A structured approach to distinguishing a good idea from a real opportunity
Summary Intuition, perceived trends, incomplete data… too many strategic decisions rely on fragile, non-factual foundations. Without a thoughtful approach, teams invest time and money in poorly validated projects, miss out on future opportunities, and struggle to convince executive management.
Strategic market research is essentiel for anyone responsible for evaluating opportunities or developing a business case. This training equips participants to conduct effective secondary research at the outset of a project, identify and leverage credible sources, use generative AI responsibly and effectively, and transform large volumes of information into clear, actionable recommendations.
To support longer-term decision-making, the training also introduces the foundational principles and processes of strategic intelligence, enabling organizations to identify emerging signals and better anticipate future opportunities.
Is it for you ?
Professionals in Marketing, R&D, and Sales, including Directors, Product Managers, Project Managers, Engineers, Account Managers, and Sales Representatives, as well as anyone responsible for making decisions that influence the future direction of the organization.
Prerequisites
Participants will benefit most from this training if their role involves decision-making related to product development, go-to-market strategy, innovation, or strategic planning.
What You'll Walk Away With
- ✓ Conduct effective secondary market research using appropriate sources, tools, and AI prompting techniques to obtain reliable and relevant information.
- ✓ Transform large volumes of data into clear recommendations tailored to the needs and expectations of decision-makers.
- ✓ Gain an understanding of the strategic intelligence process to identify emerging signals and support future organizational decisions.
Training content
1 Secondary Research to Launch a Project
- Understanding the differences between secondary and primary research: purposes, applications, and when to use each approach
- Asking the right questions before beginning research: what decision are you trying to make?
- Conducting a secondary market analysis by identifying credible sources, relevant data types, and research tools suited to your context
- Developing effective AI prompts to generate relevant and useful results
- Hands-on exercise based on a fictional research case study
2 Turning Data into Insights and Decisions
- Assessing the relevance and quality of collected data using key structured questions
- Making sense of data by distinguishing facts, opinions, hypotheses, and interpretations; understanding correlation versus causation; and identifying potential biases
- Translating data into decisions: presenting facts clearly, using the Impact vs. Confidence Matrix to prioritize opportunities, and formulating recommendations tailored to stakeholder concerns
- Using visualization techniques, including charts, graphs, and storytelling, to capture attention and support decision-making
- Continued hands-on application using the fictional research case study
3 Key steps of effective strategic intelligence to guide future decisions
- Presenting the key steps of strategic intelligence: collection, analysis, processing, distribution, and knowledge sharing
- Defining key organizational questions based on project context
- Establishing collection and distribution plans, including practical tips and automation tools
- Examples and group discussions
- Hands-on application using the fictional research case study
📌 Practical information
Our training sessions are offered in Montreal or Quebec City, in person or in a virtual classroom. Dates and locations are specified when you select your session below. If you have any questions, check out our FAQ.
