The SCOUT Framework
Scan - Survey the landscape Compare - Analyze competitors Opportunities - Identify gaps Understand - Deep dive insights Target - Strategic recommendations
Let's build a market analysis:
Layer 1: Landscape Scanning
```text "Act as a market research analyst with 20 years experience in [industry].
Analyze the current state of [specific market]:
1. Market Size & Growth - Current TAM (Total Addressable Market) - 5-year CAGR projections - Key growth drivers - Potential limiting factors
2. Customer Segments - Primary segments (size, characteristics) - Emerging segments - Underserved niches - Segment migration patterns
3. Technology Disruptions - Current tech adoption curve - Emerging technologies impact - Timeline for mainstream adoption - Opportunities vs threats
4. Regulatory Environment - Current regulations - Pending legislation - Compliance requirements - Regional variations
Provide specific data points and cite reasoning." ```text
Layer 2: Competitive Deep Dive
```text "Now analyze the competitive landscape:
For top 5 competitors in [market]:
1. Market Position - Market share (estimated) - Unique value proposition - Target customer profile - Pricing strategy
2. Strengths & Weaknesses - Core competencies - Operational advantages - Known pain points - Customer complaints
3. Strategic Moves - Recent initiatives - Investment focus areas - Partnership strategies - Expansion plans
4. Vulnerabilities - Gaps in offerings - Operational weaknesses - Market blind spots - Disruption risks
Create a competitive positioning matrix." ```text
Layer 3: Opportunity Identification
```text "Based on the market and competitive analysis, identify:
1. Blue Ocean Opportunities - Uncontested market spaces - Combination possibilities - New value curves - First-mover advantages
2. Gap Analysis - Unmet customer needs - Service/product gaps - Geographic gaps - Technology gaps
3. Strategic Partnerships - Complementary players - Channel partners - Technology enablers - Strategic investors
4. Risk Mitigation - Market entry barriers - Competitive responses - Resource requirements - Timeline realities
Rank opportunities by: ROI potential, time to market, resource requirements." ```text