Market Research Report for Heads of Product: template, structure and example

When to use it

Create it early in Discover, when you need to start broad and understand the market before committing to a solution or investment. Use it to establish market size, dynamics, customer demand and competitive context, and to inform strategic or investment decisions across the portfolio. It works best when written for readers who were not part of the original conversations.

When not to use it

Do not use it to make the funding decision itself; once the market is understood, a Business Case carries the investment case. If you are narrowing to how a single trend reshapes the market, an Industry Trends Report is the natural next step rather than this broad scan.

What you need before you start

• The decision context: which strategic or investment choices the research informs
• The markets, segments and questions in scope, plus exclusions and limitations
• Customer evidence and research method notes, with sources and dates
• Market sizing inputs and assumptions (for example TAM, SAM and SOM)
• The competitive and substitute landscape, including doing nothing
• Buyer economics: budget owner, economic buyer and the likely buying cycle

Recommended structure, section by section

1. Executive Summary — The market opportunity, evidence strength, segment attractiveness, major risks, recommended decision and decisions required from leadership.
2. Purpose, Decision Context and Success Metrics — Why the research was commissioned, which strategic or investment decisions it informs, and which product or commercial metrics may be affected.
3. Research Scope and Method — Markets, segments and questions in scope, methods used, sample, data sources, time period, exclusions and known limitations.
4. Market Definition and Boundaries — The market category, boundaries, adjacent categories, substitutes and assumptions used to define the opportunity.
5. Market Sizing and Model — TAM, SAM and SOM or equivalent sizing, calculation method, key assumptions, sensitivity ranges and confidence level.
6. Market Dynamics and Trends — Growth drivers, headwinds, regulatory shifts, technology shifts, budget shifts and structural changes shaping the market.
7. Customer Segments and Demand — Priority segments, needs, urgency, frequency, willingness to pay, buying triggers and evidence of real demand.
8. Buyer Economics and Procurement Context — Budget owner, economic buyer, approval process, procurement friction, ROI expectations and likely buying cycle.
9. Competitive and Substitute Landscape — Who else serves this demand at a market level, including direct competitors, substitutes, incumbents, services, internal tools and doing nothing.
10. Opportunity Sizing and Attractiveness — The most attractive opportunities, their value, timing, accessibility, strategic fit and the criteria used to rank them.
11. Strategic Implications and Recommendations — What the research means for product strategy, portfolio direction, investment, positioning, pricing and GTM, with the recommended next step.
12. Risks, Constraints and No-Go Signals — The market, legal, regulatory, commercial, operational or technical risks that could reduce attractiveness, plus signals that should stop or reshape investment.
13. Evidence, Assumptions and Confidence — Sources, dates, data quality, assumption log, confidence level, triangulation and areas needing further validation.
14. Ownership and Review Cadence — Who owns the report, when it is refreshed, which decisions it informs and how findings are communicated into planning.

What good looks like

A strong Market Research Report lets another product lead understand the issue without a long verbal explanation. Data is interpreted, not just presented, and the reader can see the link between the evidence and the decision it informs. Sources, dates and limitations are stated. A new reader can describe the purpose, understand the recommended next step, see who has approved it and identify what would make the report need updating.

Quality checklist

• Customer evidence and research method notes are in place before sign-off is requested
• Data is interpreted into implications, not just presented
• Sources, dates, data quality and limitations are stated openly
• Market sizing shows its method, key assumptions and confidence level
• The most attractive opportunities are ranked against clear criteria
• Risks, constraints and no-go signals that would reshape investment are named
• The owner, refresh cadence and how findings feed planning are recorded

Who creates it, and when

In Gensudo this document is a governed template for:

• Head of Product in the Discover phase (as “Market Research Report”)

Where it sits in the flow

Before this document: Product Discovery Brief for Product Managers

This unblocks: Competitive Analysis for Product Managers · Opportunity Assessment for Product Managers · Business Case for Heads of Product

Prefer to see one finished? Read a complete, cited Market Research Report for Heads of Product example for a early-years edtech product.

Writing one from scratch? Read the step-by-step guide: How to Write a Market Research Report: Steps, Examples and Checklist.

Frequently asked questions