Environmental scanning is a process that systematically surveys and interprets relevant data to identify external opportunities and threats that could influence future decisions. It is closely related to a S.W.O.T. analysis and should be used as part of the strategic planning process.
Components of external scanning that could be considered include:
Each organization must identify what external factors are most impactful to make the environmental scan a useful tool.
The next step is to conduct an internal scan of the organization. Review the company's vision, mission and strategic plan. Examine the organization's strengths and weaknesses. Consider where the company is now and where it plans to be in five or 10 years. Interview or survey leaders of the company.
Once an organization has gathered information about the external world, its competitors and itself, it should then develop strategies to respond to impacts when the need arises.
When conducting an environmental scan, a variety of methods should be used to collect data, including reviewing publications, conducting focus groups, interviewing leaders inside and outside the organization, and administering surveys.
Environmental scanning is an important component of strategic planning as it provides information on factors that will affect the organization in the future. The information gathered will allow leadership to proactively respond to external impacts.