Case Study: Market Discovery & User Ecosystem Analysis – Military Simulation & AR/VR Training in CEE
Project Case Study
Target
Case Study: Commercial Market Discovery & User Ecosystem Analysis Military Simulation (Central & Eastern Europe Region)
Role: Junior Market Researcher
Domain: Defence Simulation and Public Sector Procurement
Context: Commercial Research & Event Strategy for Clarion Events in Defence & Security. In response to shifting geopolitical dynamics and resource management in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), defence organisations are accelerating the adoption of AR/VR-driven military simulations. (circa 2018)
This commercial research study mapped the macro-political environment, regional facility capabilities, and emerging tech capabilities to build high-converting conference agenda tracks and identify key B2B buyer/supplier matches.
Goal: To design a high-converting, policy-aligned B2B defence conference in the Czech Republic, comprehensive commercial discovery research was required across Central & Eastern Europe (CEE).
The goal was to map geopolitical drivers directly to operational buyer needs and emerging tech investments. This ensured the conference agenda attracted high-value military delegates, procurement officers, and policy makers seeking to acquire specific simulation technologies (AR/VR, AI avatars, LVC architectures) based on their pressing regional threats.
Research Methodology & Data Sourcing
Because the CEE region (c. 2018) comprises diverse geopolitical stances, defence budgets, and military infrastructure, a blanket regional approach was insufficient. Information was not held across regional blocks so the research was executed using a structured, country-by-country qualitative and secondary discovery methodology.
[COUNTRY-BY-COUNTRY DISCOVERY SCAN]
Poland | Czech Rep | Slovakia | Romania | Baltics | Hungary | Balkans
| Area | Focus |
| Geopolitical & Threat Mapping | NATO integration, border security, Russian exercise impact |
| Regional Facility Audit | Country-level mapping of military academies & simulation hubs |
| Buyer & Supplier Identification | Prime contractors, COTS providers, procurement leads |
COMMERCIAL & UX AGENDA ARCHITECTURE
Targeted Agenda Streams, Buyer Personas, & Tech Exhibition Zones
Methodological Breakdown
- Country-by-Country Geopolitical & Policy Audit:
- Audited individual national security postures, border proximity issues, and foreign policy stances across key CEE states (Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria, the Baltic States, and the Balkans).
- Analysed regional joint manoeuvres (e.g., Operation Atlantic Resolve, Three Seas Initiative) to isolate coalition interoperability gaps.
- Entity & Infrastructure Mapping (Regional Hub Audit):
- Identified and catalogued country-specific Training & Doctrine Commands (TRADOC), simulation training centres, and military academies (e.g., Polish Centre for Simulation & War-games in Warsaw, Czech Military Academy in Brno, Croatian Simulation Centre, Estonian Simulation Centre in Tartu).
- Mapped key decision-makers, facility commanders, and research academics within each jurisdiction.
- Technological Horizon Scanning & Vendor Intelligence:
- Conducted secondary desk research into emerging defence technologies (blended AR/VR, 4K eye-tracking displays, synthetic AI civilian avatars, cognitive wearables).
- Evaluated primary global suppliers (Bohemia Interactive, Rheinmetall, BAE Systems, General Dynamics, IAI) to align buyer needs with commercial exhibitor capabilities.
- Competitor Event Benchmarking:
- Audited competing international expos (ITEC London, DSET Bristol, I/ITSEC Orlando) to identify unaddressed geographical and thematic gaps in the CEE market.
Macro-Geopolitical Drivers vs. Buyer Technology Needs
| Geopolitical Driver (CEE Region) | Operational Impact | Target Buyer Tech Need |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern Border Security & NATO Manoeuvres | Heightened focus on coalition readiness across Poland, the Baltic States, and Romania. | Interoperable Live-Virtual-Constructive (LVC) simulation platforms & NATO standard M&S frameworks. |
| Fiscal Constraints & Reduced Live Exercises | Pressure on defence and resource (infantry/soldiers) budgets restricting costly live-fire field exercises. | Cost-effective synthetic wargaming and computer-assisted tactical simulation software. |
| Asymmetric & Urban Warfare Realities | Rules of engagement requiring tactical decisions involving civilian populations. | Blended AR/VR systems with AI-generated avatars (eliminating the need for live child/civilian actors). |
| Illiberal State Dynamics & Hybrid Threats | Shift towards cyber defence, border monitoring, and rapid crisis response. | Political-military policy simulation tools for migration, border control, and extreme weather scenarios. |
Target Ecosystem & Persona Matrix
Persona A: The Military Academy Director & Evaluator (Military Professional)
- Facilities: Czech Military Academy (Brno), Polish Academy of National Defence (Warsaw), NATO M&S Centre of Excellence.
- Core Pain Point: High simulator sickness, inaccurate physics, and manual instructor overhead during multi-iteration scenario runs.
- Tech Intent: Biometric tracking, 4K eye-tracking screens, and AI-automated assessment avatars.
- Conference Hook: Session: Enhancing Cognitive Agility & Synthetic Training Realism. (The aim would be to understand how to increase efficiency/efficacy in trial scenarios and show examples of how product/strategy can increase efficiency or decrease mistakes.)
Persona B: The Defence Procurement Officer (The Buyer)
- Context: Regional TRADOCs & National Defence Procurement Agencies.
- Core Pain Point: Vendor lock-in, high proprietary software costs, and lack of cross-border systems integration.
- Tech Intent: Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) open-architecture AR/VR platforms.
- Conference Hook: Workshop: COTS Integration & Open-Architecture Procurement.
Persona C: The Strategic Policy Lead (The Strategiser)
- Context: Ministries of Defence & Regional Security Think Tanks.
- Core Pain Point: Inability to model non-kinetic crisis scenarios (disinformation, refugee flows, border disputes) in real time.
- Tech Intent: Predictive strategic wargaming software. Support simplified logic on current research for strategic on-the-ground usage.
- Conference Hook: Panel: Wargaming Policy, Border Security, & Hybrid Warfare in CEE.
Technology Horizon & Growth Areas
- Blended AR/VR Visual Systems: Integrating synthetic overlays with physical military hardware (e.g., Bohemia Interactive / Textron visual systems).
- Eye-Tracking & Cognitive Wearables: 4K displays with automated eye-movement tracking to evaluate trainee visual focus and reduce reaction latency under stress.
Competitive Landscape & Positioning
- Competitor Events Tracked: DSET (Bristol), I/ITSEC (Orlando), ITEC (London), Serious Play (USA/Canada).
- Strategic USP: Positioned the Czech Republic conference as the dedicated CEE regional hub – reducing travel costs/visas and bridging Tier-1 Western defence suppliers with regional military academies and procurement leads across Central and Eastern Europe.
Business Impact & Deliverables
- Validated Event Agenda: Translated complex geopolitical data into 3 distinct, high-converting conference streams.
- Qualified Target Database: Delivered a mapped directory of regional simulation facilities, TRADOC commands, and key industry contacts across 10+ CEE countries for delegate sales and VIP outreach.
- Commercial Positioning: Provided sales and marketing teams with clear buyer examples of pain-point copy, boosting sponsor and exhibitor alignment.
MtGo Design
