illuminAid analytical approach: SWOT model

Flag of Paraguay

When preparing for the logistics of any upcoming illuminAid workshop with a global NGO, or for strategizing on any significant internal decision that could have major ramifications on the operational facets of the organization, we apply a highly analytical approach to find a desirable solution. We’ve utilized this wide-ranging examination of all the factors that culminate in a successful workshop or general significant development at illuminAid for quite some time, and has reaped great rewards for our organization and our Board of Directors. This analytical approach has an acronym: SWOT.

SWOT stands for the following words: strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. It is an analytical framework credited to Albert Humphrey of the Stanford Research Institute, who developed this method back in the 1960s, and it evaluates all the internal and external factors when planning our future as an organization and finalizing workshop deals with NGOs. The general breakdown of a SWOT model is as follows:

• Internal factor: strengths

  • What someone or an organization excels at

• Internal factor: weaknesses

  • Things that keep the organization from achieving its potential

• External factor: opportunities

  • Potentially positive external factors that may help our organization

• External factor: threats

  • Factors that may harm our organization

For example, when illuminAid prepared for its project last year with Plan International Paraguay, we first conducted a SWOT analysis to ensure that we were cognizant of the many factors that could help and hinder us from successfully executing our workshop with them. One strength we identified was that we had previously conducted a workshop with Plan International in Latin America, which specifically occurred in Guatemala. A potential weakness was that the primary languages spoken in Paraguay are Spanish and Guaraní, so we had to adjust our training curriculum to ensure that it was taught by someone who could speak the main languages there. An opportunity was that Plan International works in many other Latin American countries, which could boost partnership opportunities. Then lastly, a threat we identified was that the State Department had issued a Level 4 Travel Advisory for Paraguay at the time due to COVID-19, which is the most dangerous level. Therefore, illuminAid had to take the utmost health precautions to stay safe and healthy while executing the workshop.

Plan International partners in the field in Guatemala 2016

Plan International partners in the field in Paraguay 2021

Overall, the SWOT analysis is multi-faceted and highly useful for an organization to use to assess a significant upcoming development. At the same time, when broken down, its individual elements are still rather simple and easy to use as a lens for comprehensive examination. Therefore, illuminAid highly recommends SWOT analysis for other organizations to use, and we will continue to apply it to our major future endeavors.