For more than a decade there have been graphics that capture the evolving role of IT industry analysts as influencers in the market and on purchasing decisions. Here are a few of them.
Bottom Line: The role of the IT analysts is constantly evolving. SageCircle’s Fog of Influence is only the latest iteration of a graphic that shows this role.
Questions: Are there other prior graphics by other analyst watchers that show the role of the analysts?
How SageCircle can Help: SageCircle can help IT vendors, investors and end-user clients of the analysts understand how the evolving role of the analysts impact their companies and jobs. SageCircle can then help clients adopt new approaches to ensure that the changing landscape benefits them and their employers. Contact us at info [at] sagecircle dot com or 650-274-8309.
Filed under: Analyst industry, Influencers
[…] there have several approaches to representing the ways that buyers and influencers interact (see The IT industry analysts’ role: evolution of perception). This post introduces the latest SageCircle update, the Fog of Influence (left, click to enlarge). […]
Good reminder Carter. I have had two conversations recently with analyst watchers who seem to define the influence of analysts in the much narrower sense of direct involvement in the sales/procurement cycle. Your broader and more holistic perspective is a better representation of what is going on out there. I particularly like the ‘Fog of Influence’ concept – would be interested in hearing you talk through that sometime.
Good reminder Carter. I have had two conversations recently with other analyst watchers who seemed to focus almost completely on direct involvement of analysts in the sales/procurement cycle as a measure of influence. Your more holistic view is a better representation of what’s really going on out there. I particularly like the ‘Fog of Influence’ as it works on two levels – both as a metaphore for the activity, and as a descriptor for how hard it is to see through it all to the dynamics underlying it.
Whoops – sorry for the two posts – that’ll teach me to work on the Web over an unstable 3G connection from the train. Thought the first one had gone into the big cellular black hole in the sky :-)
HI Dale, Thanks for the comments. I know how unstable the connection to the Web can be at times. >>grin<<
Glad you got both levels of the Fog of Influence. While cluttered I needed to show the completxity facing folks in the communications and IT industry. I expect to be writting to this for quite the while.
I would love to chat with you on this and your post on Open Reasoning.