An environmental scan is a close look at the internal and/or external situation related to an organization, project or activity. It may be a snapshot in time or, more frequently, it is an ongoing effort to identify trends and different influential forces. A environmental scan provides a valuable introduction and insight into a topic or problem.
A few of the more common strategies are addressed in more detail on this page:
There are many other models and strategies for environmental scanning (and tools to support them) - force field analysis, Porter's five forces and so on, One way to identify techniques appropriate to a topic or problem is to examine the scholarly or professional literature for relevant studies.
SWOT (Strengths-Weaknesses-Opportunities-Threats) is largely used in industry and business, where the context is relatively well-defined but it can also be useful in other sectors.
This example from Kansas applies this model to community organizing - a topic that may be relevant to public administration and nonprofit management.
Image source: University of Kansas. Community Toolbox
In most cases, the context of the topic is relatively well-bounded — it will be within the context of the course. However, sometimes it may be useful to get a better idea of the specific areas that inform or influence a topic. An environmental scan can be useful on these occasions.
For less well-defined topics, it is useful to do a broader environmental scan. One of the more versatile models is a PEST analysis (also called STEP or PESTEL analysis) — the acronym is often modified to address the factors relevant to the specific topic. Essentially, it examines the various areas that affect a problem or question. The most common factors are:
But there may also be other areas added such as environmental, legal, etc. The drivers or issues affecting the chosen topic are examined within each area. This can help gain a broader understanding of what drives the issue and may also help narrow down to a more specific problem statement or question.
DIME Analysis is largely used in military and government contexts: it stands for Diplomatic, Informational, Military, Economic.
