Lesson 3.3 — Market Research Methods & the DTI Playbook
About this lesson
This lesson covers the distinction between informal and formal market research methods and presents the three-stage DTI SOTA playbook for building a validated supplier database. Delivered by André Berle Falsig (Danish Technological Institute) and Jozef Kubinec.
Informal vs. formal market research
Informal (fast, low-cost, not legally documented — best for early exploration):
- Network consultations, expert interviews, industry associations
- Conference and trade show participation, online research
Formal (comprehensive, legally compliant, auditable — required before PCP/PPI decision):
- Request for Information (RFI), Preliminary/Open Market Consultation
- Structured supplier surveys, technical feasibility studies
Real example — iProcureNet informal (MILIPOL): Attended security trade show in Paris, identified 20+ relevant suppliers through booth conversations. Value: direct contact and live demos. Limitation: only exhibiting vendors, missed smaller innovators.
Real example — iProcureNet formal RFI (waste fires): Published RFI for AI/thermal-imaging fire detection in waste facilities. Gathered TRL levels, pricing ranges, and R&D capacity from multiple EU suppliers. Time: 6 weeks. Outcome: confirmed need for PCP; included in Horizon Europe proposal. Key lesson: a detailed use case in the RFI drives quality responses.
The DTI SOTA playbook — three stages
| Stage | Main question | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| 01. Technology screening | Which technologies could solve our needs? | 3–5 technologies/approaches |
| 02. Supplier screening | Who could solve it? | 50–80 suppliers |
| 03. Solution screening | What could solve our problem? | 7–10 suppliers, 1–2 solutions each |
Stage 01: Work within a TRL range, not a single level — your first guess is often wrong. Patents can be defensive tactics; press releases can obscure actual TRL.
Stage 02: Assess your bargaining power. Is your case attractive to the market? Consider purchase frequency, repeatability, and your organisation’s brand appeal.
Stage 03: TRL often drops 2–5 levels when transferred to your specific use case. Look for integrators — components may exist even when whole solutions don’t.
