Capstone Project Part III: Strategic Issues

<Insert Segment Name>

<Enter Project Name Here>

SWOT Analysis is a strategic planning method used to evaluate the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT). A SWOT Analysis is one analysis technique that could be leveraged to identify strategic improvement opportunities. The analysis technique involves identifying the internal and external factors that are favorable and unfavorable to achieving a goal or strategic objective.

For each SWOT factor identified, probabilities of occurrence must be established facilitating the development of fostering and/or mitigating activities. Strengths and Opportunities must be nurtured in order to ensure they are leveraged throughout the Segment life-cycle. Similarly, for Weaknesses and Threats, mitigation strategies must be developed in order to reduce the probability of occurrence and/or magnitude of impact.

Each gap to be addressed by Segment investment(s) must be analyzed via a structured SWOT activity. The factors considered during this analysis should include as a minimum:

Experience and Past Performance of the Management Team

Collaborative “attitude” of all Stakeholders

Senior Management Sponsorship

Justifiability of Needs and Expected Improvements

“Realism” of Anticipated (preliminary projections / estimates):

i. Costs

ii. Schedules

iii. Vendor Qualifications

iv. Technological Maturity

1. Outside Directives / Laws / Regulations, etc.

Cross Government:

i. Reuse Opportunities (Processes, Services, Technologies, etc.)

ii. Inclusion of External Stakeholders

Congressional Oversight Implications

“Visibility”

The results of the SWOT analysis should be quantified and combined with gap priorities to establish a comprehensive prioritization of Segment activities.

Develop a Statement of Objective or Description of an End State e.g. “An organization capable of IT portfolio management” or “An organization capable of attracting, hiring, and retaining a premier workforce.”

List and weight:

1. Strengths: attributes of the organization/segment that are helpful to achieving the objective.

Weaknesses: attributes of the organization/segment that are harmful to achieving the objective.

Strengths and Weaknesses are internal value creating (or destroying) factors/business drivers such as assets, skills or resources a company has at its disposal. They can be measured using internal assessments or external benchmarking.

i. Opportunities: external conditions that are helpful to achieving the objective.

ii. Threats: external conditions that are harmful to achieving the objective. Opportunities and Threats are external value creating (or destroying) factors an organization cannot control, but emerge from either the competitive dynamics of the industry/market or from demographic, economic, political, technical, social, legal or cultural factors.

Determine

1. How can we Use each Strength?

How can we Stop each Weakness?

How can we Exploit each Opportunity?

How can we Defend/Destroy against each Threat?

Develop a strategy to reach the objective – The strategy should contain ACTIVE verbs describing actions proposed to mitigate risks and leverage opportunities. They should describe specific activities, roles & responsibilities, triggers for strategy implementation, and intended outcomes of each strategy.

Guidance: Make it about reaching the objective, rather than about lists.