beam-ai-team/analyze-competitors

Analyze Competitors

Systematically research competitor products to identify feature implementations, UX patterns, gaps, and opportunities.

Purpose

This skill is the second step in the design cycle. It:

• Guides exploration of competitor products (Zapier, n8n, Lindy, Relevance.ai, etc.)
• Documents feature implementations and UX patterns
• Identifies gaps and opportunities for differentiation
• Creates a structured analysis for wireframing reference

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Workflow

Step 1: Initialize TodoWrite

- [ ] Load requirements from previous step
- [ ] Identify relevant competitors for this feature
- [ ] Research each competitor (hands-on exploration)
- [ ] Document findings per competitor
- [ ] Identify patterns, gaps, opportunities
- [ ] Create analysis summary

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Step 2: Load Context

Load the requirements synthesis from Step 1:

02-resources/requirements-synthesis.md

Identify the core feature/functionality to research.

Mark this todo complete before proceeding.

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Step 3: Select Competitors

Present the known competitor list from references/competitor-list.md:

Which competitors should we analyze for this feature?

Automation Platforms:
1. Zapier
2. n8n
3. Make (Integromat)

AI Agent Platforms:
4. Lindy
5. Relevance.ai
6. Crew.ai

Other:
7. Custom competitor (specify)

Select by number (e.g., "1, 2, 4") or "all"

Mark this todo complete before proceeding.

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Step 4: Research Each Competitor

For each selected competitor, guide the user through exploration:

Let's analyze {COMPETITOR}.

Please navigate to {competitor URL} and explore how they implement {feature}.

When ready, describe what you see or share a screenshot. I'll help document:
- How they approach this feature
- Key UI elements and patterns
- User flow steps
- What works well / what doesn't

Documentation template per competitor:

## {Competitor Name}

### Feature Implementation
- How it works: {description}
- Entry point: {where users access it}
- Key steps: {1, 2, 3...}

### UI Patterns
- Layout: {sidebar, modal, wizard, etc.}
- Components used: {buttons, cards, inputs}
- Visual style: {minimal, feature-rich, etc.}

### Strengths
- {what they do well}

### Weaknesses
- {pain points or gaps}

### Screenshots/Notes
- {user observations}

Repeat for each competitor.

Mark this todo complete after ALL competitors are researched.

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Step 5: Identify Patterns & Opportunities

Analyze findings across all competitors:

Common Patterns (most competitors do this):

• {pattern 1}
• {pattern 2}

Differentiators (unique approaches):

• {competitor}: {unique approach}

Gaps (nobody does this well):

• {gap 1}
• {gap 2}

Opportunities (how we can be better):

• {opportunity 1}
• {opportunity 2}

Mark this todo complete before proceeding.

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Step 6: Create Analysis Summary

Generate the final analysis document:

# Competitor Analysis: {Feature Name}

## Executive Summary
{2-3 sentence overview of findings}

## Competitors Analyzed
| Competitor | Focus Area | Account Type |
|------------|------------|--------------|
| Zapier | {area} | Free/Premium |
| ... | ... | ... |

## Feature Comparison Matrix
| Capability | Zapier | n8n | Lindy | Ours |
|------------|--------|-----|-------|------|
| {cap 1} | Yes | Yes | No | TBD |
| ... | ... | ... | ... | ... |

## Key Findings

### What Works Well (Industry Standard)
{patterns to adopt}

### Gaps & Opportunities
{where we can differentiate}

### Recommended Approach
{synthesis for wireframing}

## Detailed Analysis
{per-competitor sections}

## References
- Screenshots: {location}
- Research date: {date}

Save to: 02-resources/competitor-analysis.md

Mark this todo complete before proceeding.

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Step 7: Proceed to Wireframing

Competitor analysis complete!

Key insights:
- {insight 1}
- {insight 2}
- {insight 3}

Ready to create wireframes?
Say 'create wireframe' or 'continue design cycle'

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Resources

references/

• competitor-list.md - Known competitors with URLs and account status
• analysis-framework.md - What to look for when analyzing
• documentation-template.md - Standard format for capturing findings

assets/

• competitor-analysis-template.md - Full template for analysis output

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Notes

About Account Access:

• Free accounts are sufficient for most feature exploration
• Premium accounts may be needed for advanced features
• User should indicate which account type they're using

About Screenshots:

• Encourage capturing key screens for reference
• Store in project assets folder
• Reference in analysis document