Nominal Group Technique to Clarify and Prioritize the SWOT

THE NOMINAL GROUP TECHNIQUE TO CLARIFY

AND PRIORITIZE THE SWOT

 

The nominal group technique is used after a list of Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats has been identified.

 

This is a very structured process that involves full participation by all the team members. This non-threatening method provides anonymity for individuals and yet it ensures a broad based collection of opinion on the SWOT Analysis.

 

STEP 1:    Silent Generation of Ideas

Each person silently thinks about the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats and writes his/her thoughts on a blank sheet of paper. These are usually short written phrases. Each area such as Strengths, is done separately.

 

Everyone works alone silently during this step. (Another option is to have the team members fill out the worksheets prior to the meeting and then bring the sheets with them to the meeting.)

 

STEP 2:    Round Robin Reporting of Ideas

Next begin the round robin reporting of ideas using individuals’ notes made in Step 1. Start with a volunteer, ask for one Strength from the individual’s list and record it on the flip chart. Ask the next person for one Strength from his/her list and add it to the flip chart.

 

Continue with this process by asking each person to contribute one Strength until every one has made a contribution. A person can choose to pass if they want to in this first round but eventually everyone is encouraged to make some contribution.

 

The round robin process of collecting Strengths and recording them on the flip chart continues as long as people have new Strengths to contribute.

No discussion of the Strengths is done in this step.

When all of the Strengths are recorded label each one with a number or a letter. This will help in step 4.

 

Repeat the same round robin process for Weaknesses, then for Opportunities, and lastly for Threats.

 

STEP 3: Discussion: Looking for Clarification and Duplication

Now open up the discussion for the purpose of clarifying any of the ideas that were contributed. Team members are encouraged to ask each other the meaning of words and phrases that were recorded on the flip chart. Also, at this point combine any ideas that are basically duplicates on any given list.

 

The purpose of this step is to provide individuals the opportunity to give fuller explanations of their ideas. And secondly to combine any duplicate ideas so as not to

split the ranking points. Make sure that ideas are not evaluated and do not allow arguments to develop.

 

STEP 4: Ranking of Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats

Give each team member a set of SWOT priority sheets – one for Strengths, one for

Weaknesses, one for Opportunities, and one for Threats. Each person is to write on the

appropriate sheet the number (or letter) of the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, or

Threats he/she believes most important or highest priority.

 

For example: On the Opportunity priority sheet each person will write the number (or letter) of the Opportunity he/she feels is of highest priority in the “1st priority” box, the second highest in the “2nd priority” box, the third highest in the “3rd priority box”, etc. down to the fifth priority.

 

Collect all of the priority sheets and tally the rankings on a master sheet. Add up the score for each item. The items with the highest scores are highest priority. There are usually 5-6 items that float to the top as the highest priorities for each of the four areas -Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats.

 

Write the number or letter of the highest priorities at the bottom of each tally sheet.

 

Note:         We recommend that you prioritize in the following order: a) Opportunities, b) Threats, c) Strengths, and d) Weaknesses.

 

NEXT STEP

After these four steps are completed, the planning team is ready to move on to the next step in the planning process.

 

Note:         Send us a return note if you would like to give it a try. We’ll send you a complete a set of scoring sheets.

 

 

 

 

 

 

STRENGTHS Review list of strengths and select 5 that you feel are highest priority. Write the number or letter of each one in the appropriate box. Example: The most important strength goes in the 1st priority box; second most important goes in 2nd priority box; etc. Identify each strength by the number or letter listed on the flip chart.	1st priority (5 points) Strength
2nd priority (4 points) Strength	3rd priority (3 points) Strength
4th priority (2 points) Strength	5th priority (1 point) Strength

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WEAKNESSES Review list of weaknesses and select 5 that you feel are highest priority. Write the number or letter of each one in the appropriate box. Example: The most important weaknesses goes in the 1st priority box; second most important goes in 2nd priority box; etc. Identify each weakness by the number or letter listed on the flip chart.	1st priority (5 points) Weakness
2nd priority (4 points) Weakness	3rd priority (3 points) Weakness
4th priority (2 points) Weakness	5th priority (1 point) Weakness

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OPPORTUNITIES Review list of opportunities and select 5 that you feel are highest priority. Write the number or letter of each one in the appropriate box. Example: The most important opportunity goes in the 1st priority box; second most important goes in 2nd priority box; etc. Identify each opportunity by the number or letter listed on the flip chart.	1st priority (5 points) Opportunity
2nd priority (4 points) Opportunity	3rd priority (3 points) Opportunity
4th priority (2 points) Opportunity	5th priority (1 point) Opportunity

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THREATS Review list of threats and select 5 that you feel are highest priority. Write the number or letter of each one in the appropriate box. Example: The most important threat goes in the 1st priority box; second most important goes in 2nd priority box; etc. Identify each threat by the number or letter listed on the flip chart.	1st priority (5 points) Threat
2nd priority (4 points) Threat	3rd priority (3 points) Threat
4th priority (2 points) Threat	5th priority (1 point) Threat

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SWOT PRIORITIES

Five top ranked priorities: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats.

Strengths 1st   2nd   3rd   4th   5th	Weaknesses 1st   2nd   3rd   4th   5th
Opportunities 1st   2nd   3rd   4th   5th	Threats 1st   2nd   3rd   4th   5th

There will be more than one item for any given rank level in the case of a tie.

 

 

STRENGTHS Priorities

1.	19.
2.	20.
3.	21.
4.	22.
5.	23.
6.	24.
7.	25.
8.	26.
9.	27.
10.	28.
11.	29.
12.	30.
13.	31.
14.	32.
15.	33.
16.	34.
17.	35.
18.	36.

1^st               2^nd                       3^rd                       4^th                       5^th

 

WEAKNESSES Priorities

1.	19.
2.	20.
3.	21.
4.	22.
5.	23.
6.	24.
7.	25.
8.	26.
9.	27.
10.	28.
11.	29.
12.	30.
13.	31.
14.	32.
15.	33.
16.	34.
17.	35.
18.	36.

1^st               2^nd                       3^rd                       4^th                       5^th

 

 

OPPORTUNITIES Priorities

1.	19.
2.	20.
3.	21.
4.	22.
5.	23.
6.	24.
7.	25.
8.	26.
9.	27.
10.	28.
11.	29.
12.	30.
13.	31.
14.	32.
15.	33.
16.	34.
17.	35.
18.	36.

1^st               2^nd                       3^rd                       4^th                       5^th

 

 

THREATS Priorities

1.	19.
2.	20.
3.	21.
4.	22.
5.	23.
6.	24.
7.	25.
8.	26.
9.	27.
10.	28.
11.	29.
12.	30.
13.	31.
14.	32.
15.	33.
16.	34.
17.	35.
18.	36.

1^st               2^nd                       3^rd                       4^th                       5^th

 

 

 

Nominal Group Technique to Clarify and Prioritize the SWOT