Understanding a technology market means first defining it, which is not always the easiest thing in this world. It then means understanding how it is structured today in different market segments and how it could be structured tomorrow. It also means understanding how it works, i.e. not only which players (including competitors and certain customers) act, decide or influence the majority of its ecosystem. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, it means understanding its dynamics. These dynamics are both its economic trends (is the market promising, growing or shrinking and by how much) and its technological trends (which of our technologies could we impose? Which technology or solution will eventually prevail or replace those existing today) and what underlies it (its ‘drivers’) and usually stems from economic or sociological trends in the downstream end market. It is on this basis of understanding and anticipation, together with its current competitive position, its economic, technological and human resources and a detailed understanding of its competitors, that the company will develop its market and product strategies.

In B2B/B2G as elsewhere, understanding your markets is the key to market/product success but the elements of this understanding are different from those of a consumer market or even a low-tech B2B market.