Glossary / Perceptual map

Perceptual map

A chart of how the market perceives competing products across two feature dimensions — reflecting the customer's mind, not the maker's intent.

Introduced in Chapter 14 — The Right to Compete of Tangibles.

Related terms

• Positioning audit — A disciplined check of a product's market position that can catch a doomed concept before significant capital is committed.
• Positioning map — A view of where competing products sit in the customer's mind along the dimensions buyers actually care about — used to find a defensible gap before building.
• Unboxing — The customer's first physical encounter with a product out of its package — a designed moment of first impression, not an afterthought.
• Parts pairing — Electronically binding each replacement component to a specific device so firmware rejects unauthorized parts — a core mechanism behind repair restrictions.