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SWOT analysis

Markets and Commercialization


Workshop

1-2 h

10-15

SWOT analysis

This workshop is designed to support RDI project teams in understanding the internal and external factors crucial for the successful commercialization of their innovations or Key Exploitable Results (KERs).

The purpose of this workshop is to support RDI teams in understanding the internal capabilities and external environment for their innovations or Key Exploitable Results (KERs). The SWOT analysis provides a comprehensive view by examining the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. This analysis builds on insights gained from the market and competitive landscape analysis workshops, helping to develop robust business ideas or business cases for the commercial exploitation of innovations. Additionally, a SWOT analysis can be conducted specifically for analyzing competitors as follow-up work for the competitive landscape analysis.

In this workshop, you will:

  • Evaluate the internal strengths and weaknesses of your innovation
  • Identify external opportunities and threats in the competitive environment
  • Develop strategic insights to position your innovation effectively in the market

Project/RDI representatives and diverse stakeholders and partners already familiar with the theme from academia and industry (e.g., business development professionals, marketing teams, innovation managers). Ensure a mix of perspectives, expertise, and roles within each sector. Works best with a group of 10-15 participants.

  1. Pre-Workshop Preparation by the Facilitator
    • Gather Initial Data: gather the most recent and relevant data about the project, its innovations, and the competitive landscape. Collect insights on industry trends, competitor analysis, and potential opportunities.
    • Fill Preliminary Canvas: Populate the SWOT Analysis canvas with the gathered data. Ensure each section has substantial information to provide a solid foundation for the participants.
    • Validate Information: Cross-check the data with multiple sources to ensure accuracy and reliability.
  2. Organise a workshop of about 1 – 2 hours with the necessary participants.   ​   ​
  3. Conduct the SWOT Analysis as a group work. Based on participant’s expertise and internal information validate and improve the pre-filled data:​​
    • Strengths: Such as unique features, proprietary technologies, strong partnerships, and team expertise.
    • Weaknesses: Including resource constraints, technical challenges, and gaps in expertise.
    • Opportunities: Such as market trends, potential partnerships, funding opportunities, and emerging technologies.
    • Threats: Including competition, regulatory changes, economic shifts, and technological obsolescence.
  4. Group Discussion: Encourage participants to discuss the identified strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Use real or virtual post-its to visualize and categorize the points on a canvas. Reflect on how the internal strengths can be used to exploit opportunities and mitigate threats. Consider strategies to address and improve upon identified weaknesses.
  5. Discuss Resources and Responsibilities: Ask the participants to reflect on the time/funding resources required to implement the strategic actions. Identify and assign responsible organizations or work packages for each action where possible.​
  • Document the completed SWOT analysis and the resulting strategic action plan. Share this summary document with all participants.
  • Use the SWOT analysis results to inform the development of communication, dissemination, and exploitation plans for the project’s innovations.
  • Recommend scheduling a Value Proposition workshop as the next step. This workshop will build on the SWOT analysis insights and help define the unique value proposition of your innovations, ensuring they meet market needs and stand out from the competition.

By conducting a thorough SWOT analysis and developing a strategic action plan, the RDI project can better exploit its key results, enhancing innovation uptake, market success, and overall impact. This process helps identify strengths to leverage, weaknesses to address, opportunities to seize, and threats to mitigate, ensuring a more resilient and proactive approach to innovation exploitation.

  1. Clear Communication:
    • ​Clearly communicate workshop objectives and agenda.​
  2. Facilitator Expertise:
    • If possible, employ a skilled facilitator with experience in SWOT analysis and strategic planning.​
  3. Time Management:
    • Allocate sufficient time for each step of the workshop, ensuring a balanced discussion and thorough analysis.​
  4. Capture Insights:
    • Document key insights and decisions made during the workshop. These insights can be valuable for follow-up activities and continuous improvement.​