UMBC CS SWOT

SWOT Analysis is a strategic planning methodology used to evaluate the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats involved in a project or in a business venture. It was developed by business and management consultant Albert Humphrey of SRI in the 1960s and is commonly taught in business schools as a planning tool. It's not without detractors and competing methodologies, such as PEST and Porter 5 forces, but reamains a very popular and useful tool for stategc planning.

Some observations:

  • There is an underlying distinction between internal and external issues. The strengths and weaknesses tend to be internal factors whereas the opportunities and threats are usually external factors.
  • SWOT is an isolated tool that has to be used in context. Before engaging in SWOT, for example, it is important to agree on an organization's objectives or desired states. After SWOT, it is natural to identify actions that can be taken to capitalize on strengths, remediate weaknesses, exploit opportunities and defend against threats.
  • Part of the benefit of a group doing a SWOT analysis is that it is the product of a group activity. The process or generating it can help the group coming to a consensus view of it's identity, characteristics, goals and capabilities. This is very worthwhile in it's own right.

SWOT for Academic Institutions and Units

SWOT analysis has been used quite a bit for academic units. Here are some academic SWOT examples at the institution, school and department level, some obtained from Idaho State's SWOT Analysis Resource Page.

SWOT for Computer Science

Here are some examples from on the Web that are specific to computer science departments.