How To Develop A Swot Checklist: Choosing The Checklist Format

There are a lot of ways to develop a SWOT checklist, but the most common methods are the “yes or no” checklist and the “boxed and column” types. Before we proceed onto that, what do we mean when we say checklist in the first place? A checklist is usually done on paper, and on that paper is a list of items that are to be “checked”, as in literally check (with tick boxes) or consulted. The checklist method has been around for years because it has helped a lot of individuals and organizations to assess different conditions that will eventually affect their decisions and planning methodologies. The SWOT Analysis have a particular SWOT checklist wherein factors are listed down which then serves as an array of vital information that the company needs to evaluate.

A SWOT checklist helps organizations to determine internal and external factors easily and effectively. Although simple, a certain SWOT checklist should be realistic. When we say realistic, whether it is something negative or positive, the organization must admit what they can only do and what they can really do. SWOT Analysis is a tool that organizations often use to evaluate their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats and by using a checklist, all of these attributes can easily be assessed.

As mentioned, there are a lot of SWOT checklist methodologies that you can use. The most common ones are the “Yes or No” and “Boxed and Columned” checklist types.

A Yes or No SWOT checklist is usually represented in a four-boxed interface. These boxes are labeled according to the SWOT principle (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats). What follows the headings are an array of questions that are answerable by Yes or No. Below are some examples of questions from the four subheadings of a Yes or No SWOT checklist:

Strengths:

-Manufacturing competence?

-Good marketing skills?

-Information system competencies?

-Brand name reputation?

-Appropriate control systems?

Weaknesses:

-Rising manufacturing costs?

-Loss of customer goodwill?

-High conflict and politics?

-Poor financial management?

-Infighting among divisions?

Opportunities:

-Exploit new market segments?

-Overcome barriers to entry?

-Expand into foreign markets?

-Apply brand name in capital areas?

-Enter new related business?

Threats:

-Domestic competition increase?

-Change in customer taste?

-Rise in new or substitute products?

-Rising labor costs?

-Increase in foreign competition?

On the other hand, the Boxed and Columned SWOT checklist is usually a card divided into columns and rows. Usually, this type will tackle twelve aspects with sub topics and right beside those sub-topics are four spaces which will determine if the said topic in its respective aspect is considered as strength, a weakness, an opportunity or a threat to the company. These twelve aspects that divide a Boxed and Columned SWOT checklist are:

1.Marketing

2.Financial

3.Manufacturing

4.Organizational

5.Demographic

6.Economic

7.Political/Legal

8.Social and Cultural

9.Environmental/Technological

10.Competition

11.Research and Development

12.External Environment

Both of these SWOT checklists have the same core concept. The only difference is the complexity of each. SWOT is actually a very flexible and simple tool, so organizations usually develop their own SWOT but they make sure that the core concept of the said strategic planning tool will not be left behind.

By: Sam Miller

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