The Gartner Magic Quadrant was developed by Gartner, a research company that was founded in 1979 and is renowned in many industries including information technology. The Gartner Magic Quadrant is a visual method of reporting. Magic Quadrants are used to depict which companies are leading the way within a specific market.
What is the Magic Quadrant?
In simple terms, the Gartner Magic Quadrant is a graph with two axes. The horizontal x-axis represents “Completeness of Vision”, while the vertical y-axis represents “Ability to Execute”. The graph is then divided into quarters, hence the name, Magic Quadrant.
The Four Quarters of the Gartner Magic Quadrant
As explained above, the Gartner Magic Quadrant rates companies on their completeness of vision and their ability to execute in any given market.
Those that fall into the bottom left quarter of the Gartner Magic Quadrant demonstrate the least completeness of vision and ability to execute. This quarter is for “Niche Players”. Niche Players may have a strong focus in a particular area, rather than a goal to expand to meet wider needs.
Those in the bottom right quarter of the Gartner Magic Quadrant are described as Visionaries. They have a strong vision and great ideas but do not currently demonstrate the ability to execute them.
Those in the top left quarter of the Gartner Magic Quadrant are “Challengers”. They show a strong ability to execute and provide for their customers today but show lesser completeness of vision in terms of innovative ideas for the future.
The top-right quarter of the Gartner Magic Quadrant is home to the strongest players, visionaries with a strong ability to execute. Those grouped in this quarter are “Leaders”. Leaders are successful today and have the vision and proficiencies they need to outperform others in the future.
Each player is pinpointed on the quadrant, so even within each section, it is clear who is leading the way. Bear in mind that Gartner Magic Quadrants usually features established, successful companies. New cutting edge players in the market may have what it takes but might not yet be on Gartner’s radar.
DXP, WCM and Ecommerce Magic Quadrants
There are countless Gartner Magic Quadrants available for a wide array of industries. If you’re interested in web development, ecommerce, and digital experience, the three Gartner Magic Quadrants to note are the following:
Why is the Gartner Magic Quadrant Important?
Gartner Magic Quadrants are important because they are so often influential, and can provide insight in terms of key players in a market you’re interested in. Big companies often use Magic Quadrants and Gartner reports to find new partners or vendors to work with.
For example, if you’re looking for the very best CMS for your company, you can look to the WCM Magic Quadrant. From the WCM Magic Quadrant, you can learn how Kentico Software, Progress, Sitecore, and more compare in terms of ability to execute and completeness of vision.