Assessing a Team’s Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats

Laura Kingsley, MPH, CRA, Senior Associate Director, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USAJennifer E. Woodward, PhD, Associate Vice Provost for Research Operations, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

Importance of Assessing Team in Research Administration

• Proficiency• Adaptability• Different Perspectives

• Team Dynamics

• Culture & Attitude

• Staff Retention• Training Opportunities

2

What Is a SWOT Analysis?

Exercise to identify and evaluate:

3

Internal FactorsStrengthsWeaknesses

External FactorsOpportunitiesThreats

SWOT: Strengths

What is working well?

Examples: Research admin knowledge, teamwork

4

SWOT: Weaknesses

What needs improvement?

Examples: customer service, limited resources, keeping up with external eRAsystems

Caution: Do not include external factors (blaming departments, PIs, or central offices)!  Turn it around: unable to handle last minute requests

5

SWOT: OpportunitiesWhat factors outside of your team or office can help you realize potential?

Example: leadership focus on growing research

6

SWOT: Threats

What factors outside of your team or office can damage your team?

Examples: University budget cuts, Federal caps on F&A, mission change (focus more on teaching than research)

Note: Likelihood and severity of threats should be further analyzed.

7

How do you conduct a SWOT Analysis?

Considerations include:• Office size• Culture• Current climate

8

How do you conduct a SWOT Analysis?

1. As a whole office exercise‐ People volunteer responses‐ Some may not feel comfortable‐ Encourages transparency and ownership

2. Each team completes a SWOT analysis as a small group exercise to combine into larger SWOT. 

3. Each team member submits individual SWOT analysis of team (should not be anonymous).

9

Importance of Messaging

• Communicate why the exercise is worth doing

• Time for honest group reflection, not an opportunity for complaints

• Risk of exercise becoming counterproductive 

10

Analyzing SWOT ResultsExpectation Vs. Reality

• What did you think they would say vs. what they said?

• Did they seize the opportunity to critically evaluate themselves, or did they use it to vent?

• Self‐centric lens of staff

11

Analyzing SWOT Results

Results are a thermometer for change

• Has there recently been a lot of change?

• Are big changes coming?• May need to address 

changes separately

12

Analyzing SWOT Results

Evaluate likelihood of threats and opportunities

• Potential to argue for resources to mitigate threats

• Development of areas to seize upon potential opportunities

• Impact Grid to further analyze

13

Impact Grid

14

Large Needed Projects

Money Pits

Low‐hanging Fruit (quick wins)

Impa

ct

Ease of Implementation

Thankless Tasks

Communicating Results to Team

• Celebrate the strengths

• Identify office‐wide goals to develop team weaknesses

• Discuss risks of threats and how to create own opportunities from weaknesses

15

Communicating Results to Leadership

• How does the SWOT analysis fit into the bigger picture of the department or institution?

• Leadership may be more aware of likelihood of threats and opportunities

• Prepare to address weaknesses and capitalize on strengths

16

Questions?

17

Laura Kingsley, MPH, CRASenior Associate Director 

University of Pittsburgh, [email protected] 

Jennifer E. Woodward, PhDAssociate Vice Provost for Research Operations

University of Pittsburgh, [email protected]