Framework F007: Define the State of the Art and Position your Innovation

A step-by-step guide for mapping the state of the art and position your innovation to stand out in a competitive landscape

You can’t lead the market if you don’t know where it stands. Understanding the state of the art helps you avoid reinventing the wheel and focus on building what’s next.

This framework walks you through how to research the state of the art, benchmark your solution against the best available, and spot opportunities for innovation. It’s your foundation for credible, differentiated positioning — not just internally, but for investors, customers, and partners.

What You Will Achieve With This Framework

✔ Define the state of the art in your industry with clarity and precision

✔ Map the competitive landscape and find your edge

✔ Identify performance gaps, pricing barriers, or technical limitations in current solutions

✔ Validate your innovation with a strong comparative narrative

✔ Build a compelling case for why your product is the next step forward

Who This Is For

Built for:

  • Founders preparing investor decks or pitch materials

  • Product strategists doing competitive landscape audits

  • R&D or innovation teams validating differentiation

  • Marketers crafting claims based on hard benchmarking

When to Use It

Use this framework when:

  • You're entering a mature or crowded market

  • You need to justify your technical or strategic advantage

  • You’re preparing to launch, fundraise, or partner

  • You want to anticipate future shifts before competitors do

What This Framework Replaces

✘ Shallow “competitor overviews” with no actionable insight

✘ Guessing what the best solutions offer

✘ Feature-only comparisons with no context

✘ Missed chances to align your innovation with industry trends

How It Fits Into Your Innovation Process

Use this before GTM planning or pricing strategy. It's a precursor to value proposition development and market entry — helping you ensure you're not just different, but better.

Framework Sections

  1. What Is the State of the Art? – Core definition and why it matters

  2. Why It Matters – Competitive, strategic, and investment benefits

  3. How to Research It – Competitor analysis, patent scanning, industry trend monitoring

  4. Comparison Framework: See table on page 5 for how to line up your product vs. top players

  5. Best Sources: From Google Patents to TechCrunch and McKinsey

  6. Benchmarking Checklist: Validate your process step-by-step

  7. Conclusion: Why mastering the state of the art builds credibility and strategy