SOAR Analysis
What is this and why does it matter?
A Strengths, Opportunities, Aspirations, and Results analysis (SOAR) provides a structure to collaboratively identify team goals. A SOAR Analysis is also an effective way for a multi-stakeholder team to take inventory of its own culture and resources, as individuals, and that of the organizations that make up your team.
How should you work through this component?
Teams should familiarize themselves with the SOAR Facilitator Guide, an in-depth guide on how to execute a SOAR analysis (whether in-person or virtually) that guides meeting facilitators as they lead their teams in understanding the unique strengths, opportunities, and aspirations amongst the team, as well as identifying team goals.
When does it make sense to work through this component?
Has the team ever conducted a SOAR analysis or a similar assessment?
- If yes:
- What percentage of current core team members participated in the SOAR?
- How long ago?
- How often do members of the team refer to the results of the SOAR analysis to guide their work?**
- If no:
- Conduct SOAR analysis
Curriculum to complete for SOAR analysis:
Strengths, Opportunities, Aspirations, and Results analysis (SOAR) Facilitator Guide
The SOAR Facilitator Guide provides step-by-step instructions for leading a team through a Strengths, Opportunities, Aspirations, and Results analysis — a structured, strengths-based alternative to traditional SWOT planning designed to inventory team and organizational resources, build shared goals, and advance health equity initiatives. It includes detailed activities, discussion prompts, timing guidance, and format options for both in-person and virtual settings, and is intended to be conducted at the start of the AHE Learning Collaborative and revisited at key milestones throughout the work.
Self-Assessment Topics and Questions:
This self-assessment tool will help you identify, anticipate and address common challenges implementing the Roadmap. Using it will increase your chances of successfully reducing and eliminating health and healthcare inequities. Each Roadmap component will have a set of questions and topics in their respective sections; AHE recommends utilizing the assessment questions in two ways:
- As an initial readiness assessment BEFORE working on a component of the Roadmap.
- For ongoing assessment as you implement each Roadmap component.
Has the team ever conducted a SOAR analysis (or something similar)?
- If yes:
- How long ago?
- What percentage of current core team members participated in the SOAR?
- How often do members of the team refer to the results of the SOAR analysis to guide their work?**
- If not, consider conducting a SOAR analysis; especially if assessing or revising goals and objectives might benefit the team.
Goal and Objective Setting:
About the Roadmap Goal and Objective Setting Tool
This tool is designed to facilitate goal setting and completion for your team. The tool will allow your team to:
- Set goals that align with the various Roadmap components;
- Record objectives, time frames, and target completion dates, among other important items for each goal; and
- Monitor progress of goals per Roadmap component
Your team is welcome to engage with this tool as much or as little as it would like, and is helpful, in the development, implementation, and evaluation of your health equity initiative. We encourage you to use this tool to ensure clear goal setting and promote consistent communication, accountability, and progress within your team. This tool is designed to be used over time as your team progresses through the Roadmap and your initiative. This is in no way intended to be used one way by all teams. This is meant to help you progress through the Roadmap component(s) on which you are working at a given time and you may reach your goals in any order. We welcome you to consult your AHE TA lead on getting started with this tool.
Each Roadmap component is listed as a separate tab. Navigate to the desired Roadmap component via the task bar at the bottom of the spreadsheet to add, edit, or view goals. Hide certain tabs as needed to narrow your view to specific Roadmap components or the snapshot. Changing the status of a goal will automatically shift the Snapshot view for the specific Roadmap component.