# Market Research Skill Professional market research and competitive analysis using McKinsey/BCG/Bain methodologies. Generates hypothesis-driven research with PPTX presentation deliverables. ## Overview This Claude skill implements proven consulting methodologies for market research, structured as a four-level pyramid analysis: ``` YOUR COMPANY (Level 1) Strategic Fit & Positioning ▲ COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE (Level 2) Positioning & Differentiation Analysis ▲ CUSTOMER INSIGHTS (Level 3) Needs, Motivations, Barriers, Behaviors ▲ MARKET & SEGMENT ANALYSIS (Level 4) Size, Growth, Trends, Development Opportunities ``` ## Features ✅ **Hypothesis-driven methodology** - MECE principle, Issue Trees, 7-step consulting process ✅ **Four-level pyramid analysis** - Systematic bottom-up market research ✅ **CRAAP source validation** - Professional-grade source quality assessment ✅ **Multi-source triangulation** - Validate critical findings with 2-3 independent sources ✅ **Free sources optimization** - Designed for government, academic, and free industry data ✅ **PPTX generation** - Professional presentations via document-skills/pptx integration ✅ **Quick scan timing** - Optimized for 1-2 day research projects ## Quick Start ### 1. Installation ```bash # Clone or copy this skill to your Claude skills directory cp -r market-research ~/.claude/skills/ # OR for project-specific installation cp -r market-research .claude/skills/ ``` ### 2. Initialize New Research Project ```bash cd .claude/skills/market-research bash scripts/init-research.sh "acme-corp" "healthcare" ``` This creates: - Project structure with templates - Pre-populated research brief - Pyramid analysis framework - Source bibliography tracker ### 3. Execute Three-Phase Workflow **Phase 1: Research Philosophy (30 min)** - Complete `research-brief.md` - Define hypothesis tree using MECE - Identify source strategy **Phase 2: Pyramid Analysis (1-2 days)** - Level 4: Market & segment data collection - Level 3: Customer insights research - Level 2: Competitive landscape analysis - Level 1: Company positioning assessment - Document in `pyramid-analysis.md` **Phase 3: PPTX Generation (1-2 hours)** - Update `slide-deck.html` with findings - Run: `node scripts/generate-slides.js deliverables/slide-deck.html` - Invoke `pptx` skill for final conversion ## Directory Structure ``` market-research/ ├── SKILL.md # Main skill definition ├── LICENSE.txt # MIT License ├── README.md # This file ├── references/ # Methodology documentation │ ├── MBB_METHODOLOGY.md # 7-step, MECE, Pyramid Principle │ ├── FREE_SOURCES_GUIDE.md # Tier 1-3 data sources │ └── VALIDATION_FRAMEWORKS.md # CRAAP test, triangulation ├── templates/ # Project templates │ ├── research-brief.md # Phase 1 hypothesis setup │ ├── pyramid-analysis.md # Phase 2 data collection │ ├── source-bibliography.md # Source tracking │ └── slide-deck.html # Phase 3 PPTX template ├── scripts/ # Helper automation │ ├── init-research.sh # Project initialization │ ├── generate-slides.js # PPTX generation wrapper │ └── validate-sources.py # Automated CRAAP scoring └── assets/ # Visual resources ├── color-scheme.json # Professional color palette └── pyramid-diagram.svg # Pyramid visualization ``` ## Methodology Details ### MBB 7-Step Process 1. **Define Problem** - SMART criteria, success metrics 2. **Structure Problem** - MECE decomposition, hypothesis trees 3. **Prioritize** - Impact vs. ease, 80/20 rule 4. **Work Plan** - Timeline, sources, responsibilities 5. **Execute Analysis** - Systematic testing, triangulation 6. **Synthesize Findings** - Pyramid Principle, "Day 1 drafts" 7. **Develop Recommendations** - Actionable with ownership ### Source Quality Hierarchy **Tier 1 (Highest Credibility):** - Government agencies (Census, BLS, Eurostat) - Peer-reviewed academic journals - Public company SEC filings - Established market research firms **Tier 2 (High Credibility):** - Industry associations - Premium databases (IBISWorld, Euromonitor) - Think tanks and research centers - Consulting firm public research **Tier 3 (Requires Verification):** - Company white papers - Industry blogs and media - Third-party databases - Must be cross-validated with Tier 1-2 ### CRAAP Test Framework Every source evaluated on 5 dimensions (1-5 scale): - **Currency** - Publication date and timeliness - **Relevance** - Fit to research question - **Authority** - Author credentials and reputation - **Accuracy** - Methodology and verification - **Purpose** - Intent and potential bias **Quality thresholds:** - 22-25: Excellent (use as primary) - 18-21: Good (use confidently) - 14-17: Acceptable (use with caution) - <14: Questionable or reject ## Dependencies ### Required - **Claude Code** - This skill runs within Claude environment - **Bash** - For init-research.sh script (Unix/Linux/Mac) - **Python 3.6+** - For validate-sources.py script - **Node.js 14+** - For generate-slides.js script ### Optional (for PPTX generation) - **document-skills/pptx** - From Anthropic skills repository ```bash # Install as git submodule cd .claude/skills git submodule add https://github.com/anthropics/skills document-skills ``` **Note:** PPTX generation can also be done by invoking the `pptx` skill directly in Claude Code without local installation. ## Usage Examples ### Example 1: Quick Market Sizing ```markdown User: "Research the US plant-based protein market size and growth" Claude (with market-research skill): Phase 1: Creating hypothesis tree for market sizing - TAM estimation (top-down from food industry) - SAM focus on plant-based segment - Growth drivers identification Phase 2: Data collection - Level 4: Census food manufacturing data, USDA reports - Level 4: Academic papers on plant-based trends - Level 4: Industry association (GFI) reports Phase 3: Synthesis - Market size: $7.4B (2024) - CAGR: 11.4% (2020-2024) - Key trends: Health consciousness, sustainability - Sources: USDA, Good Food Institute, Euromonitor Deliverable: PPTX with market sizing analysis ``` ### Example 2: Competitive Analysis ```markdown User: "Analyze top 5 competitors in enterprise SaaS project management" Claude (with market-research skill): Phase 1: Hypothesis - Market dominated by established players Phase 2: Analysis - Level 4: $6.5B market, 12% CAGR - Level 3: Customer need for integration (78% priority) - Level 2: Top 5 identified (Monday, Asana, Jira, Clickup, Smartsheet) - Level 2: Positioning map created - Level 1: Gap analysis vs. client capabilities Phase 3: PPTX with competitive landscape and positioning recommendations ``` ### Example 3: Customer Insights ```markdown User: "Research B2B SaaS buyer decision criteria" Claude (with market-research skill): Phase 1: Hypothesis tree on decision factors Phase 2: Research - Level 3: Academic papers on B2B buying behavior - Level 3: Industry surveys (Gartner, Forrester previews) - Level 3: Case studies and analyst reports Findings: 1. ROI justification (87% cite as critical) 2. Integration capabilities (76%) 3. Support/training (68%) 4. Security/compliance (65%) Deliverable: Customer insights deck with decision journey map ``` ## Best Practices ### 1. Start with Hypothesis ❌ **Wrong:** "Let me collect all available data on healthcare market" ✅ **Right:** "Hypothesis: Telehealth market will grow 15%+ due to aging population and tech adoption" ### 2. Apply MECE Ruthlessly ❌ **Wrong:** Overlapping segments (SMB, Mid-market, Enterprise, B2B) ✅ **Right:** Mutually exclusive (B2B SMB, B2B Enterprise, B2C) ### 3. Triangulate Critical Findings ❌ **Wrong:** Single source for market size: "$4B market" ✅ **Right:** Three sources converge: $4.0B, $4.2B, $4.1B → High confidence: $4.1B ### 4. Document Everything ❌ **Wrong:** "Market growing fast" (no source) ✅ **Right:** "Market growing 12% CAGR (Source: IBISWorld 2024, CRAAP: 23/25)" ### 5. Continuous Synthesis ❌ **Wrong:** Collect all data first, then analyze at end ✅ **Right:** "Day 1 draft" immediately, refine continuously ## Common Pitfalls ### Pitfall 1: Accepting Sources at Face Value **Solution:** CRAAP test every source, score ≥18 for primary evidence ### Pitfall 2: Cherry-picking Data **Solution:** Document comprehensive search, explain exclusions ### Pitfall 3: Ignoring Original Context **Solution:** Understand data collection purpose and methodology ### Pitfall 4: Outdated Information **Solution:** Check publication dates, apply growth rates to update ### Pitfall 5: Unclear Methodology **Solution:** Reject sources without transparent methodology ## Integration with document-skills/pptx ### HTML → PPTX Requirements The slide-deck.html template follows html2pptx format: ✅ **Correct dimensions:** 720pt × 405pt (16:9) ✅ **Semantic HTML:** All text in `

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