The Library Leadership Network CommonsFrankly Speaking: Take a SWOT at Itby Frank Hermes
To many, the mere mention of a
SWOT analysis causes one’s eyes to glaze over.
Normally done as part of a more exhaustive (and exhausting!) strategic
planning exercise, SWOT (a look at the organization’s Strengths,
Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) can be a brain-numbing waste of
time, especially if its primary purpose is to fill up a document whose
destiny is to support a planter in the corner of your office. On
the other hand, when done for the right reasons, taking a look at the
library’s SWOT can be a valuable exercise, especially in
today’s world of rapid change and continuous challenge.
Indeed, if you haven’t done it lately, it might well be high time
to do it: today, more than ever, libraries need to understand their
position in the world of information exchange and, most importantly,
what unique values they can bring to this world. In this article,
I will offer some pointers on the who, what, why, and how of SWOT
analysis.published: July19, 2005 Once you have decided to have a “SWOT session,” you will need to determine who should be there and how long you wish to spend on the exercise. With regard to the latter question, I would suggest no more than a half day for the SWOT itself, with an additional half day to discuss how the completed SWOT jibes with the current strategic directions and specific programs of the library. In terms of who (and how many) should be there, the director should make sure that different points of view will be represented, but avoid too large a crowd. While seemingly an undemocratic notion, my experience is that crowds can cause some very creative people to remain silent. Consideration should also be given to including (for public libraries) trustees and government officials, or (for academic libraries) faculty and administrators. Once you have put together the list of invitees, communicate to them the purpose and process of the meeting so that they will be prepared to contribute their views. In my view, it would be appropriate to call this process OTSW, but the acronymically-adroit probably wouldn’t allow that, so we won’t try to change the name. You will, however, find that the process flows best when you tackle the four areas in the OTSW order. Herewith a few tips on what are, in effect, the two parts to the SWOT analysis: Opportunities and Threats are best described as those factors that are external to the library, and not under the control of library management. Think of these as the environment surrounding the library. These factors typically include (but are usually not limited to) the following: • Markets served (and not served) by the library • The economy • Competition • Technology Often, a single factor will be both an opportunity and a threat, especially in the area of technology (iPods, Google). Invariably, you and your SWOT team will blur the lines between the OT’s and the SW’s. Just try to remember the phrase “external and uncontrollable” when identifying the opportunities and threats. And don’t get hung up in the semantic—save your energy for the work that follows the analysis! The Strengths and Weaknesses are—you guessed it—those factors which are internal to the library and (in varying degrees) controllable by library management. Factors here might include: • The library’s assets (collection, know-how) • Reputation • Staff and organization • Funding • Visibility As with the OT’s, one factor can be both a strength and a weakness. For example, the library staff may be motivated and well trained people, but they might lack some of the skills needed in today’s world. Similarly, the library may be very visible to one sub-market (e.g., faculty or retirees) but less visible to another (students or young parents). As you go through the OT and SW exercises, clearly document each of the four. Use flipcharts or a whiteboard, and be sure to leave all sections visible throughout the analysis—you will find yourselves returning to one section based on an inspiration occurring during another. For instance, when talking about reputation, you might think of an under-served market. And one last suggestion—if you get bogged down along the way, use this SWOT “formula” to help the group create the proper relationship between the variables: “How do we leverage our Strengths and eliminate Weaknesses in order to capitalize on Opportunities and deal with Threats?” Okay, we have a SWOT. Now what? If the SWOT is being done independently of a strategic planning effort, make a list of the library’s current strategy and programs and, quite simply, see if--and to what extent--they adequately address the factors raised in the analysis. Two suggestions come to mind here: • Utilize the “formula” question, substituting the strategy/program for the word “we.” For example: “How does the e-learning initiative…leverage our strengths,” or “How does our new staff training program…eliminate our weaknesses and address opportunities” • Leave no stone unturned: put tick marks next to each of the SWOT’s if your current activities address them. At the end make sure that all SWOT’s have at least one tick mark. If the SWOT analysis is being done as part of a new planning exercise, use it as a basis for establishing your key strategies and programs and for setting specific goals. Again, use the tick marks to make sure you are addressing the SWOT’s in your forward planning. Conversely, and importantly, question any current or planned activities that do not relate to the SWOT’s. And don’t be surprised if you have a few of these! The SWOT heard ‘round the world. Well, maybe the whole world doesn’t need to hear about your now-completed SWOT, but make sure you document the analysis and its implications for your future plans for communication to a number of different audiences: • The library staff • Your funders • Any and all advisory groups • The public you serve This important communication step will serve a number of purposes: • It will advise those who need to know about how the library views itself within its environment, and what it intends to do about it • It will elicit further constructive comment and buy-in from a variety of interested parties • It will demonstrate that your library has a leadership that cares enough to ask the right questions and set a course of action intended to create greater value for the community it serves A parting thought: typical planning cycles are three years (recommended) or longer. In this day and age of rapid transformation in the information industry, it is important to do a SWOT analysis on an annual basis. If the analysis coincides with strategic planning, it can set the stage for your key strategies and action plans. If it is “off-cycle,” it is just as valuable in helping you determine if you are on the right track, and suggesting any needed mid-course corrections. And one absolutely final thought: The Library Leadership Network exists for the benefit of the entire library community, so please share with us the results of your SWOT activities by emailing me at: frank@libraryleadership.net. We can learn a great deal from each other’s experiences… the good ones as well as the not-so-good. Thank you! © 2005, Library Leadership Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved. |