What Is an ARC Champions Radar?
An ARC Champions Radar matches end user needs with supplier offerings.
To do this, ARC Advisory Group has developed a user-driven framework for evaluating how technology solutions and suppliers address the real-world needs of industrial users. While traditional technology research often starts with available products and capabilities, ARC Champions Radar starts with the needs, challenges, and priorities of organizations owning and operating industrial assets.
By combining direct user research, ARC’s global industry network, supplier engagement, and ARC analyst expertise, the Champions Radar provides a clear view of which technology solutions and suppliers best match the requirements identified by users.
Why Champions Radar?
Information about technology is widely available, but access to real users and their experiences is much harder to find. Because ARC works with both technology suppliers and end users, we are uniquely positioned to bring these perspectives together.
ARC Champions Radars are:
- User-driven: starts with real requirements from industrial users
- Independent: based on ARC research and analyst expertise
- Industry-focused: built around the realities of industrial operations
- Research-driven: combines interviews, network research, project experience, and supplier analysis
- Actionable: connects user requirements directly with technology capabilities
- Globally informed: draws on ARC’s international network of industrial users and technology suppliers
And why is ARC in the best position? We have our global network which connects technology suppliers with end users, asset owners, and operators through our research programs, industry relationships and forums in Orlando, Barcelona, Tokyo, Bangalore, Singapore and Rio de Janeiro.
The Champions Radar brings these perspectives together in a single pdf report.
How Does ARC Develop Champions Radars?
ARC Champions Radar follows a structured four-step research process designed to connect market needs with supplier capabilities.
1. Research User Needs
For a defined topic, ARC researchers identify the challenges, requirements, priorities, and expectations of people responsible for operating and managing industrial assets.
Research includes:
- Interviews with end users and asset owners
- Interviews conducted at ARC conferences and forums
- Project and implementation experience
- Dedicated research within the ARC network
- ARC analyst expertise and industry knowledge
2. Engage Technology Suppliers
Once the key user requirements have been established, ARC engages relevant technology suppliers. Suppliers are asked a straightforward question:
Can your solution address these real-world user requirements?
This ensures that supplier capabilities are evaluated against requirements that originate with users rather than against a predefined technology checklist.
3. Match User Needs with Supplier Capabilities
ARC then evaluates how well each participating supplier and their solutions address the identified requirements. The matching process connects the voice of the user with the capabilities of the technology provider.
4. Apply the ARC Champions Radar Methodology
The final assessment applies a consistent weighting methodology. The methodology is consistent across participating suppliers, while the specific evaluation criteria are developed for each individual research topic. This approach enables meaningful differentiation between suppliers while maintaining a consistent and objective evaluation framework.
What Makes ARC Champions Radar Different?
ARC Champions Radar complements ARC’s other research products by approaching the market from a different perspective:
- ARC Market Data Services: Focus on suppliers and provide in-depth quantification of market shares and forecasts across technology segments
- ARC MarketMaps: Provide data-driven, in-depth analysis of the competitive landscape
- ARC Champions Radar: User-driven, focusing on real-world requirements and the ability of suppliers to address them
This distinction makes Champions Radar particularly relevant for organizations looking to understand how technology can address current operational challenges and emerging requirements.
Available ARC Champions Radars
ARC Champions Radars are currently developed primarily by ARC’s European research team, but the research is not limited to European topics, markets, or companies.
Current research areas include:
- Artificial Intelligence
- Sustainability
- Smart Manufacturing
- Digital Assets
Champions Radar topics are aligned with ARC’s broader research agenda and evolving industry priorities.
Access ARC Champions Radar Reports
ARC Champions Radar reports are available free of charge for informational purposes. Reports are published through the ARC European Content Hub and can be accessed following free registration at: www.arcweb-europe.com.
Commercial use of a Champions Radar - including use in press releases, marketing campaigns, presentations, or other promotional activities - requires a separate license.
Want to Learn More?
See how ARC Champions Radar connects real-world user requirements with technology capabilities and supplier expertise. Contact us to speak with an analyst or client manager.