Doing It Right :: Figuring Out The Evolving Game Today

30. Figuring Out The Evolving Game Today

Tool Preview: Guides a group through a broad assessment of current and possible future market dynamics. Identify emerging patterns, generate a shared orientation among key people, and develop a comprehensive understanding about competitors, suppliers and customers.

Instructions: Gather a group of good thinkers from your circle of employees, board, and advisors.
Use this guide to focus your discussions. It is designed to stimulate thinking and conversation, but don’t let it limit you.
Have the group generate its own questions based on their diverse perspectives on your industry and marketplace.
This list of discussion points can be used in conjunction with A Tool For Creating A Powerful Family Business History (Part 2): A Guide for Organizing Your History to steer the group toward a focused conclusion to these deliberations.

Figuring Out The Evolving Game Today---Discussion Points

Discussion Points Action Ideas Notes

What are we hearing from our customers?
About our performance?
About their evolving business needs?
About their treatment by other suppliers

What can we surmise our competitors are up to?
What are their value propositions and what can we learn from studying them?
What are their sales folks and advertising efforts telling us?
How are they investing resources?
What are they saying to customers?

Are there developments in the technologies of our business that affect our business idea?
Communication
Tracking
Shrinking barriers of time/distance
Industry developments
Relevant technological developments outside our industry

Are there developments in our value chain that could affect our business idea?
Changes in basic raw materials
Changes in how suppliers can and do work
Broad social or technological trends
Game changing product developments
Customer/consumer expectations

Are there developments in our customers’ value chain that could affect their business ideas?
Changes in basic raw materials
Changes in how suppliers can and do work
Broad social or technological trends
Game changing product developments
Customer/consumer expectations

Have we spotted developments we can capitalize upon to create an advantage?
Changes in the mix between market conditions and our capabilities
Changes in your game plan in terms of new talent, knowledge or expertise
Vulnerabilities among the competition
New allies or partners
Game changing ideas of our own

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Discussion Points	Action Ideas	Notes
What are we hearing from our customers? About our performance? About their evolving business needs? About their treatment by other suppliers
What can we surmise our competitors are up to? What are their value propositions and what can we learn from studying them? What are their sales folks and advertising efforts telling us? How are they investing resources? What are they saying to customers?
Are there developments in the technologies of our business that affect our business idea? Communication Tracking Shrinking barriers of time/distance Industry developments Relevant technological developments outside our industry
Are there developments in our value chain that could affect our business idea? Changes in basic raw materials Changes in how suppliers can and do work Broad social or technological trends Game changing product developments Customer/consumer expectations
Are there developments in our customers’ value chain that could affect their business ideas? Changes in basic raw materials Changes in how suppliers can and do work Broad social or technological trends Game changing product developments Customer/consumer expectations
Have we spotted developments we can capitalize upon to create an advantage? Changes in the mix between market conditions and our capabilities Changes in your game plan in terms of new talent, knowledge or expertise Vulnerabilities among the competition New allies or partners Game changing ideas of our own