Situational Analysis — Audit Template & Guide
What it is
A field-tested Situational Analysis (SA) template designed for South African NPOs and SMEs. In one working session, capture your operating context, turn insights into a focused SWOT, and prioritise the next 90 days — with SA-specific cues for POPIA, B-BBEE/procurement, energy/logistics reliability, and mobile-first channels.
Who it’s for
- Nonprofits & social enterprises (boards, EXCO, programme teams)
- SMEs & startups (founders, ops/marketing leads)
- Consultants/facilitators running strategy sprints
What’s inside (XLSX + CSV bundle)
- README (how to use + SA notes)
- Overview (objectives, KPIs, constraints, team)
- 5C (Company, Customers, Competitors, Collaborators, Context)
- PESTLE-SA (policy, economy, social, tech, legal, environment — SA lens)
- Stakeholders (influence/interest grid with messages & CTAs)
- Competitors (claims, channels, strengths/weaknesses, counter-moves)
- Audience Insights (JTBD, barriers, triggers, trusted channels, proof)
- Channels / Touchpoints (inventory + performance notes)
- Customer Journey (Awareness → Advocacy, by audience)
- Risks & Assumptions (tests, thresholds, mitigations)
- SWOT Summary (rolled-up from the analysis)
- Prioritised Initiatives (Impact × Confidence × Ease scoring)
- Evidence Library (proof sources, consent/POPIA notes)
Format & compatibility
- Excel (.xlsx) master workbook
- CSV bundle (.zip) — import straight into Google Sheets, Airtable, Notion, etc.
How to use (fast track)
- Fill Overview (goals, KPIs, constraints).
- Brainstorm 5C + PESTLE-SA (headlines first, sources later).
- Map Stakeholders & the top 3 Competitors.
- Capture Audience insights + current Channels/Journey gaps.
- Log key Risks/Assumptions with validation tests.
- Summarise into SWOT and pick 3 priorities using ICE scoring.
Why it works
- Keeps strategy practical and SA-grounded
- Builds an evidence trail you can lift into decks and proposals
- Plugs directly into your Brand Positioning, Messaging, Touchpoints and SWOT
Licence
Use internally across your organisation or client work. Please don’t resell or repost the raw files elsewhere. Attribution appreciated.
Support & bespoke help
Need a facilitated 90-minute session or a customised version for your team? Get in touch (link below).
Run a Situational Analysis (South Africa) in one working session: 5C, PESTLE-SA, stakeholders, competitors, audience, journey, risks → SWOT + 90-day priorities. Free / pay-what-you-want — tips help me keep producing SA-specific tools for NPOs & SMEs.