How does ABI Research conduct primary research?

ABI Research collects data from all corners of the technological ecosystem to deliver the perspective our clients need. We cumulate this data from key decision-makers and people with unique insight into market trends within the following types of organizations:

• Firms developing strategic technologies.
• Companies providing components to firms that are developing technology solutions.
• Vendors aggregating the technologies and creating enabling platforms.
• Technology implementers and end users in specific verticals and segments.

ABI Research conducts extensive primary research, including between 2,000-3,000 in-depth interviews worldwide every year. These interviews give ABI Research a powerful market perspective that combines end-to-end data points from throughout the value chain.

Primary research is collected through a variety of means, including:

• Research Interviews where analysts engage with key contacts to secure information that fills in knowledge gaps throughout the whole value chain of a given market. Interviews also allow companies with positions in specific market segments to ensure their vision is considered when ABI Research synthesizes its research.
• Vendor Briefings where companies reach out to our analysts looking to showcase new products and solutions, promote recent wins, or as part of an organized analyst relations outreach. Clients and non-clients are welcome to request Vendor Briefings through our website. No preference is made regarding client status, just alignment with our research agenda.
• In-Person Discussions at trade shows, analyst-only events, and small conferences also provide valuable inputs to our research.
• Analyst Inquiry is a client-only offering providing direct access to our analysts (see related FAQs). While this is typically an opportunity for clients to ask questions, invariably, these dialogs become a two-way exchange for analysts to gather more information.
• End User (Business & Consumer) Surveys are a final input to our primary research. Through these surveys, ABI Research gains additional insights from thousands of technology end users each year.

Why should you or your company agree to a Research Interview?

If your company is a key vendor in a market, we will cover you whether we hear from you or not. Otherwise, our research will be incomplete, and the overall analysis will potentially be flawed. The information we gather about your company can come from a variety of sources, including your competitors, customers, suppliers, and partners. However, the best source of information is first-hand knowledge from you. Participating in a Research Interview allows you to provide direct input to our analysts and influence their views on the market and how you approach it. What are your differentiators? What weaknesses of your competitors are you exploiting?

Articulating these views through ongoing participation in research interviews is among the best ways to ensure your perspective is captured and considered in our research. Even if you have limited or no budget for a research subscription, agreeing to a research interview and sharing information costs nothing at all, but still offers your company a high ROI.

Can I preview the information written about my company before publication? After publication?

ABI Research does not share information before or after publication.

There are several practical issues with sharing information for review. First, if we allowed all participants to do so, no research would ever get published as we respond to countless inquiries from each company. At the end of the process, our analysts need to synthesize research from many inputs to formulate a complete picture of a company, and that will be derived from material outside of any direct research interview. Second, companies are mentioned throughout our research, and it is impossible to isolate all findings about a single company into a single section. A complete read of the research deliverable and related documents is the only way to gain a fuller understanding of our viewpoints on any single vendor.

Can I get a copy of the research if I participated in a Research Interview?

While we are incredibly grateful for participation in our research interviews, ABI Research does not provide a copy of the research in exchange for participation in a Research Interview. In exchange for your time, you can rest assured that your perspective will be heard and incorporated into our coverage.

Practically speaking, we conduct thousands of interviews annually, and information gleaned from those interviews is often woven into multiple research deliverables. Therefore, we would no longer be in business if we offered complimentary copies of our research to everyone who participates in an interview.

How does ABI Research address confidential information?

Confidential information is kept confidential. Period. Much like journalists abide by ethical guidelines and adhere to on- or off-record comments, our analysts are expected to maintain strict confidentiality. Our 30+ year history speaks for itself—we do not go around disclosing confidential information. Given our track record, rarely will ABI Research sign an NDA for an individual research interview.

Why would anyone disclose confidential information to our analysts?

In many instances, disclosing confidential or embargoed items can prove beneficial to a vendor. For example, providing this information gives our analysts a more complete and accurate understanding of how a vendor approaches a market. This typically results in more positive coverage and analysis, and our confidentiality policy ensures that no privileged details will be published without consent. Further, sharing embargoed information with analysts in advance of a public announcement ensures that our analysts are ready to address questions from your customers and the media regarding your products immediately after your announcement.

Does our company need to be a client or pay for placement in ABI Research deliverables?

No, you do not need to be a client, and we don’t participate in pay-for-placement research.

ABI Research operates differently than other firms that often create commercial boundaries to participate in Competitive Rankings and other research. Some firms even create meaningless awards for any company that wants one.

ABI Research, on the other hand, takes great pride in our objectivity. Our clients—those deeply involved in developing technologies (your competitors)—and those deploying these technologies (our mutual customers) are incredibly grateful for our objective approach. So long as our analysts believe your company is in our coverage sphere, your influence does not depend on client status. Naturally, however, our analysts are much more familiar with clients who are deeply and continuously engaged with our team.