market-researcher

name	market-researcher
description	Comprehensive market research including TAM/SAM/SOM analysis, primary and secondary research methods, customer persona creation, Jobs-to-be-Done framework, competitive intelligence, and research report generation. Use when the user asks about market researcher or needs help with related topics. Do NOT use for unrelated domains or when a more specialized skill exists.
license	Apache-2.0
metadata	{"author":"foundry-skills","version":"1.0.0","tags":"research analysis strategy planning","category":"business-strategy","subcategory":"entrepreneurship","depends":"","disclaimer":"none","difficulty":"intermediate"}

Market Researcher

When to Use

Use this skill when:

• The user needs TAM/SAM/SOM market sizing or wants to conduct primary and secondary market research
• The user wants to create customer personas, apply the Jobs-to-be-Done framework, or validate market demand
• The user needs a structured market research report with methodology, findings, and recommendations
• The user wants competitive intelligence gathering as part of a broader market analysis

Do NOT use this skill when:

• The user needs deep competitive analysis with battle cards and positioning maps (use competitive-analyst instead)
• The user wants strategic frameworks like SWOT or Porter's Five Forces (use swot-analyzer instead)
• The user is building a full business plan (use business-planner instead)

Process

1. Gather requirements. Ask the user clarifying questions about their specific context, goals, constraints, and experience level.

2. Analyze the situation. Review the information provided and identify key factors, challenges, and opportunities relevant to market researcher.

3. Develop the framework. Create a structured approach tailored to the user's needs, incorporating best practices and domain-specific considerations.

4. Deliver actionable output. Present specific, implementable recommendations with clear rationale, timelines, and success criteria.

5. Address edge cases. Proactively identify potential issues, alternative approaches, and contingency plans.

Use this skill when:

• User needs guidance on market researcher
• User asks about market researcher best practices or techniques
• User wants a structured approach to market researcher

Do NOT use this skill when:

• A more specialized skill exists for the specific subtopic
• The request is outside the scope of market researcher

Questions to Ask the User First

1. What is the core research question you want to answer?
2. What product/service/idea are you researching the market for?
3. Who do you believe your target customer is? (Initial hypothesis)
4. What industry or sector is this in?
5. What geography are you focused on? (Local, national, global)
6. What is your budget for research? ($0 / Under $500 / $500-5K / $5K+)
7. What is your timeline? (Days, weeks, months)
8. Do you have any existing data? (Surveys, sales data, analytics)
9. What decisions will this research inform? (Go/no-go, pricing, positioning, features)
10. Is this a new market entry or expansion of an existing business?

---

Step 1: Define Research Objectives

Research Brief Template

MARKET RESEARCH BRIEF
Project Name: {{project_name}}
Date: {{date}}
Stakeholders: {{who_needs_this}}
PRIMARY RESEARCH QUESTION:
{{The single most important question this research must answer}}
SECONDARY QUESTIONS:
1. {{question_1}}
2. {{question_2}}
3. {{question_3}}
4. {{question_4}}
HYPOTHESES TO TEST:
H1: {{hypothesis_1}}
H2: {{hypothesis_2}}
H3: {{hypothesis_3}}
DECISIONS THIS RESEARCH WILL INFORM:
- {{decision_1}}
- {{decision_2}}
- {{decision_3}}
SCOPE:
  Geography: {{regions}}
  Time period: {{historical_range}} to present
  Industries: {{sic_codes_or_descriptions}}
  Customer segments: {{segment_definitions}}
DELIVERABLES:
- [ ] Market sizing report
- [ ] Customer persona documents
- [ ] Competitive landscape analysis
- [ ] Trend analysis report
- [ ] Final recommendations presentation
TIMELINE: {{start_date}} to {{end_date}}
BUDGET: ${{total_budget}}

---

Step 2: Market Sizing (TAM/SAM/SOM)

Method A: Top-Down Approach

TOP-DOWN MARKET SIZING

Start with published industry data and narrow down.

TOTAL ADDRESSABLE MARKET (TAM):
  Source: {{industry_report_or_database}}
  Global market for {{category}}: ${{global_value}}
  Growth rate (CAGR): {{cagr}}%
  Projected size in {{target_year}}: ${{projected_value}}

SERVICEABLE ADDRESSABLE MARKET (SAM):
  Apply geographic filter: {{geography}} = {{pct_of_tam}}% of TAM
  Apply segment filter: {{target_segment}} = {{pct_of_geo}}% of geographic
  Apply product filter: {{product_category}} = {{pct_of_segment}}%
  SAM = ${{sam_value}}

SERVICEABLE OBTAINABLE MARKET (SOM):
  Realistic penetration rate: {{penetration_pct}}%
  Based on: {{comparable_company_benchmarks}}
  SOM = ${{som_value}}

Method B: Bottom-Up Approach (More Credible)

BOTTOM-UP MARKET SIZING
Build from individual customer economics upward.
STEP 1: Define your customer
  Target customer profile: {{profile}}
  Total number of potential customers: {{count}}
  Source for customer count: {{source}}
STEP 2: Estimate spending
  Average annual spend on this problem: ${{annual_spend}}
  Willingness to pay for your solution: ${{wtp}}
  Purchase frequency: {{frequency}}
STEP 3: Calculate
  Total potential customers: {{count}}
  x Average revenue per customer: ${{arpu}}
  = BOTTOM-UP TAM: ${{tam}}
STEP 4: Apply realistic constraints
  Addressable customers (SAM): {{addressable_count}}
  x ARPU: ${{arpu}}
  = SAM: ${{sam}}
  Obtainable in 3 years (SOM): {{obtainable_count}}
  x ARPU: ${{arpu}}
  = SOM: ${{som}}

Method C: Value-Theory Approach

VALUE-THEORY MARKET SIZING

Calculate based on value created.

Current cost of the problem: ${{current_cost}} per {{unit}}
Number of {{units}} affected: {{count}}
Total value of the problem: ${{total_problem_value}}

Your solution captures {{capture_rate}}% of value created
Market size = ${{total_problem_value}} x {{capture_rate}}%
= ${{market_size}}

Market Sizing Credibility Checklist

• Used at least two methods and compared results
• All sources are cited and verifiable
• Assumptions are clearly stated and reasonable
• Bottom-up math is internally consistent
• Growth rates are based on historical data or analogies
• TAM is not so large it seems unrealistic
• SOM is achievable given your current resources

---

Step 3: Primary Research

3A: Customer Interviews

INTERVIEW GUIDE
Target: {{number}} interviews with {{customer_segment}}
Duration: 30-45 minutes each
Recording: {{yes/no}} (get consent)
SCREENING QUESTIONS:
1. Do you currently {{behavior_related_to_problem}}?
2. How often do you {{frequency_check}}?
3. What is your role in {{decision_making}}?
WARM-UP (2 minutes):
- Tell me about your role at {{company_type}}.
- Walk me through a typical day/week.
PROBLEM EXPLORATION (15 minutes):
- Tell me about the last time you {{experienced_the_problem}}.
- What did you do? Walk me through the steps.
- What was frustrating about that process?
- How often does this come up?
- What have you tried to solve this? What worked and what did not?
- How much time/money do you spend on this currently?
SOLUTION REACTION (10 minutes):
- If I told you there was a way to {{solution_benefit}}, how would you react?
- What would that need to look like for you to consider it?
- What would make you NOT want to use something like that?
- How much would you expect to pay for something like this?
COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE (5 minutes):
- What tools/services do you currently use for this?
- What do you like about them? What do you dislike?
- If you could change one thing about your current solution, what would it be?
WRAP-UP (3 minutes):
- Is there anything else about this topic I should have asked?
- Who else should I talk to about this?
- Would you be open to a follow-up conversation?

3B: Survey Design

SURVEY STRUCTURE
Title: {{survey_title}}
Target responses: {{target_n}} (minimum for statistical significance)
Distribution: {{channels}}
Incentive: {{incentive_if_any}}
Estimated completion time: {{minutes}} minutes
SECTION 1: SCREENER (2-3 questions)
  Q1: {{demographic_or_behavior_screener}}
  Q2: {{qualifying_question}}
SECTION 2: CURRENT BEHAVIOR (3-5 questions)
  Q3: How often do you {{behavior}}?
      [ ] Daily [ ] Weekly [ ] Monthly [ ] Rarely [ ] Never
  Q4: Which tools do you currently use for {{task}}?
      [ ] {{option_a}} [ ] {{option_b}} [ ] {{option_c}} [ ] Other
  Q5: How satisfied are you with your current solution?
SECTION 3: PROBLEM VALIDATION (3-5 questions)
  Q6: How significant is {{problem}} for you?
  Q7: Rank these pain points from most to least painful:
      {{pain_1}}, {{pain_2}}, {{pain_3}}, {{pain_4}}
  Q8: What is the biggest challenge you face with {{topic}}?
      [Open text]
SECTION 4: SOLUTION INTEREST (3-4 questions)
  Q9: How interested would you be in a solution that {{value_prop}}?
  Q10: Which features would be most valuable?
      [Checkbox: {{feature_1}}, {{feature_2}}, {{feature_3}}]
  Q11: What would you expect to pay for this?
      [ ] ${{range_1}} [ ] ${{range_2}} [ ] ${{range_3}} [ ] ${{range_4}}
SECTION 5: DEMOGRAPHICS (2-3 questions)
  Q12: {{company_size / role / industry}}
  Q13: {{age / location / other relevant demographic}}

3C: Focus Groups

FOCUS GROUP PLAN

Number of groups: {{count}} (3-4 recommended minimum)
Participants per group: 6-8
Duration: 60-90 minutes
Moderator: {{name}}
Location: {{in_person_or_virtual}}

AGENDA:
  0:00 - Welcome and ground rules (5 min)
  0:05 - Introductions and warm-up (10 min)
  0:15 - Topic 1: Current experience with {{problem}} (20 min)
  0:35 - Topic 2: Reaction to {{concept/prototype}} (20 min)
  0:55 - Topic 3: Pricing and willingness to pay (10 min)
  1:05 - Open discussion and final thoughts (10 min)
  1:15 - Thank you and next steps (5 min)

GROUND RULES:
- No wrong answers
- One person speaks at a time
- We want to hear from everyone
- Disagree respectfully
- This is being recorded for research purposes only

---

Step 4: Secondary Research Sources

Free Sources

Source	What It Provides	URL
US Census Bureau	Demographic & economic data	census.gov
BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics)	Employment & industry data	bls.gov
SEC EDGAR	Public company filings	sec.gov/edgar
Google Trends	Search interest over time	trends.google.com
Statista (free tier)	Statistics and market data	statista.com
Crunchbase (free tier)	Startup funding data	crunchbase.com
SimilarWeb (free tier)	Website traffic estimates	similarweb.com
Social Blade	Social media analytics	socialblade.com
Reddit / Forums	Unfiltered customer sentiment	reddit.com
G2 / Capterra Reviews	Software competitor reviews	g2.com / capterra.com
Job Postings	Hiring signals from competitors	linkedin.com/jobs
Patent Search	IP landscape	patents.google.com
Industry Associations	Market reports and data	(varies by industry)

Paid Sources

Source	What It Provides	Typical Cost
IBISWorld	Industry reports	$1K-5K/report
Gartner	Technology research	$30K+/year
CB Insights	Market intelligence	$10K+/year
Pitchbook	VC & deal data	$20K+/year
Nielsen	Consumer data	Custom pricing
SurveyMonkey Audience	Survey panel access	$1-5/response

---

Step 5: Customer Persona Creation

Jobs-to-be-Done (JTBD) Framework

JTBD ANALYSIS
CORE FUNCTIONAL JOB:
When I {{situation}}, I want to {{motivation}}, so I can {{desired_outcome}}.
RELATED JOBS:
1. {{related_job_1}}
2. {{related_job_2}}
3. {{related_job_3}}
EMOTIONAL JOBS:
- I want to feel {{emotion_1}} when I {{context}}
- I want to avoid feeling {{emotion_2}} when I {{context}}
SOCIAL JOBS:
- I want to be perceived as {{perception}} by {{audience}}
- I want to avoid being seen as {{negative_perception}}
JOB MAP (steps the customer takes):
1. DEFINE: {{how_they_define_what_needs_to_be_done}}
2. LOCATE: {{how_they_find_inputs_needed}}
3. PREPARE: {{how_they_set_up_to_do_the_job}}
4. CONFIRM: {{how_they_verify_readiness}}
5. EXECUTE: {{how_they_do_the_core_job}}
6. MONITOR: {{how_they_track_progress}}
7. MODIFY: {{how_they_adjust_during_execution}}
8. CONCLUDE: {{how_they_finish_the_job}}
UNDERSERVED OUTCOMES (where current solutions fail):
1. {{outcome_1}}: Importance {{1-5}} / Satisfaction {{1-5}}
2. {{outcome_2}}: Importance {{1-5}} / Satisfaction {{1-5}}
3. {{outcome_3}}: Importance {{1-5}} / Satisfaction {{1-5}}
Opportunity score = Importance + (Importance - Satisfaction)
Highest opportunity: {{outcome_with_highest_score}}

Detailed Persona Template

PERSONA: {{persona_name}}
IDENTITY:
  Name: {{fictional_name}}
  Age: {{age}}
  Role: {{job_title}} at {{company_type}}
  Location: {{city/region}}
  Income: ${{range}}
  Education: {{level}}
  Family: {{status}}
A DAY IN THEIR LIFE:
  {{2-3 sentences describing a typical day, highlighting the moments
GOALS:
  Professional:
    1. {{goal_1}}
    2. {{goal_2}}
  Personal:
    1. {{goal_3}}
    2. {{goal_4}}
PAIN POINTS:
  1. {{pain_1}} -- Severity: {{high/medium/low}}
  2. {{pain_2}} -- Severity: {{high/medium/low}}
  3. {{pain_3}} -- Severity: {{high/medium/low}}
INFORMATION SOURCES:
  Reads: {{publications}}
  Follows: {{influencers/thought_leaders}}
  Events: {{conferences/meetups}}
  Social: {{preferred_platforms}}
BUYING BEHAVIOR:
  Decision style: {{analytical / emotional / consensus-driven}}
  Research process: {{how_they_evaluate_options}}
  Budget authority: {{yes / needs_approval / influencer_only}}
  Key objections: {{common_reasons_they_say_no}}
  Purchase triggers: {{what_finally_makes_them_buy}}
QUOTE:
"{{A real or realistic quote this persona would say about the problem}}"

---

Step 6: Trend Analysis

Trend Identification Framework

TREND ANALYSIS: {{industry/market}}
MACRO TRENDS (5-10 year horizon):
1. {{trend_1}}
   - Evidence: {{data_points}}
   - Impact on market: {{high/medium/low}}
   - Implication for us: {{what_to_do}}
2. {{trend_2}}
   - Evidence: {{data_points}}
   - Impact on market: {{high/medium/low}}
   - Implication for us: {{what_to_do}}

MICRO TRENDS (1-3 year horizon):
1. {{trend_3}}
   - Evidence: {{data_points}}
   - Impact on market: {{high/medium/low}}
   - Implication for us: {{what_to_do}}

SIGNALS TO WATCH:
- {{signal_1}}: Monitor via {{source}}
- {{signal_2}}: Monitor via {{source}}
- {{signal_3}}: Monitor via {{source}}

WILDCARDS (low probability, high impact):
- {{wildcard_1}}: If this happens, {{impact}}
- {{wildcard_2}}: If this happens, {{impact}}

PESTLE Analysis

PESTLE ANALYSIS: {{market/industry}}
POLITICAL:
- {{factor_1}}: Impact {{+/-}} | Likelihood {{H/M/L}}
- {{factor_2}}: Impact {{+/-}} | Likelihood {{H/M/L}}
ECONOMIC:
- {{factor_3}}: Impact {{+/-}} | Likelihood {{H/M/L}}
- {{factor_4}}: Impact {{+/-}} | Likelihood {{H/M/L}}
SOCIAL:
- {{factor_5}}: Impact {{+/-}} | Likelihood {{H/M/L}}
- {{factor_6}}: Impact {{+/-}} | Likelihood {{H/M/L}}
TECHNOLOGICAL:
- {{factor_7}}: Impact {{+/-}} | Likelihood {{H/M/L}}
- {{factor_8}}: Impact {{+/-}} | Likelihood {{H/M/L}}
LEGAL:
- {{factor_9}}: Impact {{+/-}} | Likelihood {{H/M/L}}
- {{factor_10}}: Impact {{+/-}} | Likelihood {{H/M/L}}
ENVIRONMENTAL:
- {{factor_11}}: Impact {{+/-}} | Likelihood {{H/M/L}}
- {{factor_12}}: Impact {{+/-}} | Likelihood {{H/M/L}}
TOP 3 FACTORS BY IMPACT:
1. {{most_impactful}}
2. {{second_most}}
3. {{third_most}}

---

Step 7: Competitive Intelligence

Competitive Intelligence Gathering Checklist

For each competitor, gather:
BASIC INFO:
- [ ] Company name, founding date, HQ location
- [ ] Funding raised and investors
- [ ] Estimated revenue and employee count
- [ ] Key leadership team
PRODUCT:
- [ ] Core product/service offerings
- [ ] Pricing model and price points
- [ ] Key features and capabilities
- [ ] Technology stack (if visible via BuiltWith, StackShare)
- [ ] Product roadmap signals (blog, changelog, job postings)
MARKET:
- [ ] Target customer segments
- [ ] Positioning and messaging
- [ ] Geographic presence
- [ ] Market share estimates
MARKETING:
- [ ] Website traffic (SimilarWeb)
- [ ] SEO keywords (Ahrefs/SEMrush free tools)
- [ ] Content strategy (blog topics, frequency)
- [ ] Social media presence and engagement
- [ ] Advertising (Facebook Ad Library, Google Ads Transparency)
CUSTOMER:
- [ ] Customer reviews (G2, Capterra, Trustpilot)
- [ ] Case studies on their website
- [ ] NPS or satisfaction data (if available)
- [ ] Common complaints and praise themes
STRATEGIC:
- [ ] Recent partnerships or acquisitions
- [ ] Hiring patterns (what roles are they filling?)
- [ ] Patent filings
- [ ] Regulatory filings or compliance certifications

---

Step 8: Research Report Template

MARKET RESEARCH REPORT
Title: {{report_title}}
Date: {{date}}
Prepared by: {{researcher}}
Prepared for: {{stakeholders}}
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY (1 page)
  - Research objective: {{objective}}
  - Key finding 1: {{finding}}
  - Key finding 2: {{finding}}
  - Key finding 3: {{finding}}
  - Primary recommendation: {{recommendation}}
1. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
  1.1 Research objectives
  1.2 Methods used (primary, secondary)
  1.3 Sample description
  1.4 Limitations and caveats
2. MARKET OVERVIEW
  2.1 Market definition
  2.2 Market size (TAM/SAM/SOM)
  2.3 Market growth and trends
  2.4 PESTLE factors
3. CUSTOMER ANALYSIS
  3.1 Customer segments identified
  3.2 Customer personas
  3.3 Jobs-to-be-Done analysis
  3.4 Unmet needs and opportunities
4. COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
  4.1 Competitor profiles
  4.2 Competitive positioning map
  4.3 Feature/capability comparison
  4.4 Pricing comparison
  4.5 Market share estimates
5. KEY FINDINGS
  5.1 Finding 1: {{title}} -- {{detail}}
  5.2 Finding 2: {{title}} -- {{detail}}
  5.3 Finding 3: {{title}} -- {{detail}}
  5.4 Finding 4: {{title}} -- {{detail}}
  5.5 Finding 5: {{title}} -- {{detail}}
6. RECOMMENDATIONS
  6.1 Strategic recommendation 1
  6.2 Strategic recommendation 2
  6.3 Strategic recommendation 3
  6.4 Next steps and further research needed
APPENDICES
  A. Raw survey data
  B. Interview transcripts (anonymized)
  C. Detailed competitor profiles
  D. Data sources and bibliography

---

Research Quality Checklist

• Research questions are clearly defined before data collection
• Multiple sources were used to triangulate findings
• Sample size is sufficient for the conclusions drawn
• Primary research followed ethical guidelines (consent, anonymity)
• Bias in research design has been identified and mitigated
• All data sources are cited
• Findings are actionable, not just informational
• Limitations are honestly disclosed
• Report distinguishes between facts and interpretations
• Recommendations are directly supported by the research data

Output Format

Deliver the response as a structured document with clear headings and actionable content. Use tables for comparisons, numbered lists for sequential steps, and bullet points for options. Include specific examples where applicable.

[Market Researcher deliverable]
1. Context and objectives
2. Analysis or framework
3. Specific recommendations with rationale
4. Action items with timeline

Example

Input: "Help me with market researcher for a mid-size project."

Output: A complete market researcher framework tailored to the specific context, with actionable steps, relevant considerations, and measurable outcomes.

Edge Cases

• Incomplete information: Ask clarifying questions before proceeding rather than making assumptions
• Conflicting requirements: Identify trade-offs explicitly and present options with pros and cons
• Scale mismatch: Adapt recommendations to match the user's context (individual vs. team vs. organization)
• Domain crossover: When the request overlaps with other skill domains, address what falls within scope and reference specialized skills for the rest