Aragon vs. Gartner: The Fight for Future Insights

By Jim Lundy

Aragon vs. Gartner: The Fight for Future Insights

In a crowded market for technology research and advisory, it can be difficult to distinguish one firm from another. Many enterprises default to the largest, most established names without questioning if their model still fits today’s rapidly changing technology landscape. This blog overviews why Aragon Research was founded and details our key differentiators from Gartner, Forrester, and IDC.

Why We Founded Aragon Research

Jim Lundy, a former Managing Vice President at Gartner, founded Aragon Research because he saw a significant gap in the market. The traditional, large-scale research firms, often referred to as the “big box” providers, were becoming too slow and rigid. Their research cycles were long, often taking many months to publish on critical market shifts. In a world being transformed by cloud, mobile, and now AI, enterprises need faster insights and more forward-looking guidance. We built Aragon to be an agile, future-focused firm that provides predictive, high-impact research to help leaders navigate technological disruption.

Analysis: The Aragon Research Difference

Our differentiation is not just about speed; it is rooted in our entire methodology. First, we prioritize genuine thought leadership. Instead of just documenting what has already happened, our analysis focuses on predicting where markets are headed. This is evident in our complete coverage of Artificial Intelligence, an area we have been leading on for years. Second, we emphasize direct, continuous engagement through regular advisory calls, ensuring our clients have consistent access to our lead analysts. Third, our proprietary Visual Research is a game-changer. 

This video-based format delivers complex analysis in a digestible and engaging way, allowing busy executives to consume critical insights quickly. Finally, with the launch of Provisor AI, we are putting the power of our research archive directly into our clients’ hands, allowing them to get instant, AI-powered answers to their most pressing questions. These capabilities stand in stark contrast to the often static, report-heavy models of our larger competitors.

Aragon vs. Gartner

While Gartner is the largest firm, its scale can also be a limitation. Aragon’s client engagement model is fundamentally more flexible and collaborative. For instance, Aragon offers 45-minute inquiry calls with no limits on the number of attendees from your firm, fostering a team-based learning environment. This compares favorably to Gartner’s standard 30-minute calls, which are limited to licensed seatholders only. 

Our Technology Arc methodology is a more modern approach to market analysis, focusing on where a market is headed, unlike the often retrospective view of a Hype Cycle, which stresses that new technologies are not ready. If that were the case, ChatGPT would have never made it past the trough of disillusionment.

Furthermore, our intense focus on AI as a transformative force is embedded across all our research, providing a more current and forward-looking perspective.

Aragon vs. Forrester

Forrester has built a strong brand around its Wave methodology, which provides a detailed snapshot of current vendor capabilities. However, this approach is primarily focused on the “what is” rather than the “what’s next.” Aragon’s research, by contrast, is predictive and designed to help enterprises anticipate market shifts. 

While Forrester has deep expertise in areas like customer experience, Aragon’s focus is on the foundational, AI-powered shifts in enterprise operations, including intelligent contact centers, workflow and content automation, and the future of collaboration. We aim to identify and analyze the next wave of technology, not just evaluate the current one.

Aragon vs. IDC

IDC is renowned for its quantitative market data, offering survey based detail on market share and sizing. This historical, data-centric view is valuable for many purposes. However, Aragon Research provides the strategic “why” behind the numbers. We focus on qualitative, predictive insights that help leaders make strategic bets. 

While IDC can tell you a vendor’s exact market share last quarter, Aragon will tell you why a market will grow in the next two years. Our clients come to us for forward-looking thought leadership and actionable advice on future technology adoption, not just a recap of past performance. Aragon has helped a number of firms with Merger and Acquisition decisions and its ForeSight Forecasts have been called forecasts that can be trusted.

Aragon Research vs Gartner, Forrester and IDC Summary Comparison

The best choice of an analyst firm depends entirely on an enterprise’s goals. The table below offers a clear summary of how Aragon Research provides a modern alternative to the traditional firms.

This comparison highlights a fundamental difference in philosophy. The legacy firms are built to document the present and the past, whereas Aragon is purpose-built to help you navigate the future.

What Should Enterprises Do?

Enterprises should re-evaluate their reliance on traditional research firms. The pace of technology change, particularly with generative AI, demands a partner that is as agile and forward-thinking as they need to be. Leaders should question whether their current advisory services are providing predictive insights or simply rearview-mirror commentary. 

It is critical to consider the accessibility of senior analysts and the speed at which you can get actionable advice. Enterprises should evaluate newer, more innovative research methods that can accelerate their decision-making processes.

Bottom Line

The era of waiting months for a market analysis is over. Aragon Research provides the thought leadership, complete AI coverage, and direct analyst access that enterprises need to compete and win. Through innovations like Visual Research and Provisor AI, we deliver insights faster and more effectively than the legacy firms. For enterprises looking to navigate the future of technology, not just understand its past, it is time to look beyond the big three and engage with a research partner built for the speed of modern business.

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