What Kinds of Research and Data Does Forrester Provide?

Forrester provides market research, data, and advisory guidance spanning business strategy, technology, and customer experience, backed by surveys of more than 500,000 consumers, executives, and technology leaders each year. Its research is delivered through a continuous guidance model that blends research, consulting, and live events, and is aimed at helping leaders make faster, better-supported decisions. This overview is for anyone evaluating Forrester as a research source or partner and wanting to know what evidence and coverage to expect.

The Three Research Domains

Forrester organizes its coverage around the questions leaders actually face: how to craft winning strategies, how to invest in technology, and how to attract and keep the customers who matter most. In practice, that means:

• Strategy and leadership — guidance for executives navigating priorities, growth, and organizational alignment.
• Technology and innovation — insight into emerging technologies, investment decisions, and cutting-edge tools.
• Customer and market insight — data on customer expectations, market trends, and competitive benchmarks.

The site frames this as support that "aligns the enterprise, accelerates your function, and advances you as a leader" — value at every altitude of the organization.

The Data Foundation

The credibility of Forrester's research rests on a large, recurring survey base. According to Forrester, its consultants and analysts draw insights from surveying over 500,000 consumers, executives, and tech leaders annually. That volume matters for two reasons:

1. Benchmarks — large samples let Forrester compare organizations and functions against peers rather than relying on anecdote.
2. Trend detection — repeated surveying across the same populations surfaces shifts in customer behavior and technology adoption early.

If your decision depends on peer benchmarks or trend data, this survey scale is the part of Forrester's offering to scrutinize most closely — ask specifically which benchmarks and datasets are included in the engagement you're considering.

How the Research Is Delivered

Forrester describes a "unique continuous guidance model" rather than one-off reports. Three channels work together:

The stated goal is that leaders stay ahead of "every curve" with current trends, innovations, and data, enabling swift and decisive action. For a buyer, the practical question is which channels your access includes — research subscriptions, consulting hours, and event invitations are typically scoped differently.

Research-Grounded AI

Forrester has extended its research into an AI product, Forrester AI, available inside Microsoft Teams. It combines human insight with "responsible, research-grounded AI," built on Forrester's proprietary research and governed by transparency and trust principles. The intent is to put trusted advice, data, and frameworks directly into the tools teams already use, so expertise arrives "in the moments where decisions get made."

Two conditions to note: the AI is grounded in Forrester's own research corpus (not the open web), and it is delivered through Microsoft Teams, so access depends on your organization's Teams environment and Forrester client status.

What This Means for a Decision

• If you need peer benchmarks and trend data — the annual survey base of 500,000+ respondents is the core asset; confirm which datasets your engagement covers.
• If you need ongoing guidance rather than a report — the research-plus-consulting-plus-events model is the fit; clarify how each channel is scoped.
• If your teams work inside Microsoft Teams — Forrester AI is the relevant entry point; verify client access and Teams availability.
• If you want proof of fit — Forrester cites client experience such as Dun & Bradstreet's SVP of Commercial Operations & Marketing, who described Forrester as integrating into the organization as "one team" driving initiatives forward. Use reference conversations to test whether that depth matches your needs.

The most reliable next step is to ask Forrester directly which research areas, benchmarks, and delivery channels a given engagement includes, since the site describes the model at a high level rather than itemizing access by tier.