The CURVE(TM) Methodology
Not where a vendor sits. How far it is from the achievable best.
The CURVE(TM) is an independent, methodology-driven evaluation framework. Every component is defined, scored, and disclosed.
The Firewall
Independence is the product.
Gartner, Forrester, and IDC charge vendors significant fees - for inclusion in briefings, for access to the evaluation process, for the ability to respond to findings. The result is a structural conflict of interest that IT buyers have tolerated for decades because there was no alternative.
Stackcurve does not charge vendors for placement, tier assignment, or evaluation participation. Vendors pay only for reprint rights - the ability to use published research in their own marketing. That is a commercial license for content that already exists; it does not and cannot affect evaluation outcomes.
This is not a claim - it is a structural guarantee. The business model does not create incentives to favor any vendor. The research is the asset; its credibility is the moat.
Five Factors
What CURVE(TM) measures
The depth and breadth of what the vendor can actually do - features, coverage, technical depth, integration surface. Scored against a category-specific rubric developed per report.
Market adoption signal. Informed by customer count, ARR trajectory, analyst coverage density, and reference availability. Represented as the physical size of the vendor bubble on the chart.
How deployable the vendor is in a large enterprise - implementation complexity, support quality, compliance posture, SLA robustness, professional services depth.
Rate of product improvement and go-to-market execution - release cadence, R&D investment signals, roadmap credibility, partnership momentum. A high-Capability vendor with low Velocity may be at risk.
Partner network quality, technology integrations, marketplace presence, channel depth. Enterprise buyers do not deploy in isolation - ecosystem fit is a force multiplier or a friction tax.
Composite Index
Tier System
Four tiers. One scale.
On or near the performance frontier. These vendors define what best looks like in this market at this moment. Distance below the CURVE(TM) is minimal.
Closing the gap. Strong performance trajectory with measurable momentum across multiple factors. A vendor at 83 moving fast is often more interesting than one at 88 standing still.
Below the frontier by a meaningful margin. Capability gaps, enterprise-readiness gaps, or both are visible. Buyers should understand specifically what they are trading away.
Early-stage. Innovation signal may be high, but enterprise-readiness is not yet proven. Worth tracking - not yet a primary recommendation for large enterprises.
Research Process
How we build a CURVE(TM) Report
Market scoping
We define the vendor universe: which companies belong in the category, what the inclusion criteria are, and how we handle overlapping or edge-case vendors. This scope is disclosed in every report.
Factor rubric development
Each of the five CURVE(TM) factors is scored against a category-specific rubric. The rubric is built before vendor evaluation begins, so scoring criteria cannot shift to favor any vendor.
Data collection
Primary research (vendor briefings, customer interviews, technical assessments) combined with secondary research (public documentation, analyst community, customer review platforms). Briefings are available to any vendor in scope.
Independent scoring
CURVE(TM) scores are assigned by the research team without vendor input into the score. Vendors may provide factual corrections to the underlying data used - they cannot negotiate their tier placement.
Peer review
Every CURVE(TM) Report is reviewed by at least one independent enterprise practitioner (CISO, CIO, or IT Director) before publication. Their feedback may revise the underlying data - not the scoring methodology.
Publication & updates
Reports are published free of charge. Major vendor changes (acquisitions, pivots, product discontinuations) trigger interim updates. Annual full revisions rebuild the scoring from the rubric up.
Ready to see the CURVE(TM) in action?
Download any CURVE(TM) Report - free, no registration required.