# Competitive Analysis Frameworks

This reference provides practical frameworks for evaluating competitors and positioning decisions.

## Porter's Five Forces

Assess the competitive intensity of your market:

1. Threat of new entrants
- Barriers to entry (capital, regulation, network effects)
- Speed of competitor replication

2. Bargaining power of suppliers
- Dependency on core infrastructure vendors
- Concentration of key technical providers

3. Bargaining power of buyers
- Customer switching costs
- Procurement complexity and contract leverage

4. Threat of substitutes
- Adjacent alternatives solving the same job
- DIY and internal build options

5. Rivalry among existing competitors
- Number and similarity of competitors
- Price competition and differentiation pressure

### Five Forces Template

| Force | Current Pressure (Low/Med/High) | Evidence | Strategic Response |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Entrants |  |  |  |
| Supplier Power |  |  |  |
| Buyer Power |  |  |  |
| Substitutes |  |  |  |
| Rivalry |  |  |  |

## SWOT Analysis

Use SWOT to map internal and external context quickly.

### SWOT Template

| Strengths (Internal) | Weaknesses (Internal) |
|---|---|
| What we do better than alternatives | Where competitors outperform us |
| Unique capabilities or assets | Known product or go-to-market gaps |

| Opportunities (External) | Threats (External) |
|---|---|
| Market trends we can exploit | Competitor moves or macro risks |
| Unserved segments and use cases | Regulatory, platform, or pricing pressure |

### SWOT Quality Checklist

- Base every point on evidence, not assumptions.
- Separate observations from conclusions.
- Prioritize top 3 items per quadrant.

## Feature Comparison Matrix

Compare products on meaningful buying criteria, not vanity features.

### Feature Matrix Template

| Dimension | Weight | Your Product | Competitor A | Competitor B | Notes |
|---|---:|---:|---:|---:|---|
| Core workflow coverage | 25% |  |  |  |  |
| Ease of implementation | 15% |  |  |  |  |
| Performance / reliability | 15% |  |  |  |  |
| Integrations / ecosystem | 15% |  |  |  |  |
| Security / compliance | 15% |  |  |  |  |
| Pricing / TCO | 15% |  |  |  |  |

Scoring scale recommendation: 1-5 (weak to strong).

## Competitive Positioning Map

Create a 2-axis map showing market whitespace and crowding.

### Positioning Map Steps

1. Select two high-signal dimensions customers care about.
2. Place each competitor based on evidence (pricing pages, reviews, demos).
3. Mark clusters where products are undifferentiated.
4. Identify white space where demand exists but options are weak.

Example axes:
- X-axis: Ease of use
- Y-axis: Enterprise readiness

## Blue Ocean Strategy Canvas

Use a strategy canvas to decide where to raise, reduce, eliminate, or create factors.

### ERRC Grid (Eliminate-Reduce-Raise-Create)

| Eliminate | Reduce | Raise | Create |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commodity table-stakes not valued by target users | Costly features with weak adoption | Differentiators tied to target job-to-be-done | New value dimensions competitors ignore |

### Strategy Canvas Checklist

- Compare value curves between your product and top competitors.
- Ensure target segment is explicit.
- Tie every strategic choice to measurable outcome.
