Competitive Analysis

Competitive Landscape Mapping

CRITICAL STANDARDS - APPLY TO EVERY ANALYSIS

Source File Primacy

When source files (Excel/CSV) are provided:

• Extract values DIRECTLY — Do not perform your own calculations; use the numbers as they appear
• Maintain consistency — When the same metric appears in multiple places, ensure identical values throughout
• Verify calculations — If the prompt asks you to calculate something, verify your result matches related data in the source
• Round only as shown — Use the same decimal precision as the source file

Prompt Fidelity

When the prompt specifies exact requirements, follow them verbatim:

Slide Titles & Section Names:

• If prompt says "Overview and Competitive Scope" slide — use EXACTLY that title, not a paraphrase
• If prompt says within the "Segment Mix" section — use EXACTLY "Segment Mix" as the section header
• Never substitute with creative alternatives (e.g., don't use "FY2024 Segment Contribution Analysis" when "Overview and Competitive Scope" was specified)

Chart vs Table:

• If prompt says embedded chart — create an actual PowerPoint chart object, NOT a table
• If prompt says data labels must display — these go on chart elements (bars, slices, lines), not table cells
• Tables and charts are NOT interchangeable — use exactly what's specified

Complete Data Series:

• If prompt lists 7 competitors, include ALL 7 — not 5 or 6
• If prompt shows data for years 2015-2025, include ALL years — not a subset
• If prompt specifies 6 series in a chart (Uber, Lyft, DiDi, Bolt, Grab, Gojek), include ALL 6 — not 4

Exact Values & Phrasing:

• If prompt says Revenue: $43.98B (+18% YoY) — display exactly that format
• If prompt says surpasses DoorDash 4:1, Lyft 8:1 — use those exact ratios, not "7.6x Lyft"
• If prompt gives specific percentages (e.g., "Uber 30%, DiDi 35%"), use exactly those numbers

When in doubt: Re-read the prompt. If it specifies something explicitly, that's not a suggestion — it's a requirement.

Reference Files

This skill includes reference files in the references/ folder. Use them as follows:

• references/schemas.md — Table templates for M&A transactions, scenario analysis, and slide structure. Reference when building financial tables or investment scenarios.
• references/frameworks.md — 2x2 matrix axis pairs by industry. Reference when choosing positioning visualization dimensions.

Source Quality Hierarchy

When sources conflict, prioritize in this order:

1. 10-Ks / Annual Reports — Audited, highest reliability
2. Earnings Calls / Investor Presentations — Management commentary, forward guidance
3. Sell-Side Research — Analyst estimates, useful for private company sizing
4. Industry Reports (McKinsey, Gartner, etc.) — Market sizing, trends
5. News Articles — Use only for recent developments, verify against primary sources

Data Comparability

• Time periods must match — All competitor metrics from same fiscal year. Flag exceptions: "(FY24)" vs "(H1 2024)"
• Metric definitions must match — Same calculation methodology across competitors
• Currency normalization — Convert all figures to USD for international comparisons; note exchange rate and date used
• Use "-" for missing data — Never leave cells blank; for private companies, use "N/A" or estimates with "[E]" flag
• Cite every number — Format: "[Company] [Document] ([Date])"
• Source file fidelity — When Excel/CSV files are provided, use values exactly as given; do not recalculate or round differently than shown

Design & Formatting

• Slide titles = insights — "Scale leaders pulling away from niche players" not "Competitive Analysis"
• Slide titles must fit — One or two lines fine, but no overflow; reduce font size if needed (min 24pt)
• Signposts = quantified — "margin below 40%" not "margins decline"
• Ratings include actuals — "●●● $160B" not just "●●●"
• Slide numbers required — Every slide must have a page number

Presentation-Specific Requirements

• Actual embedded charts required — Pie charts, bar charts, and line graphs must be real PowerPoint chart objects (created via pptx skill), NOT text/ASCII representations
• Match prompt structure — If prompt specifies slide structure, follow it
• Competitor tables — For comprehensive analysis: metrics table + qualitative table per competitor. For rapid assessments: single combined table is acceptable.
• Segment financials — Include both Revenue AND EBITDA when available. For private competitors or limited disclosure, revenue-only tables are acceptable; note "[EBITDA not disclosed]"

Visual Reference

Review examples/Toast_Embedded_Payments_Competitive_Landscape_v3.pptx and match its professional quality:

Spacing & Overflow Prevention:

• Title-to-content gap — Minimum 0.4" between slide title bottom and first content element
• Section header gaps — Minimum 0.25" between section headers and content below
• Element buffers — Minimum 0.2" between any two elements (tables, text boxes, charts)
• Margin safety — Keep all content at least 0.5" from slide edges
• Text overflow — If text doesn't fit, reduce font size or split across slides; never let text clip or overlap

Slide Titles:

• Must fit within slide width — One or two lines is fine, but text must not overflow or clip
• If title is too long — Shorten wording or reduce font size (minimum 24pt)
• Front-load the insight — Put the key point first, details second

Chart Formatting:

• Legend inside layout — Always set include_in_layout=True so legends don't overlap chart area
• Legend position — Use RIGHT for pie charts (≤6 items), BOTTOM for line/bar charts (≤4 series)
• Too many series — If >6 series, consider splitting into multiple charts or using a table instead
• Data labels — For pie charts, show percentages on slices rather than relying solely on legend

Typography (set explicitly, never use defaults):

• Slide title: 28-32pt bold
• Section headers: 16-20pt bold
• Body text: 11-14pt regular
• Table text: 10-12pt regular
• Sources/footnotes: 8-10pt, gray
• Consistency rule: Same element type = same font size throughout deck

Layout:

• Clean grid alignment — tables and text blocks align to consistent margins
• Generous whitespace — don't crowd slides; let content breathe
• Visual hierarchy — most important insight is largest/most prominent
• One key message per slide — supporting detail below

Color:

• Limited palette — 2-3 colors max (one accent color for emphasis)
• Muted tones — avoid bright/saturated colors; use navy, gray, muted blue
• Consistent application — same color meanings throughout (e.g., accent for key metrics)

Tables:

• Light gray header row with bold text
• Alternating row shading (subtle) or clean white with thin borders
• Right-align numbers, left-align text
• Adequate cell padding — text shouldn't touch borders

Rating visuals:

• ●●● / ●●○ / ●○○ system with actual metric alongside
• Consistent placement in comparative tables

Adapt structure and metrics to fit your industry — but maintain this level of polish.

What's STRICT vs FLEXIBLE

WORKFLOW PHASES