Department of Veterans Affairs

<Insert Segment Name>

<Enter Project Name Here>

OneVA Enterprise Architecture

Adapted From

<Month><Year>
Version <#.#>

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<Segment Name>
SWOT Analysis i <Month> <Year>
 Table of Contents
1. SWOT Analysis Information .............................................................. 1
1.1. INTERNAL Strengths / Weaknesses............................................................... 1
1.2. EXTERNAL Opportunities / Threats ............................................................... 1
2. SWOT Approach ................................................................................ 2
3. Sample SWOT Template .................................................................... 3

<Segment Name>
SWOT Analysis ii <Month> <Year>
 1. SWOT Analysis Information
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:
1.1.INTERNAL Strengths / Weaknesses
a. Experience and Past Performance of the Management Team
b. Collaborative “attitude” of all Stakeholders
c. Senior Management Sponsorship
d. Justifiability of Needs and Expected Improvements
e. “Realism” of Anticipated (preliminary projections / estimates):
i.Costs
ii.Schedules
iii.Vendor Qualifications
iv.Technological Maturity
1.2.EXTERNAL Opportunities / Threats
a. Outside Directives / Laws / Regulations, etc.
b. Cross Government:
i.Reuse Opportunities (Processes, Services, Technologies, etc.)
ii.Inclusion of External Stakeholders
c. Congressional Oversight Implications
d. “Visibility”
The results of the SWOT analysis should be quantified and combined with gap priorities to
establish a comprehensive prioritization of Segment activities.

<Segment Name>
SWOT Analysis 1 <Month> <Year>
 2. SWOT Approach
1. 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.”
2. List and weight:
a. Strengths: attributes of the organization/segment that are helpful to achieving the
objective.
b. 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.
3. Determine
a. How can we Use each Strength?
b. How can we Stop each Weakness?
c. How can we Exploit each Opportunity?
d. How can we Defend/Destroy against each Threat?
4. 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.
5. Guidance: Make it about reaching the objective, rather than about lists.

<Segment Name>
SWOT Analysis 2 <Month> <Year>
3. Sample SWOT Template

Strengths Weaknesses

Business Business Business Business

Driver Driver Driver Driver

Opportunities Threats

Business Business Business Business

Driver Driver Driver Driver

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

Opportunities and Threats are external value creating (or destroying) factors a company cannot control, but emerge
from either the competitive dynamics of the industry/market or from demographic, economic, political, technical,
social, legal or cultural factors.

Figure 1: Sample SWOT Template

<Segment Name>
SWOT Analysis 3 <Month> <Year>
 Template Revision History
Date Version Description Author
February 2014 1.1 Updated to MS Office 2007-2010 format, Process Management
formatted to ProPath documentation
standards, and edited for Section 508
conformance
September 2010 1.0 Initial Document PMAS Business
Office
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<Segment Name>
SWOT Analysis 4 <Month> <Year>