alterlab-market-research

Market Research Reports

Overview

Market research reports are comprehensive strategic documents that analyze industries, markets, and competitive landscapes to inform business decisions, investment strategies, and strategic planning. This skill generates professional-grade reports of 50+ pages with extensive visual content, modeled after deliverables from top consulting firms like McKinsey, BCG, Bain, Gartner, and Forrester.

Key Features:

Comprehensive length: Reports are designed to be 50+ pages with no token constraints
Visual-rich content: 5-6 key diagrams generated at start (more added as needed during writing)
Data-driven analysis: Deep integration with research-lookup for market data
Multi-framework approach: Porter's Five Forces, PESTLE, SWOT, BCG Matrix, TAM/SAM/SOM
Professional formatting: Consulting-firm quality typography, colors, and layout
Actionable recommendations: Strategic focus with implementation roadmaps

Output Format: LaTeX with professional styling, compiled to PDF. Uses the market_research.sty style package for consistent, professional formatting.

When to Use This Skill

This skill should be used when:

Creating comprehensive market analysis for investment decisions
Developing industry reports for strategic planning
Analyzing competitive landscapes and market dynamics
Conducting market sizing exercises (TAM/SAM/SOM)
Evaluating market entry opportunities
Preparing due diligence materials for M&A activities
Creating thought leadership content for industry positioning
Developing go-to-market strategy documentation
Analyzing regulatory and policy impacts on markets
Building business cases for new product launches

Does NOT Trigger

Scenario	Use Instead
One focused, source-cited research question with no report or frameworks	`alterlab-deep-research`
Raw price, fundamentals, or macro data points from an API	`alterlab-alpha-vantage` / `alterlab-fred`
Company financials straight from SEC filings (10-K, XBRL)	`alterlab-edgartools`
A standalone infographic or one-page data story	`alterlab-infographics`
A grant proposal's significance/market section for NSF/NIH-style funders	`alterlab-research-grants`

Data Integrity (read before writing)

Every market size, CAGR, share, price, or forecast in the report must come from a source you retrieved and cite (analyst report, industry association, government statistics, company filing), with its year and geography. When no source supports a number, say so and show the estimate you built instead — label it as an estimate, give the assumptions and arithmetic (see the TAM/SAM/SOM templates in references/data_analysis_patterns.md), and never present it as a sourced figure. Where sources disagree, report the range and which source says what. The numbers in this skill's templates and examples are placeholders, not market data; do not carry them into a report.

Visual Enhancement

Well-chosen visuals make a market research report far easier to navigate. Add figures where they clarify market structure, scale, competition, or risk — not as a quota. A handful of strong, accurate visuals beats a wall of decorative ones.

Visual Generation Tools

If a diagram or figure would aid comprehension, invoke the alterlab-scientific-schematics skill (diagrams/schematics) or the alterlab-generate-image skill (images). Figures are optional — add them only where they improve clarity.

Charts that encode numbers are plotted, not generated. Market-size trajectories, regional/segment breakdowns, share charts, and financial projections must be drawn from your sourced data table with alterlab-matplotlib or alterlab-plotly (and checked with alterlab-figure-qa), because image-generation models invent bar heights, labels, and axis values. Use the AI diagram/image skills only for conceptual visuals whose content you specify completely (framework diagrams, matrices with qualitative placement, timelines, cover art).

Diagrams/schematics work well for:

TAM/SAM/SOM breakdown diagrams (concentric circles, labels from your sourced/estimated values)
Porter's Five Forces diagrams
Competitive positioning matrices
Market segmentation charts
Value chain diagrams
Technology roadmaps
Risk heatmaps
Strategic prioritization matrices
Implementation timelines/Gantt charts
SWOT analysis diagrams
BCG Growth-Share matrices

Generated images work well for:

Executive summary hero infographics
Industry/sector conceptual illustrations
Abstract technology visualizations
Cover page imagery

For ready-to-use generation prompts mapped to each section, see references/visual_generation_guide.md.

Report Structure (50+ Pages)

The standard structure is front matter, eleven core chapters, and back matter. The per-page targets and framework assignments below drive the 50+ page length; the chosen frameworks (Porter, PESTLE, SWOT, TAM/SAM/SOM, BCG) are what distinguish this from a generic write-up.

#	Section	Pages	Primary frameworks
—	Front matter (cover, ToC/LoF/LoT, executive summary)	~5	Market snapshot, investment thesis
1	Market Overview & Definition	4-5	Ecosystem / value-chain mapping
2	Market Size & Growth	6-8	TAM/SAM/SOM, CAGR
3	Industry Drivers & Trends	5-6	PESTLE, driver impact matrix
4	Competitive Landscape	6-8	Porter's Five Forces, positioning matrix, strategic groups
5	Customer Analysis & Segmentation	4-5	Segmentation matrix, customer journey
6	Technology & Innovation Landscape	4-5	TRL, hype cycle, roadmap
7	Regulatory & Policy Environment	3-4	Regulatory timeline
8	Risk Analysis	3-4	Risk heatmap, mitigation matrix
9	Strategic Opportunities & Recommendations	4-5	Opportunity / priority matrices, SWOT
10	Implementation Roadmap	3-4	Phased Gantt, milestone tracker
11	Investment Thesis & Financial Projections	3-4	Scenario analysis, projections
—	Back matter (methodology, data tables, company profiles, bibliography)	~5	—

For the full section-by-section content requirements, required visuals, and data points per chapter, load references/report_structure_guide.md. For market-data sourcing in Chapter 2 (and throughout), use the research-lookup skill to pull market-research reports (Gartner, Forrester, IDC), industry-association data, government statistics, and company financials — cite each figure.

Workflow

Phase 1: Research & Data Gathering

Step 1: Define Scope

Clarify market definition
Set geographic boundaries
Determine time horizon
Identify key questions to answer

Step 2: Conduct Deep Research

Use the companion research-lookup skill extensively to gather market data. Run focused queries across each dimension of the analysis, for example:

Market size and growth: "What is the current market size and projected growth rate for [MARKET] industry? Include TAM, SAM, SOM estimates and CAGR projections"
Competitive landscape: "Who are the top 10 competitors in the [MARKET] market? What is their market share and competitive positioning?"
Industry trends: "What are the major trends and growth drivers in the [MARKET] industry over the next five to ten years?"
Regulatory environment: "What are the key regulations and policy changes affecting the [MARKET] industry?"

Step 3: Data Organization

Create sources/ folder with research notes
Organize data by section
Identify data gaps
Conduct follow-up research as needed

Phase 2: Analysis & Framework Application

Step 4: Apply Analysis Frameworks

For each framework, conduct structured analysis:

Market Sizing: TAM → SAM → SOM with clear assumptions
Porter's Five Forces: Rate each force High/Medium/Low with rationale
PESTLE: Analyze each dimension with trends and impacts
SWOT: Internal strengths/weaknesses, external opportunities/threats
Competitive Positioning: Define axes, plot competitors

Step 5: Develop Insights

Synthesize findings into key insights
Identify strategic implications
Develop recommendations
Prioritize opportunities

Phase 3: Visuals

Step 6: Plan and Generate Visuals

Decide which figures genuinely aid the report, then generate them. Useful candidates and the kind of content each conveys:

Market growth trajectory — bar chart of sourced historical vs. projected market size with a CAGR annotation (plot it from the data table; do not generate it).
TAM/SAM/SOM breakdown — concentric circles for Total / Serviceable Addressable / Serviceable Obtainable Market, each labeled.
Porter's Five Forces — center "Competitive Rivalry" box with the four surrounding forces, color-coded by rating.
Competitive positioning matrix — 2x2 with axes such as Market Focus (Niche↔Broad) and Solution Approach (Product↔Platform), competitors plotted as sized circles.
Risk heatmap — Impact vs. Probability grid with risks plotted and color-graded.
Executive summary infographic — a hero image synthesizing the report's headline metrics.

Phase 4: Report Writing

Step 7: Initialize Project Structure

Create the standard project structure:

writing_outputs/YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS_market_report_[topic]/
├── progress.md
├── drafts/
│   └── v1_market_report.tex
├── references/
│   └── references.bib
├── figures/
│   └── [all generated visuals]
├── sources/
│   └── [research notes]
└── final/

Step 8: Write Report Using Template

Use the market_report_template.tex as a starting point. Write each section following the structure guide, ensuring:

Comprehensive coverage: Every subsection addressed
Data-driven content: Claims supported by research
Visual integration: Reference all generated figures
Professional tone: Consulting-style writing
No token constraints: Write fully, don't abbreviate

Writing Guidelines:

Use active voice where possible
Lead with insights, support with data
Use numbered lists for recommendations
Include data sources for all statistics
Create smooth transitions between sections

Phase 5: Compilation & Review

Step 9: Compile LaTeX

cd writing_outputs/[project_folder]/drafts/
xelatex v1_market_report.tex
bibtex v1_market_report
xelatex v1_market_report.tex
xelatex v1_market_report.tex

Step 10: Quality Review

Run the full Checklist: 50+ Page Validation (below) covering structure, visuals, content quality, and technical correctness before declaring the report done.

Step 11: Peer Review

Use the peer-review skill to evaluate the report:

Assess comprehensiveness
Verify data accuracy
Check logical flow
Evaluate recommendation quality

Quality Standards

Summing the per-section page targets in the Report Structure table yields ~43 pages minimum and ~66 at target — comfortably clearing the 50+ page bar. If a draft falls short, expand appendix data tables, company profiles, and regional breakdowns rather than padding prose.

Visual Quality Requirements

Resolution: All images at 300 DPI minimum
Format: PNG for raster, PDF for vector
Accessibility: Colorblind-friendly palettes
Consistency: Same color scheme throughout
Labeling: All axes, legends, and data points labeled
Source Attribution: Sources cited in figure captions

Data Quality Requirements

Currency: Data no older than 2 years (prefer current year); state each figure's base year
Sourcing: All statistics attributed to specific sources — no unsourced numbers (see Data Integrity)
Validation: Cross-reference multiple sources when possible
Assumptions: All projections state underlying assumptions
Limitations: Acknowledge data limitations and gaps

Writing Quality Requirements

Objectivity: Present balanced analysis, acknowledge uncertainties
Clarity: Avoid jargon, define technical terms
Precision: Use specific numbers over vague qualifiers
Structure: Clear headings, logical flow, smooth transitions
Actionability: Recommendations are specific and implementable

LaTeX Formatting

Using the Style Package

The market_research.sty package provides professional formatting. Include it in your document:

\documentclass[11pt,letterpaper]{report}
\usepackage{market_research}

Box Environments

Use colored boxes to highlight key content:

Values in [brackets] are placeholders — fill each from a cited source (or a labelled estimate).

% Key insight box (blue)
\begin{keyinsightbox}[Key Finding]
The market is projected to grow at [X.X]\% CAGR through [YEAR] ([Source, year]).
\end{keyinsightbox}

% Market data box (green)
\begin{marketdatabox}[Market Snapshot]
\begin{itemize}
    \item Market Size ([YEAR]): \$[XX.X]B ([Source])
    \item Projected Size ([YEAR]): \$[XX.X]B ([Source])
    \item CAGR: [X.X]\%
\end{itemize}
\end{marketdatabox}

% Risk box (orange/warning)
\begin{riskbox}[Critical Risk]
[Regulatory change] could affect [share or count, with source] of market participants.
\end{riskbox}

% Recommendation box (purple)
\begin{recommendationbox}[Strategic Recommendation]
Prioritize market entry in the Asia-Pacific region.
\end{recommendationbox}

% Callout box (gray)
\begin{calloutbox}[Definition]
TAM (Total Addressable Market) represents the total revenue opportunity.
\end{calloutbox}

Figure Formatting

\begin{figure}[htbp]
\centering
\includegraphics[width=0.9\textwidth]{../figures/market_growth.png}
\caption{Market Growth Trajectory ([START]--[END]). Source: [named sources, retrieval year].}
\label{fig:market_growth}
\end{figure}

Table Formatting

\begin{table}[htbp]
\centering
\caption{Market Size by Region ([YEAR]). Source: [named sources].}
\begin{tabular}{@{}lrrr@{}}
\toprule
\textbf{Region} & \textbf{Size (USD)} & \textbf{Share} & \textbf{CAGR} \\
\midrule
North America & \$[X.X]B & [XX.X]\% & [X.X]\% \\
\rowcolor{tablealt} Europe & \$[X.X]B & [XX.X]\% & [X.X]\% \\
Asia-Pacific & \$[X.X]B & [XX.X]\% & [X.X]\% \\
\rowcolor{tablealt} Rest of World & \$[X.X]B & [XX.X]\% & [X.X]\% \\
\midrule
\textbf{Total} & \textbf{\$[XX.X]B} & \textbf{100\%} & \textbf{[X.X]\%} \\
\bottomrule
\end{tabular}
\label{tab:market_by_region}
\end{table}

For complete formatting reference, see assets/FORMATTING_GUIDE.md.

Integration with Other Skills

This skill orchestrates several sibling skills:

alterlab-research-lookup: gather market data, statistics, and competitive intelligence
alterlab-scientific-schematics: generate diagrams, charts, matrices, and timelines
alterlab-generate-image: create infographics and conceptual illustrations
alterlab-peer-review: evaluate report quality and completeness
alterlab-citation-mgmt: manage the BibTeX bibliography

Route elsewhere when the ask is narrower: a single source-cited research question → alterlab-deep-research; raw financial fundamentals from an API → alterlab-alpha-vantage.

Example Prompts

Section-level prompts work best when they name the market, the frameworks, and the visuals, e.g.:

"Write the market overview for [MARKET]: definition and scope, ecosystem and value chain, historical evolution, current dynamics; 2 supporting diagrams."
"Analyze the competitive landscape for [MARKET]: Porter's Five Forces with High/Medium/Low ratings, top competitors with sourced market shares, positioning matrix, barriers to entry."
"Develop 5-7 prioritized recommendations for entering [MARKET] with opportunity sizing (sourced or labelled estimates), risks and mitigations, and success criteria."

Checklist: 50+ Page Validation

Before finalizing the report, verify:

Structure Completeness

Cover page with hero visual
Table of contents (auto-generated)
List of figures (auto-generated)
List of tables (auto-generated)
Executive summary (2-3 pages)
All 11 core chapters present
Appendix A: Methodology
Appendix B: Data tables
Appendix C: Company profiles
References/Bibliography

Visual Completeness (Core 5-6)

Market growth trajectory chart (Priority 1)
TAM/SAM/SOM diagram (Priority 2)
Porter's Five Forces (Priority 3)
Competitive positioning matrix (Priority 4)
Risk heatmap (Priority 5)
Executive summary infographic (Priority 6, optional)

Additional Visuals (Generate as Needed)

Market ecosystem diagram
Regional breakdown chart
Segment growth chart
Industry trends/PESTLE diagram
Market share chart
Customer segmentation chart
Technology roadmap
Regulatory timeline
Opportunity matrix
Implementation timeline
Financial projections chart
Other section-specific visuals

Content Quality

All statistics have sources
Projections include assumptions
Frameworks properly applied
Recommendations are actionable
Writing is professional quality
No placeholder or incomplete sections

Technical Quality

PDF compiles without errors
All figures render correctly
Cross-references work
Bibliography complete
Page count exceeds 50

Resources

Reference Files

Load these files for detailed guidance:

references/report_structure_guide.md: Detailed section-by-section content requirements
references/visual_generation_guide.md: Complete prompts for generating all visual types
references/data_analysis_patterns.md: Templates for Porter's, PESTLE, SWOT, etc.

Assets

assets/market_research.sty: LaTeX style package
assets/market_report_template.tex: Complete LaTeX template
assets/FORMATTING_GUIDE.md: Quick reference for box environments and styling

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Problem: Report is under 50 pages

Solution: Expand data tables in appendices, add more detailed company profiles, include additional regional breakdowns

Problem: Visuals not rendering

Solution: Check file paths in LaTeX, ensure images are in figures/ folder, verify file extensions

Problem: Bibliography missing entries

Solution: Run bibtex after first xelatex pass, check .bib file for syntax errors

Problem: Table/figure overflow

Solution: Use \resizebox or adjustbox package, reduce image width percentage

Problem: Poor visual quality from generation

Solution: Pass --doc-type report for the report quality threshold, and --iterations 2 (the scientific-schematics max) for an extra refinement pass

Disclose AI assistance in the report's methodology appendix, and keep the sources/ notes so every figure can be traced.

Part of the AlterLab Academic Skills suite.