Signal Radar (PULSE Framework)

Detect, classify, and score macro-market signals before competitors act. Surfaces technology shifts, regulatory changes, buyer behavior evolution, and ecosystem dynamics.

When to Use

• Quarterly strategic planning
• Pre-launch market assessment
• Competitive threat monitoring
• New market entry evaluation
• Board-level market briefings

What You'll Need

Critical inputs (ask if not provided):

• Industry/market to monitor
• Product category or domain
• Known competitors (top 3-5)

Nice-to-have:

• Recent analyst reports or news
• Internal customer feedback themes
• Current strategic priorities

Process

Step 1: Signal Collection

Classify every market signal into 5 vectors:

Vector	What It Tracks	Examples
T-Signals (Technology)	New protocols, platforms, standards, AI capabilities	"New foundation model released", "New API standard adopted"
R-Signals (Regulatory)	Compliance mandates, policy changes, industry standards	"GDPR enforcement update", "AI regulation passed"
B-Signals (Buyer behavior)	Purchasing patterns, channel preferences, budget shifts	"Buyers demanding self-serve trials", "CFO approval now required"
E-Signals (Ecosystem)	Partner moves, supply chain changes, platform updates	"Company A acquires competitor", "Company B launches competing service"
C-Signals (Cultural)	Workforce trends, social attitudes, macro-economic shifts	"Remote work permanent", "AI trust concerns rising"

For each signal found, document:

• Signal description (what happened)
• Source and date
• Vector classification (T/R/B/E/C)
• Initial relevance assessment

Step 2: PULSE Scoring

Score each signal on 5 dimensions (1-10):

Dimension	What It Measures	Scoring Guide
Pattern	Is this a one-off or repeating pattern?	1=isolated event, 5=emerging trend, 10=established pattern
Urgency	Time horizon before impact	1=years away, 5=6-12 months, 10=imminent (under 3 months)
Leverage	How much can we exploit this?	1=no fit, 5=moderate advantage, 10=perfect strategic fit
Scope	How many segments/geos affected?	1=niche, 5=our core market, 10=entire industry
Evidence	Quality of supporting data	1=rumor, 5=multiple credible sources, 10=confirmed with data

PULSE Composite = (P x 0.15) + (U x 0.25) + (L x 0.25) + (S x 0.15) + (E x 0.20)

Classification:

• 7.5+ = Critical Watch (act now or prepare immediately)
• 5.0-7.4 = Monitor (track weekly, prepare contingencies)
• Below 5.0 = Archive (log for future reference)

Step 3: Convergence Mapping

Overlay all Critical Watch signals to find convergence zones:

• Where do 3+ signals from DIFFERENT vectors intersect?
• Convergence zones represent the highest-opportunity (or highest-threat) areas
• Document each convergence with the contributing signals and the combined implication

Step 4: Implication Chains

For each Critical Watch signal, trace cascading effects:

• 1st order: Direct impact on our market/product
• 2nd order: How customers/competitors will respond
• 3rd order: New opportunities or threats that emerge from responses

Format: IF [signal] THEN [1st order] THEREFORE [2nd order] WHICH MEANS [3rd order]

Output

Save to outputs/signal-radar-[YYYY-MM-DD].md

Deliverables:

1. Signal Dashboard: Table of all signals with PULSE scores, sorted by composite score, with trend arrows
2. Convergence Map: Visual overlay showing where multiple vectors intersect, highlighting whitespace or threat zones
3. Implication Chains: For each Critical Watch signal, the IF-THEN-THEREFORE chain
4. Executive Summary: 1-page brief with "Act Now / Prepare / Watch" categorization

Chain Connections

• Next skill: Run whitespace-finder with these signals to discover specific product opportunities
• Also feeds: battle-scanner (signals inform competitive threat landscape), demand-engine (signals identify timing windows)
• Enhanced by: Run after jtbd-extractor to overlay customer jobs onto signal analysis