market-research

Market Research

Answer a defined commercial question with evidence that a decision-maker can inspect. This skill is for category understanding, market entry, buyer needs, and opportunity assessment—not a request to produce an unsupported market-size number.

Frame the research

Convert the request into a decision question, such as “Which buyer problem is urgent enough to anchor our entry?” List the hypotheses that could change the decision and the evidence needed to test each one. Define geography, customer type, category boundaries, time period, and confidence threshold.

Use primary sources where possible: company filings, official product and pricing pages, regulator or industry bodies, first-party datasets, and direct customer research. Treat blogs, vendor claims, search snippets, and AI summaries as leads rather than conclusive evidence. For dynamic facts, research current sources and cite each material claim.

Synthesize; do not merely collect

Distinguish observed facts, directional signals, and hypotheses. Triangulate contested claims with independent sources. Note small samples, sponsored research, stale data, and category-definition mismatches that limit confidence. Never fabricate interviews, survey findings, or addressable-market calculations.

When preparing interview research, write neutral questions around jobs, current workflow, consequences, alternatives, purchase process, and willingness to change. Avoid questions that invite validation of the product concept.

Deliverable

Return a concise research brief with the decision question, scope, findings, implications, confidence/limitations, and a source list linked next to the claims it supports. End with the recommended decision, open questions, and the smallest next research action that could reduce uncertainty.