SWOT analysis template in word is an integral part of strategic analysis and planning in any organization, be it a business or a school organization.
We have built a complete list of 40 stunning free SWOT analysis templates in word for your use.
You can use these templates in any of your projects to showcase the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of your organization.
The first 20 templates have been custom made by the team at Demplates for your use and the rest of them are collected from wide variety of sources present over the web.
Free SWOT Analysis Word Templates
We've been a premier partner with Canva, using the free graphic design tool since it first launched. Canva is a free design tool that let's you design anything, for free.
We hope you enjoy the list of templates we’ve built specifically for word. Whether you’re working on a high school paper or simply need to build a SWOT analysis for your business, these templates should be a good starting point.
1. Black and White SWOT analysis template
The cross-shaped, black and white template has a futuristic design to indicate the strength, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats in a powerful manner.
2. Blue Green Speech Bubble Design
For those who want a colorful SWOT template, this one is a good option of with a really soothing combination of colors and beautiful design with nice use of four oval call outs.
3. Prism SWOT Template
The bright colored template has four triangles on four sides and is ideal for businesses.
4. Office Arrows Swot Template
Composed with vertical arrow lists in subtle colors, the template is a beautiful blend of sophistication and a modern outlook.
5. Purple Blue Swot Template
Created out of Smart Art’s vertical chevron list, the template is apt for its sleek design and appearance.
6. Pie based Template
An excellent use of cycle matrix has led to the creation of this stunning template with cool colors.
7. Arrows & Boxes – Bold Template
A grid matrix has been used to create this template with a clean design and apt color combinations.
8. Plain Boxes – Swot Template
A powerful template with basic blocks of red, green, purple and blue is stunning to use.
9. Squares in Prism – Template
The template has a basic matrix to indicate all the four components of a swot analysis clearly.
10. Shades Swot Template
This is a simple layout with four blocks of different colors closely placed to each other.
11. Colored Leaves Template
The flower shaped template has an absolutely clean design with some really contrasting colors like orange and blue.
12. Circle with Blocks – Swot Template
This one is nice template to check out and download for free.
Clean and interesting is what we can say all about this cool template with a bright color scheme in center.
The template is a nice one with a splash of bright colors in the middle and subtle colors around.
15. Pipeline Template
A unique template with an interesting color scheme is what makes this template stands out apart from a crowd.
16. Colored Bricks Template
With four cubes of some warm and cool colors, the template is an outstanding one for presenting the swot analysis.
17. Speech Bubbles SWOT Template
Rectangular callouts and a circle in the middle make this template a nice one in appearance.
18. Letter Drags SWOT Template
A visually refreshing template for swot analysis in a style is what we can say all about the template.
19. Business Faces SWOT Template
Ideal for businesses engaged in art and design, the custom template is an interesting blend of creativity and practicality.
20. Circle with blocks template
A very clean template with wise use of ample white space and clearly defined shapes makes the template a definite pick.
21. Microsoft Word SWOT Analysis Template
This template comes with color combination of green, blue and grey and has been already downloaded by over thousands of users.
22. Download SWOT template in MS word
The template offers precise information on what needs to be filled in each box of a SWOT analysis template. The template itself is a rather simple one here.
23. Blank SWOT Analysis Template
The template with a subtle color scheme comes in ready to use format and offers the much needed clarity on information to be filled in a SWOT analysis template.
24. Blank SWOT Analysis Template-2
This is another blank template without any color scheme. If you looking at plain and neat template without any color this is the one suitable for you.
For the purpose of displaying external and internal factors, four honeycombs are used to display each of the factors of SWOT in the below template.
26. Distinctive SWOT Analysis Template
With generous doses of blue, the template is truly a distinct one and also has a PDF version to download along with a word format for easy use.
27. Dostoc SWOT Analysis Template
Grid shaped, the template is more useful for those who have confusion regarding the content need to be filled in a SWOT analysis.
28. Business Plan SWOT Analysis Template
The template is awesome for those who are going to start a business or are keen to flourish it by having all the components of a SWOT analysis well defined.
29. Office SWOT Analysis Template
Offered by Microsoft, the template is in excel, but can be easily copy pasted in a word file and a minor adjustment in column width can enable you to input your own text in word without any difficulty.
30. SWOT Analysis PPT Template
This simple power point template can be easily copy pasted into a word document for a use. The text can be inserted by using a text box in all the four components. Don’t forget to fill the text box with the same color as used in the template.
31. Blue Cool SWOT Analysis Template
Like as before, this blue cool template is in power-point but can be inserted into a word file easily by a simple copy-paste. Insert text boxes to input your content at relevant places and don’t forget to fill the boxes with blue, accent1, 80 % color to get the perfect look.
32. Entrepreneur SWOT Analysis Template
The clean template is a deviation from a word template, but can be available for free. A pdf to word conversion software can be used to make it apt for use in a word document.
33. Useful SWOT Analysis Template
SWOT analysis can also be used to compare your strength and weaknesses with that of your competitors and no other template proves more useful in doing the same. Don’t forget to select the template and copying it in a word file followed by adjustment of columns sizes for a quick use.
34. SWOT Analysis Template In Excel
Provided by International Arbitrage Group, the template is quite a different one and has been downloaded successfully by over 50,000 users already.
35. Library SWOT Analysis Template
If you are searching for a simple template for library professionals, this template can be an ideal pick. This is more helpful for its content rather than its simple design that is easy to create using a two column table in word.
36. Simple SWOT Analysis
The template can be saved as an image file and can be inserted into a word file easily. Text can be input by creating a text box in the relevant boxes.
37. SWOT Analysis Template for Macintosh and Windows
Available on a white background, the template can be easily incorporated into your word document as an image and factors can be added by including text boxes.
38. People Pod SWOT Analysis Template
Although, the template is much more into giving out a framework of presenting a SWOT analysis in a word document, the template can be extremely helpful for any new company.
39. Clean SWOT Template In PDF
The template although in pdf format is beneficial for those who are looking for appropriate content to figure out the things, they need to put in the SWOT analysis template.
40. Grey & White SWOT Analysis Template
Since, it is not possible to save it as an image file, a print screen can be taken to use in a doc file as a refreshing template for SWOT analysis.
Lastly, we hope that we became successful in our endeavor to consolidate the best SWOT analysis templates from different sources to offer you a template that exactly fulfills your exact needs. Each of the templates featured above is either high on its content quotient or just perfect for a pleasing visual appeal.
Learn more about SWOT analysis and how you can use these swot templates below:
SWOT Analysis
A SWOT analysis, alternatively called SWOT Matrix, is a method utilized for structure planning that highlights and evaluates strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Typically a SWOT analysis is used for projects or in business ventures; however, it can be used and added to products, places, industries and people. A SWOT analysis specifies the key objectives of a business venture or project and allows a project manager to identify certain factors that are either favorable or unfavorable. In the end, these factors are key in the determination of the feasibility of a project. When making a SWOT analysis, the following needs to be understood in order to be able to classify each factor accordingly.
What is SWOT?
As previously mentioned, SWOT stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. In order to accurately determine what factors go under each category, one must first understand exactly what each one entrails.
- Strengths: These are the characteristics of a business project or venture that give it an advantage over others. A project manager or entrepreneur must first understand why his or her project is more advantageous than other.
- Weaknesses: Similar to strengths, a business owner must be able to identify the factors that hold his or her project at a disadvantage when compared to other ventures. The characteristics are one of the most important aspects of creating a successful SWOT analysis and are usually the determining factors of feasibility and moving forward.
- Opportunities: Once the main advantages and disadvantages of a venture are identified, a business owner must identify certain opportunities that will jumpstart his or her venture. These factors will serve to exploit and highlight the advantages to obtain the best possible outcome with proper execution.
- Threats: Finally, the elements surrounding the venture that could potentially cause trouble for a business or project must be carefully identified so as to avoid surprises in the future while executing.
Identifying SWOTs is one of the most important things a business owner should do, because it provides an expedited stepping stone to achieving the objective efficiency and with a correct and sound approach. First, a decision maker should identify whether or not the objective is attainable in the first place. If it is not, then there is no point of a SWOT analysis for that certain objective and the business owner must move on to other objectives and determine whether or not it is attainable. Once a desired objective is determined to be feasible, the SWOT analysis can begin; however, the steps must be repeated until a feasible objective is selected.
There are many questions that need to be asked by people who are using SWOT analysis. In addition, there are even more questions that need to be answered by the same users. The questions that a decision make should ask should be structured and selected based on the idea that they generate meaningful insight for each of the four categories. It is not enough to simply ask: “What are the strengths of my venture?” In fact, the correct questions that need to be asked for that specific category are along the lines of profitability, ease of execution, operation, etc. This turns the analysis into a very useful one and allows decision makers to uncover potential competitive advantages they were not aware of.
Effective SWOT Analysis
In order to make the best use of a SWOT analysis, one must first come to terms with what work it entails. Sure, a paper and a pen work when brainstorming; however, in order to use the SWOT Analysis technique effectively, a decision maker must be aware of the tools that are at his or her disposal.
A SWOT diagram can be made in various shapes and size, but regardless, they all follow the same concept. The key is to list down all the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats in an easy-to-define format and manner. Templates are readily available all over the web for decision makers who do not have time to sit and create one from scratch. Regardless of the method chosen for the SWOT diagram, the method of data entry is the key factor to obtaining and a good SWOT Analysis.
The first step is to add data to the diagram. This diagram, usually called a SWOT Matrix, needs to be filled in by strengths and weaknesses first. It is a simple 2 by 2 matrix that lists strengths and weaknesses in the first rows and opportunities and threats in the bottom row. This makes it easy to associate strengths with opportunities to further increase advantage. Likewise, weaknesses and threats can also be associated in order to assess the negative and disadvantageous potential impacts on your venture.
When adding strengths and weaknesses, one must always keep in mind that they are internal factors that are generally easy to identify. Factors can vary significantly depending on the purpose of the business venture and consequent SWOT analysis. For example, in a business environment, the strengths and weaknesses can be identified by classifying the following:
- Operation: How efficient is the software being utilized? Is it cost-effective? Does it provide an efficient reporting solution?
- Finances: How much of an investment do you want to make? Is the capital expenditure sufficient for the purposes of the business venture? What is the forecasted profit? How does workforce size affect that?
- Human Resources: How many people do you need to hire? Skill level? Geographical distribution? What is the ideal aggregate wage for the venture’s purposes?
- Distribution: Do you require sales partners? Is distribution going to be focused solely on local, regional or international areas?
This is just an example of the few strengths and weaknesses that can be identified and may differ from venture to venture. There can be many more areas that can be included.
Now, the hard part comes when adding external factors that are responsible for potential opportunities and threats. Unfortunately, this is not as straightforward and may include macroeconomic matters, legislation, sociocultural aspects, etc. The selection and identification of those factors depends on the venture’s personal characteristics and need to be identified by the decision maker as he or she sees fit and based on experience.
Limitations of SWOT Analysis
Like most things in the world, nothing can claim absolute perfection. As useful as a SWOT analysis may be, it does have a few limitations and disadvantages that can further complicate the decision-making process.
A SWOT analysis may trick the decision maker into thinking that he or she are simply filling out a form with content that is based on completion. This couldn’t be farther from the truth. If that is the case, then the decision make will completely disregard the critical thinking aspect of the SWOT analysis and will neglect some important factors that are vital to the success, or may contribute to the downfall, of his or her business venture.
In addition, the format of the SWOT analysis present the findings in a list-form that are not critical or objective. There is no room for prioritization, which further adds to the fact that some strong weaknesses may appear to be balanced with identified strengths. If that is the case, then, on paper, the business venture may seem attractive; however, it reality, the disadvantages may greatly outweigh the advantages.
A decision maker may be quick to eliminate a characteristic or entry in the SWOT analysis. It is important to remember that the individual factors that need to be maintained are the ones that generated value and result in the positive generation of strategies. A factor that does not generate important strategies needs to be identified and eliminated immediately.
How to use SWOT in Strategy Formation?
Finally, the main purpose of actually undertaking a SWOT analysis is strategy formation. It can be a highly effective method that aids in building an organizational or personals strategy. A strategy-oriented analysis needs to follow the right steps:
- Identify internal and external factors
- Select and evaluate the most important factors
- Identify relationships between internal and external factors
These steps, coupled with the right selection and identification of unbiased and sound factors by a decision maker will yield a near-perfect SWOT Analysis that can aid a business owner in making decisions regarding a multitude of scenarios.
An example of this is the relationship that exists between strengths and opportunities. A good relationship can mean that the venture is in good condition and an aggressive strategy can be used. On the other hand, when there is a stronger relationship between weaknesses and threats, the aggressive strategy must be swapped with a damage-limitation strategy, or defensive one, in order to correctly access the feasibility of the venture moving forward.
In the end, SWOT can be used to cater to multiple scenarios and can be very useful when preparing for an interview or coming up with a new business venture idea. It is even useful for current business owners who want to decide the path to take with regards to their company. There are many tools out there that enable complete control over your SWOT Analysis such as software and diagramming applications that offer cloud services so that you can always have your ideas with you on the move.