SWOT 2.0 from analysis to targeted action plan

From Analysis to
Targeted Action
The renewed SWOT
Concrete and Effective
Copyright © 2020 - SWOT 2.0 by Maarten van Walsem is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

Table of Contents
Why use SWOT 2.0? 04
About SWOT 2.0 05
Closer look to SWOT 2.0 06
Respond to rapid change 07
Right focus, clear goals and concrete action 09
SWOT 2.0 fits the current time 11
Step 1 Focus 12
Step 2 Potential 14
Step 3 Goals 15
2
About SWOT 2.0 05
SWOT 2.0 Motivation and Energy 12
Step 1 Focus 13
Step 2 Potential 15
Step 3 Goals 16
About SWOT 2.0 05
SWOT 2.0 Motivation and Energy 12
Step 1 Focus 13
Step 2 Potential 15
Step 3 Goals 16

Table of Contents
Step 4 Obstacles 17
Step 5 Actions 18
Additional Tools 19
SWOT 2.0 timetable 20
Do it yourself or outsource it 24
Comparison between SWOT 1.0 and SWOT2.0 25
SWOT2.0: the benefits 28
Tips to use during the SWOT 2.0 29
Contact me if you need support 30
3

Running a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses,
Opportunities, and Threats) session is easy.
However, it only lists vague points of interest,
sorted by importance at best. A limited analysis of
the strategy and not much more than that.
I wrote about it in my first eBook. Why SWOT
needs to be replaced, why it can be done smarter,
faster and better.
• Smarter, because with SWOT 2.0 it is more
logical and clear what it is about.
• Better, because the outcome is much more
concrete and motivating.
• Faster, an important factor in a world where
the competition is not standing still. You can
start implementing the next day.
I have converted years of SWOT experience into
this much better approach. It's about continuously
getting better; SWOT 2.0 helps with that.
SWOT 2.0 a new approach: focus, potential, goals,
obstacles and actions.
SWOT 2.0 gets people and organizations moving; it
is the beginning of a change process.
Why use SWOT 2.0?
SWOT 2.0 gets people and organizations moving; it starts the change process.
4
Goals
Focus Potential
Actions
Obstacles
Opportunities
Strengths
2
3
4 5
1

5
• It is easy to explain, gives concrete results and
works quickly.
• It can be used without hiring expensive external
consultants.
• SWOT 2.0 quickly converts good ideas into
concrete action.
• SWOT 2.0 is a tool to begin the change process. It
gets people into action: analysis, goals and action!
• SWOT 2.0 is more logical, more realistic and you
can start the implementation the next day.
• You can get participants to think much more
focused about the subject from the beginning.
• After Strengths and Opportunities (Potential) you
define a series of concrete goals. That makes people
enthusiastic and highly motivated.
• The obstacles (weaknesses and threats) only relate to
the jointly determined objectives.
• Obstacles are immediately addressed by drawing up
a concrete action plan.
• By immediately drawing up a concrete action plan,
you can get started the next day.
• It ends in a positive mood: with an action plan,
instead of the threats as in the original SWOT.
In this second eBook, I discuss what SWOT 2.0 is,
howyou can use it, and how it will better support you.
About SWOT 2.0
SWOT 2.0 stands for: Focus Potential Goals Obstacles and Action

The world is on the move. One crisis
follows another and at the same time
many innovative products, services
and concepts are finding their way
to the market. Companies and
organizations must quickly adapt to
these new circumstances.
• What will the market in which we operate
look like in 2 to 5 years?
• What do our customers think of developments
that affect our products and services?
• How do we as an organization adapt to
respond well to the changes that are coming
our way?
• How do we make the right choices when it
comes to sustainable and more inclusive
society?
• How do we become more flexible as an
organization?
• How do we respond to new trends?
• What do all this changes mean for the coming
year and the years after?
7
Respond to rapid change
Companies and organizations have to adapt quickly to the digitizing world.
Questions that organizations ask themselves
more often and more regularly:
• Are our concepts, products and services still
satisfactory now that demand is changing so
quickly?
• What do we need to continue to serve our
customers well?

8
Answering these questions will make us as an
organization, together with the employees,
permanently successful in the coming years.
Continuous improvement is the credo for
employees who work well together. The
accompanying challenging objectives and good
results support the enthusiasm. SWOT 2.0 supports
this much better than SWOT. It offers a team the
opportunity to stay sharp, ensures the right focus
in a short time and brings teams into action.
SWOT 2.0 is an effective tool to quickly and
energetically know what the goals and actions are
for the coming period with an expert team of
employees. It fits perfectly into a multi-year policy
plan.
It can also serve as input for process
improvement and can even contribute to the
personal goals of individual employees.

SWOT 2.0 not only provides clear insights in a
short time, but also provides a targeted action
plan.
• Direction, delineation and prioritization in
advance.
• Discover the strength of the organization and
give new energy to (stalled) projects.
• Set clear and achievable goals for the short and
long term.
• Develop an action plan to remove obstacles (a
combination of weaknesses and threats).
Improvements can also be included in such an
action plan.
Right focus, clear goals and concrete action
9
An SWOT 2.0 session consists of 5 easily understandable steps.
1. Focus
Everyone who participates in a SWOT session
thinks they know what the SWOT focuses on. In
this short step, the client briefly explains what
the SWOT 2.0 session will focus on. And how it
connects to the mission.
This way, there are no misunderstandings about
the scope and subject during the session.
2. Potential
Only when there is a good insight into the
opportunities (external) that the organization has, it
makes sense to look at the strong points (internal)
that match and that the organization has at its
disposal.
• Opportunities: determine the opportunities that
make an organization successful.
• Strength: select the strengths needed to turn the
opportunities into future success.

10
After Step 1 (Focus) the strengths are determined,
which are necessary to turn opportunities into
success.
3. Goals
After the three previous steps, more concrete goals
can be linked to the topic that the SWOT 2.0
specifically focuses on.
In this step you are also able to do this. Knowing
what you are aiming for, knowing where your
opportunities lie and what strengths you have in-
house.
4. Obstacles
Obstacles are weaknesses and threats that are
directly related to the goals and the steps ahead.
The power of this is twofold.
• They can be named very concretely when it
comes to hindering the goals to be achieved.
• Furthermore, the obstacles in the next step are
directly converted into actions. This is part of
entrepreneurship: showing inventiveness to
remove obstacles.
5. Actions
After the four previous steps, a concrete action plan
can be drawn up immediately. That immediately
feels good in a group.
This way you immediately get a plan of action,
based on the 3 I's:
Innovation - Implementation - Improvements.
You can also perform the check: are all goals
provided with actions to achieve the result? The
same goes for the obstacles: we will have to find a
way to tackle or circumvent them.
= SWOT 1.0 = SWOT 2.0

• SWOT 2.0 is tightly planned and can be completed
in 1 day. This works because of the logical order of
the steps. With some team discipline and good
leadership, this can be achieved.
• You can quickly bring a SWOT 2.0 session to a
successful conclusion. At the same time, you are
able to deliver a solid and concrete result. That is
why it is appropriate in these times, especially
when entrepreneurs are often asked to do this in
times where crises follow each other quickly. It not
only provides an analysis, but also objectives and a
targeted action plan.
Making a strategic analysis with a SWOT works
fine. It is more difficult if you also want to have
the objectives clear and want to get to work on
them immediately, through a good action plan.
With SWOT 2.0 you can do both-and. And it is also
refreshing and stimulating for the team working
with SWOT 2.0.
What does SWOT 2.0 deliver? And what does it
yield more than the SWOT analysis?
• SWOT 2.0 provides a lot of clarity from step 1. The
start immediately puts the noses in the team of
participants in the same direction. The subject,
related to the mission, is immediately clear.
• Immediately afterwards, SWOT 2.0 gives concrete
shape to the opportunities and links the strength of
an organization to this. This works very effectively.
• Formulating clear goals is a step that focuses even
more and makes things very concrete. This feels
very natural due to the input of the first steps.
• Looking for obstacles that stand in the way of
achieving goals is a logical step. It gives the team a
boost to be able to immediately tackle these
obstacles in the action plan in the next step.
• Going to work immediately afterwards to draw up
an action plan fits seamlessly: concrete goals and
obstacles can be included directly in the action
plan. You can rank the actions, link them to specific
subgoals and make employees responsible for
them.
SWOT 2.0 fits the current time
11

SWOT 2.0 Motivation and Energy
12
One of the most important points is: how do I keep
the team motivated and enthusiastic. With the
SWOT Analysis, that's not so easy. After the Strength
come the Weaknesses. Because it is not entirely
clear what the focus is on, this often does not lead to
a targeted enumeration of obstacles. That is also
difficult because the objectives are not known.
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. While this is not the case with the
SWOT analysis. It ends with Threats, which are not
related to concrete goals and does not give the team
the energy and motivation to continue the next day.
Focus
Potential Goals
Obstacles
Actions
Next Day Start
SWOT 2.0
Motivation
High
Low

Often the starting point of is: we already
know why we are here together, let's get
started. And that is often not true,
because everyone sits there with their
own ideas and mindset about the
purpose of the day. The demarcation and
focus of the SWOT analysis is in almost
all cases too vague. Asking questions
about the focus area and sharing
answers will also often not happen.
While if you know what you are going to
do and it fits well with the mission of the
organization, you can work in a much
more focused and motivated way. That's
why it's important to think about focus.
This step can be completed in several ways.
1. A presentation by the client or main person
responsible for the SWOT 2.0 session. It is
crucial that questions can be asked on the
subject immediately afterwards. These are
clarification questions, which have to do with
the delineation of the day.
2. A short round in which each participant tells
where their specific focus is for the day.
Uncertainties and ambiguities can then be
dealt with immediately.
3. As a variation on the above 2 points, each
participant can be asked in advance to
describe where the focus lies. The responsible
organizer can then give short feedback and
answer the various questions.
13
Step 1 Focus (1)
This first step is important because it provides direction for the rest of the SWOT 2.0 session and day.

Of course, the subject matter and the impact can
vary enormously. It is important to get to the same
level beforehand and to agree on this.
To prevent a team from dwelling on the Focus for
too long, the SWOT 2.0 supervisor will also have to
send them on time. Good preparation and
coordination with the client is required here.
.
14
Step 1 Focus (2)
The "Focus" in the SWOT 2.0 session determines
very precisely what the topic is for the rest of the
day. After this kick-off, participants can also
address each other if they wander during the day
to things that are important, but do not belong to
the purpose of that day.

15
Step 2 Potential
Opportunities should not be listed after
unnecessarily expended negative energy on
weaknesses. The search for weaknesses affects the
energy level unnecessarily negatively.
Looking for opportunities is a kind of brainstorming,
strengths limit that completely unnecessary.
As with a SWOT analysis, the opportunities and
strengths are analyzed. However, there are
differences with the SWOT approach.
There is already a concrete focus (result of step 1).
It is not an enumeration of general opportunities
and strengths, but very focused on what you have
in mind as an organization.
First, the opportunities are looked at. From the
outside in; opportunities provide challenge and
energy.
The combination of focus and specifically related
opportunities form the basis for the search for
relevant strengths. This gives strengths much
more meaning.
First the opportunities are looked at, then the
strong points.

16
Step 3 Goals
Where in step 1 the focus is on targeting and
demarcating, clear goals can now be formulated.
The opportunities and strengths provide sufficient
insight to work out those targeted goals. How these
are realized is determined in steps 4 and 5.
The problem with setting realistic goals is often
that this happens in a situation that is not yet
sufficiently clear. It is precisely in steps 1 to 3 that
insight arises, and that is still fresh in the memory,
because the team has just completed the first steps.
This makes it easy to formulate a maximum of 3 to
6 objectives.
These goals must be tested for concreteness and
feasibility.
The goals are input for the next step: what is
hindering us (obstacles) and then a concrete action
plan where we can tackle those obstacles.
After this step, the positive energy level is high.
Only when you know together what you want to
achieve is it good to see what can stop you and
how you can solve it.

Step 4 Obstacles
Threats in the SWOT analysis, in addition to the
negative noise, are often very general in nature.
It's more like talking to each other in the pit than
coming up with targeted obstacles that you have
to do something about. You often see people
standing up at the aforementioned barriers who
indicate that they know a way to overcome the
obstacle.
On the one hand, obstacles are areas of concern
that pose a risk to achieving the goals.
Thresholds are often linked to a risk score for
threats. What is the probability that a threat will
occur?
When it comes to weaknesses, it is good to only
mention those that must be taken into account
within the focus (Step 1) area.
The obstacles can be included directly in the next
step, making an action plan. They are not
blockages, but things you can work with.
The advantage of barriers over threats is that
these obstacles are linked to the objectives. You
can immediately start working with obstacles to
neutralize them.
17

18
Step 5 Actions
• Improvement. Obstacles often mean developing new
competencies. Often an organization still needs to
master these operational skills.
In an action plan you can easily indicate the
priorities, as well as link the names of employees
to individual actions. It is also easy to apply a
sequence and time phasing. Small adjustments can
be made later. In this way you deliver a result with
which you can surprise other colleagues the next
day. And, more importantly, you can start the next
day. No vague analysis, but a concrete action list
and a logical story to tell.
What is missing in a SWOT analysis is drawing up
an action plan, for which the team already has a
lot of concrete hands for. And that makes it much
easier to deliver a solid and realistic plan. In
some cases, everyone can already be provided
with a summary and elaboration of the previous
steps. this makes drawing up an action plan more
transparent.
Actions have different perspectives. They
determine how you approach the
implementation.
• Innovation. Some actions will be innovative. This can
be a new way of working, a new form of collaboration
or communication when it comes to the example of a
marketing campaign. Innovative actions require
creative solutions, they are often the core of the
change.
• Implementation. For example, conducting a marketing
campaign. Matching the competencies and financial
strength of the organization. This is about decisiveness
and perseverance.

19
Additional tools
And setup Plan-Do-Check-Act when creating an
action plan can also be helpful. Don't get bogged
down in too much detail during the SWOT 2.0
session is my advice based on my experience in
supervising SWOT sessions.
You can use tools in different phases. For
experienced business consultants, these tools are
known and used when appropriate in the process.
Appropriate tools in relation to SWOT 2.0 will
occasionally be discussed on the website.
As with the SWOT analysis, it is quite possible to use
additional tools and methodologies in the various
steps. Take the liberty of doing this on your behalf.
Always realize that by doing this:
• The lead time of the SWOT 2.0 session may become
too long.
• It also becomes too complicated and unclear
process.
• A team can get tired, leaving the result below par.
If you have more than 1 day for a SWOT 2.0 session,
you may be able to dwell longer on a particular step.
You often see organizations doing this in the second
part that follows.
Don't dwell too long on the details, keep up the
momentum so that the participating team stays
motivated.
The Opportunity step can be easily carried out using
the brainstorming method. The same story applies
to doing a risk analysis for the Obstacles step.

SWOT 2.0 timetable
This means that you keep to the agreements when
it comes to arriving on time and participating
motivated. You must communicate these
agreements clearly in advance.
It is good, as often happens, for a team to take
responsibility itself when it comes to the
timetable. There should also be a quiet and well-
ventilated area with plenty to drink and
something to eat.
Based on the experience to date, it is best to use
the following timetable. For a one-day org SWOT
2.0 session, the start time is 9:00 AM and the end
time is 4:30 PM. Starting a project via SWOT 2.0
takes about half a day (4 hours).
You can also easily use SWOT 2.0 to set personal
goals. You could do this within an hour. Carrying
out a personal SWOT 2.0 every now and then can
provide a lot of extra insight to keep doing the
right things yourself.
A SWOT 2.0 session can be successfully completed
in one day. For project startups, a few hours is
more than enough to complete the full SWOT 2.0
cycle.
So it depends on the subject how much time a
team needs and whether the team process plays a
role. Then not only the content is part of the result,
but also the motivation and involvement of a team
of people. In the latter situation will be some more
uncertainty in the timetable.
A day is achievable for an organization in SWOT
2.0, if only a few rules are followed, so that the
team can continue to work well.
20

21
Timetable SWOT 2.0 - 1 (Time in minutes)
Personal Projectstartup Organization
Kick-off - 15 15
Stap 1 Focus 10 25 30
Stap 2 Potential
Opportunities 10 35 40
Break - 15 15
Strengths 10 35 40
Stap 3 Goals 10 30 40
Lunch - - 60
Time in minutes

22
Timetable SWOT 2.0 - 2 (Time in minutes)
Personal Projectstartup Organization
Step 4 Obstacles 10 30 45
Step 5 Actions 10 40 60
Summary and agreements - 15 15
------------ ------------ ------------
Total time in minutes 60 240 360
Time in minutes

There are a number of things in the preparation
that are not unique, but which require sufficient
attention.
• Good coordination between the client and the
process supervisor of the SWOT 2.0 session.
• Think about the approach and
implementation of step 1.
• Lots of space and easy chairs and tables.
• Supporting aids such as whiteboard and
writing utensils and yellows.
• A participant who takes on the role of note
taker.
SWOT2.0 timetable (continued)
23
• A process facilitator who is sufficiently
involved in the subject and at the same time
challenges the team.
Working longer than 1 day does not improve the
end result. An experienced process supervisor
often works energetically with some pressure.
•
SWOT 2.0 Personal 60 minutes
SWOT 2.0 Project Startup 240 minutes
SWOT 2.0 Organization 360 minutes

Outsourcing process supervision or not opting
for it, depends entirely on the situation. A
management team is often assisted by an
external management expert who quickly
identifies the key points and challenges the
team to go a step further.
Internal guidance for an mPGA is fine when it
comes to a sub-process or concept, a marketing
plan or product category.
While strange eyes compel, and that can certainly be
helpful, hiring an outside consultant is often
unnecessary. As with a SWOT, it is important to
appoint one person to take on the role of process
supervisor and not to participate too much in the
process itself. This is to monitor the process, both in
terms of content and timing.
The role of note taker should also be fulfilled by
someone. This person can also simply participate in
the substantive process. It is more about recording
and collecting the completed steps. This role cannot
be assigned to the process supervisor.
Outsourcing process supervision or not opting for it,
depends entirely on the situation. A management
team is often assisted by an external management
expert who quickly identifies the key points and
challenges the team to go a step further.
Do it yourself or outsource it
mPGA is easy to implement without outside help. It is easy to understand and can be run
independently.
24
Interesting SWOT links
1. Natalia Zhukova (Semrush): SWOT example
https://www.semrush.com/blog/swot-analysis-
examples/
2. Laurence Minsky and David Aron (Harvard
Business review)
https://hbr.org/2021/02/are-you-doing-the-swot-
analysis-backwards
First gather an inventory of relevant environmental
conditions — the threats and opportunities. Next,
explore internal strengths and weaknesses.

25
Comparison (1)
Aspects SWOT 1.0 SWOT 2.0
Start Change Process -- ++
Familiarity ++ --
Learning curve ++ ++
Simplicity ++ +
Concreteness - ++
Comparison between SWOT 1.0 and SWOT 2.0
On the next pages is the comparison table that is also shown in the e-book "SWOT
or is there something better".

26
Comparison between SWOT 1.0 and SWOT 2.0 (2)
Horizon
Long - ++
Short +/- ++
Pontenial
Guiding -- ++
Analysis ++ +
Clear direction - ++

27
Comparison between SWOT 1.0 and SWOT 2.0 (3)
Results
Analysis ++ +
Goals -- ++
Action Plan - ++
Time - +
Teambuilding -/+ ++
Applicability - ++
Communication -- ++

SWOT 2.0 : the benefits
• After a SWOT 2.0 you can get started the next day, which
is important in today's world.
• As a result, participants are more enthusiastic and
motivated: during the day, but also the day after when
they give feedback at their workplace.
•
• From strategy to concrete plan, that's what makes SWOT
2.0 so handy and fast at the same time.
•
• SWOT 2.0 can also be very useful in the team building
process.
SWOT 2.0 gets people and organizations moving; it
starts the change process.
There are a number of differences between
SWOT 2.0 and SWOT. Here is a brief summary of
those differences.
• SWOT 2.0 makes sense and is as easy as
performing a SWOT
• A SWOT 2.0 feels natural; the steps will guide
you through the process.
• The energy level remains high during a SWOT
2.0 session.
• In a SWOT 2.0 session, work more focused and a
team knows better what to do.
• SWOT 2.0 is concrete and, in addition to clear
objectives, provides a concrete action plan in
which the obstacles are tackled.
• The process steps are logical, that feels better
than with a SWOT.
28

Tips to use during the SWOT 2.0-session
29
Briefly explain what the SWOT 2.0
session will focus on. It makes your
day!
Use Opportunities (brainstorming)
before strength.
Goals should be on the table
before lunchtime.
Maintain a strict time schedule.
A focused team is enthusiastic and
motivated.
Use outcome of earlier SWOT 2.0
steps in the next step.
Communicate the results of every
step clearly.
Obstacles challenge a team. Tackle
them in the Action Plan.
Create a good atmosphere during
the SWOT 2.0 -session.
Appreciate good contributions and
teamwork.
Make sure you have enough coffee
and prepare lunch in time
Be prepared for a next day start!

Contact me if you need support
How to change organization, process or project to be ready for the future?
30
Still you may have questions.
• How to start a process of renewal?
• How to organize change?
• How to use SWOT 2.0 in your
organization?
• How to get your team ready?
If you have a question about how to start
Change, SWOT 2.0 and what to do next,
you can contact me anytime.
Before you contact me.
1. SWOT 2.0 is completely free to use.
2. It is easy to understand, just read the ebook.
3. SWOT 2.0 takes no more time than a SWOT-
analysis.
4. It can be used without hiring external
consultants.
5. SWOT 2.0 is smarter, because gives concrete
results and and faciltates a next day start.
6. It works better, because the outcome is highly
motivating to start the next day.
7. SWOT 2.0 gets people and organizations
moving; it starts the change process.
Just contact me
- Maarten van Walsem -

SWOT 2.0 from analysis to targeted action plan

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