem precise
• opinions about items don’t need verification
• as a business strategy tool, the critique is that the findings tend to be too
simplistic and vague
• findings often not used in subsequent stages beyond the task of producing a
swot analysis
• no prioritizing of the items or categorizing of the variables

5. how’d that work out?
* a swot analysis used in a 2006 charrette focused and familiarized the community on the impending urban planning issues
facing the WQW neighbourhood of Toronto.
* As a standalone matrix of findings, it may not provide enough context and meaning, but when used in conjunction with the
charrette, the swot analysis was useful to stir an intended debate.
* swot is an straightforward tool to use
* strong community organization formed that has continued on for the past 7 years (and is still actively involved in urban
planning issues today).
* the non-experts gained huge shareable knowledge around:
city planning systems,
zoning by-laws,
negotiation skills on dealing with private developers,
strategies for working with the elected City Council and local Councillor.
* the community organization used blogs and other social media tools to share their ‘findings’ with other community groups to
help others understand the complex system of city planning.