A tool used by businesses and professionals to identify the positive and negative elements that could affect any new proposed actions.“This analysis leads to business awareness and is the cornerstone of any successful strategic plan,” said Bonnie Taylor, vice president of strategic marketing at CSS Innovations.“It is impossible to accurately map out a small business’s future without first evaluating it from all angles […] a SWOT accomplishes this in four straight-forward steps,” Nikki Pfieffer, founder of Nikki Pfieffer Designs.