Strategic Qs: Analyze the Strategic Landscape

There are roughly six different type of strategy questions. While the most commonly asked questions are around “Should X do Y? Yes or No.” The third most common question type is to analyze an entire market. 

For example: Provide your strategic analysis of X market. More specifically: What is your strategic analysis of mobile messaging applications today?  

While at a high-level using the Pros and Cons Analysis can work well here, it might also help you to follow this four-point framework: 

1. General Trends leading us to the current state

2. Current Types of Products in the Market

3. Current Industry Leaders

4. Speculations on the Future

More specifically, let’s look at our example: What is your strategic analysis of mobile messaging applications today?  

• General Trends over last few decades

  • Phone > Cell Phone

  • Talking on Phone > SMS

  • Private vs Group Conversations (1:1 > 1:many)

  • Cell Phone Based >> App Based Chats

  • All in one vs Segmented for Privacy

  • Text only >> images >> gifs >> Video >> Open Rooms (water cooler style)

  • Toggling between text and visual

• Types of Messaging Apps

  • Phone

    • iOS & Android Native

  • Social

    • What’s App

    • iMessenger

    • IG Messaging

    • Discord

    • etc.

  • Super Apps

    • We Chat

    • Grab

• Industry Leaders

  • iOS

  • Android

  • Meta Family of Apps (What’s App, iMessage, etc.)

  • Discord

  • Slack

• Future

  • Video driving more interaction and visual

  • Always on and Interactive

  • Metaverse

  • Augmented reality/Holograms