Forrester Research

Forrester Research is a United States-based independent market research and advisory company founded in 1983 by George F. Colony. The firm studies how technology changes business operations, customer relationships, organizational performance, and competitive strategy. It serves business and technology leaders through research subscriptions, advisory relationships, consulting engagements, data and analysis, and events. The company is particularly associated with research that connects technology decisions to business and customer outcomes. Its coverage includes customer experience, digital transformation, technology architecture and strategy, data and analytics, artificial intelligence, marketing, e-commerce, security, risk, and the management of technology organizations. Rather than positioning itself solely as a technology analyst, Forrester emphasizes the relationship between technology investment, customer expectations, employee experience, and measurable business value. Forrester's research products are used by organizations assessing markets, vendors, emerging technologies, and strategic priorities. Its published research includes comparative vendor evaluations, market analysis, forecasts, benchmark studies, and guidance for executives and practitioners. The Forrester Wave is one of the company's best-known research frameworks, comparing selected technology providers against defined criteria. Forrester also produces customer-experience research and indices intended to help organizations evaluate how effectively they meet customer needs. Its advisory and consulting work extends the research model into practical decision support. Clients may use Forrester analysts and consultants to evaluate technology strategies, improve customer journeys, organize digital transformation programs, or connect operating decisions with customer and financial objectives. Events and conferences provide another channel for distributing research and convening business, marketing, customer-experience, and technology professionals. Forrester operates internationally and serves organizations across industries. Its positioning is that of a premium, independent source of research and advice for leaders making decisions under technological and market uncertainty. The company describes its purpose in terms of helping organizations exceed customer demands and perform effectively with technology. Detailed current information about its leadership, ownership, operating segments, and recent financial performance is not included here because no reliable source material was provided for those fields.

Forrester Research was established in 1983 by George F. Colony in the United States. From its beginning, the company developed around the premise that technology should be examined not only as a technical subject but also for its effects on business strategy, customers, and organizational performance. This orientation distinguished the firm from narrower forms of technology information by connecting market research with executive decision-making. Over time, Forrester built a research and advisory model serving business and technology leaders. Its work expanded across technology strategy, digital transformation, customer experience, marketing, data and analytics, security, risk, and related management disciplines. The company combined written research with analyst interaction, consulting, benchmarking, and events, allowing clients to use published analysis both for strategic context and for practical implementation guidance. A central part of Forrester's identity is its comparative evaluation of technology vendors. The Forrester Wave became a recognizable framework for assessing selected providers against published criteria. Alongside vendor research, the company developed customer-experience studies and indices that examined how organizations respond to customer expectations. These activities reinforced Forrester's broader positioning: technology investments should be evaluated according to the outcomes they create for customers and the enterprise. Forrester serves clients internationally and addresses both enterprise and technology-provider audiences. Its research helps organizations understand markets, compare solutions, plan technology programs, and interpret changes in customer behavior. Its consulting and advisory services extend this work into organization-specific recommendations, while its conferences and events provide forums for presenting research and discussing leadership priorities. The company remains an active public market research and advisory brand headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The supplied reference material describes its current mission as helping organizations exceed customer demands and excel with technology. No reliable source material was provided for a detailed chronology of acquisitions, leadership changes, financial results, or specific recent corporate decisions, so those areas are left unexpanded.

1. 1983Company founded

   George F. Colony founded Forrester Research in the United States as a research business focused on technology's impact on organizations and markets.

An independent, premium market research and advisory institution linking technology decisions with customer experience, business performance, and organizational strategy.

• Research subscriptions and reportsMarket research

  Forrester publishes research covering technology markets, business strategy, customer experience, digital transformation, marketing, data, analytics, security, and related management topics. Subscription access and individual reports provide analysis, forecasts, frameworks, and recommendations for organizational decision-makers.

• The Forrester WaveVendor evaluation

  The Forrester Wave is a comparative research framework used to evaluate selected technology providers against defined criteria. It is intended to help buyers understand vendor capabilities, strategic positioning, and relative strengths when assessing technology solutions.

• Advisory servicesProfessional services

  Forrester's advisory work gives clients access to research interpretation and guidance for decisions involving technology strategy, customer experience, digital programs, organizational priorities, and market evaluation. The service connects published research with organization-specific questions.

• Consulting servicesIT consulting

  Consulting engagements apply Forrester research and analytical methods to client-specific challenges. Known areas of focus include customer-centric transformation, digital strategy, technology planning, and the alignment of technology and operating decisions with business outcomes.

• Customer experience research and indicesCustomer experience measurement

  Forrester's customer-experience research examines how organizations meet customer needs and how customer perceptions relate to business performance. Its indices and related analysis give leaders benchmarking and diagnostic perspectives for improving customer interactions and experience programs.

• Events and conferencesBusiness events

  Forrester organizes events and conferences for business, marketing, customer-experience, and technology professionals. These events distribute the firm's research, provide access to analysts and practitioners, and create forums for discussing technology and customer-led business priorities.

1. Forrester Helps Organizations Thrive Through Volatility