| name | market-sizing |
| description | TAM/SAM/SOM market sizing analysis. Uses web search and research tools to produce a structured analysis with data sources, assumptions, calculations, and confidence ranges. Triggers on: "calculate TAM", "size the market", "market opportunity".
|
| origin | pm-pilot |
| version | 1.0.0 |
Market Sizing
Produces a structured TAM/SAM/SOM market sizing analysis using web research, industry data, and bottom-up calculations.
When to Activate
- User says "calculate TAM", "size the market", "market opportunity"
- User asks "how big is the market for X?"
- User needs market sizing for a pitch deck, PRD, or business case
Input
Required:
- Product/service description: What is being sized
- Target customer: Who buys this
Optional:
- Geography: Default is global
- Time horizon: Default is current year + 5-year projection
- Methodology preference: top-down, bottom-up, or both (default: both)
Execution
Context Check
Before sizing, read context/product.md and context/competitors.md if they exist. Existing product positioning and competitive landscape inform market definition and assumptions. After completing the analysis, offer to update context/competitors.md with market landscape findings.
Step 1: Define the Market
Clarify with the user if ambiguous:
- What problem is being solved?
- Who are the target customers (segment, size, industry)?
- What is the product/service category?
- What is the geographic scope?
Step 2: Research (Parallel)
Use web search tools to gather data from multiple sources:
| Data Type | Sources to Search |
|---|
| Industry reports | Gartner, Forrester, IDC, Statista, Grand View Research |
| Company data | Public filings, earnings calls, analyst reports |
| Customer data | Census data, industry associations, trade publications |
| Competitive landscape | Crunchbase, PitchBook, competitor pricing pages |
| Growth rates | Historical CAGR, analyst projections |
Step 3: Calculate TAM (Two Methods)
Top-Down:
- Find total market category size from research reports
- Document source, year, and methodology
- Apply growth rate to current year if data is older
Bottom-Up:
- Count total potential customers in target segment
- Determine average annual revenue per customer (pricing research)
- TAM = Total Customers x Annual Revenue per Customer
Step 4: Calculate SAM
Narrow TAM by applying realistic filters:
- Geographic constraints
- Product capability constraints
- Customer segment constraints
- Distribution/channel constraints
SAM = TAM x (% matching all filters)
Step 5: Calculate SOM
Estimate realistic market capture over 3-5 years:
- New entrant: 2-5% of SAM
- Established player entering adjacent market: 5-10% of SAM
- Account for competitive intensity and switching costs
Step 6: Validate
Cross-check top-down vs bottom-up (should be within 30%). Flag if they diverge significantly.
Output Format
# Market Sizing: {Product/Service}
## Market Definition
- **Problem:** {problem being solved}
- **Customer:** {target segment}
- **Category:** {market category}
- **Geography:** {scope}
## TAM: {$X.XB}
### Top-Down
- {Source}: {total market size} ({year})
- Growth rate: {X%} CAGR
- **TAM (top-down):** {$amount}
### Bottom-Up
- Total addressable customers: {count} ({source})
- Average annual revenue per customer: {$amount} ({source})
- **TAM (bottom-up):** {$amount}
### Triangulation
{How the two methods compare. Flag if >30% divergence.}
## SAM: {$X.XB}
| Filter | Reduction | Rationale |
|:-------|:----------|:----------|
| {Geographic} | {X%} | {why} |
| {Segment} | {X%} | {why} |
| {Product fit} | {X%} | {why} |
**SAM:** TAM x {combined %} = {$amount}
## SOM: {$X.XM} (Year 3-5)
- Competitive intensity: {high/medium/low}
- Realistic capture rate: {X%}
- **SOM (Year 3):** {$amount}
- **SOM (Year 5):** {$amount}
## Confidence Assessment
- **Data quality:** {high/medium/low} - {why}
- **Key assumptions:** {list the 2-3 most impactful assumptions}
- **Sensitivity:** {what changes if key assumptions shift by 20%}
## Sources
1. {Source with URL or citation}
2. {Source with URL or citation}
Rules
- Two methods minimum: Always calculate both top-down and bottom-up.
- Cite every number: No unsourced figures. If estimated, say so explicitly.
- Show your math: Every calculation should be traceable.
- Conservative by default: Use lower bounds when data is ambiguous.
- Date the data: Always note the year of each data source.
- Flag assumptions: Tag with
[Assumption]. Every non-trivial assumption gets called out.
- Tag unverified data: Use
[Needs data] for estimates without hard sources, [Source: X] for cited figures.
- No vanity TAMs: If the TAM seems unreasonably large, challenge the market definition.