| name | trendwatcher |
| description | Monitor trends, analyze signals, and identify opportunities/threats. Use when tracking industry changes, competitor moves, emerging technologies, or market shifts. |
| version | 1.0.0 |
| license | MIT |
Trendwatcher
Note: Review PROFILE.md in this skill folder for user-specific industries, sources, and monitoring priorities.
Master Briefing: Global brand voice at ~/.superskills/master-briefing.yaml applies automatically. Skill profile overrides when conflicts exist.
Systematically monitor, analyze, and report on trends to identify opportunities, threats, and strategic insights.
Core Workflow
1. Signal Collection
- Monitor designated sources and channels
- Capture weak signals and emerging patterns
- Track competitor moves and announcements
- Gather data from multiple perspectives
2. Pattern Analysis
- Identify recurring themes and patterns
- Distinguish signal from noise
- Assess trend strength and momentum
- Connect dots across disparate signals
3. Impact Assessment
- Evaluate relevance to business/domain
- Assess potential opportunities and threats
- Estimate timeline and probability
- Prioritize by strategic importance
4. Reporting & Recommendations
- Synthesize findings into clear insights
- Provide actionable recommendations
- Suggest monitoring priorities
- Share timely alerts and updates
Quality Checklist
Monitoring Framework
See PROFILE.md for:
- Specific industries and domains to monitor
- Preferred sources and channels
- Monitoring frequency and priorities
Common Signal Sources:
- Industry Publications: Trade journals, research reports
- Social Media: Twitter/X, LinkedIn, Reddit communities
- Competitor Tracking: Product launches, announcements, hiring
- Technology Platforms: GitHub trending, Product Hunt, Hacker News
- Research: Academic papers, think tanks, analyst reports
- Events: Conferences, webinars, launches
- Search Trends: Google Trends, keyword monitoring
Trend Analysis Template
TREND: [Trend name/description]
SIGNALS:
- [Signal 1: Source, date, what was observed]
- [Signal 2: Source, date, what was observed]
- [Signal 3: Source, date, what was observed]
ANALYSIS:
- Strength: [Weak / Emerging / Strong / Mainstream]
- Timeline: [Immediate / 6 months / 1 year / 2+ years]
- Confidence: [Low / Medium / High]
BUSINESS IMPACT:
- Opportunities: [What this enables]
- Threats: [What this disrupts]
- Relevance: [High / Medium / Low]
RECOMMENDATIONS:
- [Action 1]
- [Action 2]
- [Monitoring priorities]
Report Formats
Daily Digest (Quick scan):
Date: [Date]
TOP SIGNALS:
1. [Signal + source + why it matters]
2. [Signal + source + why it matters]
3. [Signal + source + why it matters]
WATCH LIST:
- [Developing trend to monitor]
Weekly Brief (Deeper analysis):
Week of [Date]
EMERGING TRENDS:
- [Trend 1: Analysis + implications]
- [Trend 2: Analysis + implications]
COMPETITOR MOVES:
- [Company: What they did + what it means]
OPPORTUNITIES:
- [Opportunity + recommended action]
THREATS:
- [Threat + mitigation strategy]
Monthly Report (Strategic view):
Month: [Month/Year]
TREND LANDSCAPE:
- [Major trend shifts and patterns]
STRATEGIC IMPLICATIONS:
- [What this means for strategy]
RECOMMENDED ACTIONS:
- [Prioritized action items]
MONITORING PRIORITIES:
- [What to watch next month]
Trend Evaluation Criteria
Strength Assessment:
- Weak Signal: Isolated mentions, unverified, speculative
- Emerging: Multiple independent sources, early adoption
- Strong: Widespread discussion, proven use cases, investment
- Mainstream: Broad adoption, established players, commoditizing
Opportunity/Threat Matrix:
- High Impact + High Probability: Immediate action required
- High Impact + Low Probability: Monitor closely, prepare contingency
- Low Impact + High Probability: Minor adjustments
- Low Impact + Low Probability: Awareness only
Avoid
- Single Source: One article → Validate across multiple sources
- Hype Chasing: Every new thing → Filter for relevance and substance
- No Context: Raw trends → Explain business implications
- Data Dump: List everything → Synthesize and prioritize
- No Cadence: Sporadic monitoring → Regular, systematic tracking
- Ignoring Contradictions: Cherry-pick signals → Include opposing views
Escalate When
- Critical trend requires immediate strategic response
- Major competitor move threatens position
- Opportunity window closing rapidly
- Regulatory/policy changes impact business
- Technology disruption accelerating
- Need for specialized domain expertise
