How to Use Competitive Landscape Maps

In one of my recent newsletters, I discussed the concept of competitive landscapes and competitive landscape maps. These tools enable us to visually define a company's position in relation to its competitors based on critical success factors, making comparisons easier.

A competitive landscape map displays two of the most important critical success factors, with each factor represented on one axis. Competitors are positioned according to their current status, as is the client. This visual representation helps illustrate the client's future positioning.

For example, consider a map where the axes represent quality versus price as the critical success factors. Competitors are laid out on the map, alongside the client's current position, and the anticipated future position after implementing a solution.

In another example, we could have the quality of cyber response measured from low to high on one axis, while the intensity of cyber security threats is measured from low to high on the other. Here, we have an organisation called Space Inc., which initially occupies a certain position on this map. After the solution is implemented, Space Inc. moves to a much higher quality level, reflecting its improved response to the high intensity of cyber threats.