SPOT Analysis Strengths, Problems, Opportunities, Threats

SPOT Analysis is... a strategic planning tool used to help people make informed decisions about pursuing a plan or action.

STRENGTHS PROBLEMS THREATS –––––––– CURRENT/INTERNAL FUTURE/EXTERNAL –––––––– OPPORTUNITIES

Agree on the Scope Are you analyzing an action step, an objective? Involve at least 6 youth in the implementation of a natural helper program. Are you analyzing a direction or a goal? Centralize services for students with mental health needs into one building. (May want to break this down) What are the services we are talking about?

If SPOT analysis does not start with defining a desired end state or objective, it runs the risk of being useless.

In your school, around your block, in your world. Internal factors - The 'strengths' and ‘problems' internal to the organization. Examples: Staff expertise, funding, administrator commitment, Vocal community groups External factors - The 'opportunities' and 'threats' presented by the external environment. Examples: No Child Left Behind requirements, Demographic shifts, USDA Wellness Plan

STRENGTHS PROBLEMS THREATS –––––––– CURRENT/INTERNAL FUTURE/EXTERNAL –––––––– OPPORTUNITIES Admin. approval HKLB Grant Funds support mtgs SHAC is invested Lots of info about how to do this. Motivated students Social norm of targeting new students for bullying Need more staff to participate- give oversight to peer educators Staff morale is low State and federal budget cuts increase burdens NCLB requirements leave little time for anything else Poverty Goal: Implement a peer to peer education program for new students to address anxiety around school transition. Leverage for Bullying prevent. program Train students on bullying bystander strategies Add youth develop. activities to school

Asking and answering the following four questions provides the basics for strategy development: 1. How can we Use each Strength? 2. How can we Stop each Problem? 3. How can we Exploit each Opportunity? 4. How can we Defend/Defuse each Threat?

Tip: Brainstorm and use scratch paper What may represent strengths with respect to one objective may be weaknesses for another objective.

Important Limitations of SPOT 1. Conduct SPOT analysis after defining and agreeing upon an objective 2. SPOTs are sometimes confused with possible strategies. SPOTs are descriptions of conditions, while possible strategies define actions. 3. SPOT presents the resulting lists uncritically and without clear prioritization so that, for example, weak opportunities may appear to balance strong threats.

Your Turn 1.Pick an objective or goal. Agree on scope. 2.Brainstorm internal factors: strengths and problems 3.Brainstorm external factors: threats and opportunities 4.How can you turn your strengths, problems, and threats into opportunities. Is your objective/goal achievable?