Info-Tech
Vendor Awards
Info-Tech Research Group (ITRG) has helped IT professionals make confident, evidence-based technology decisions since the company was founded in 1997. Our biannual Vendor Awards Program distills that experience – together with tens of thousands of verified peer reviews – into a set of rigorous rankings that spotlight exceptional software products and vendor relationships.
Not Just Another Award
For nearly three decades, Info-Tech analysts have built trusted relationships with thousands of CIOs, architects, and practitioners. Their candid conversations – together with tens of thousands of verified SoftwareReviews submissions – power a program that goes far beyond traditional feature checklists.
We Measure How It Feels
Where most awards stop at what a product does, ours also measures how it feels to work with the vendor behind it. Each ranking weighs two essential dimensions:
-
Product Performance
Capabilities, Feature Depth, Delivery of Business Value
-
Vendor Experience
Transparency, Support, Innovation, and the Day-to-Day Partnership
Because true success lies at that intersection, boards, procurement teams, and ITRG advisors alike rely on these awards as a trusted signal of quality.
Two Lenses, One Annual Cycle
Every category is assessed twice each year – once through a product lens and once through a relationship lens – so decision-makers see the full picture before they buy. Together, the Data Quadrant and Emotional Footprint provide a 360-degree assessment within a single year – no vendor influence, no pay-to-play.
Data Quadrant
-
What We Measure
Capabilities, Feature Depth, Overall Satisfaction
-
Key Inputs
Likelihood to Recommend, Capability Scores, Feature Ratings, Review Volume and Recency
-
Publication Cadence
Category Dependent
-
Lock Period
Frozen for 12 months while the EF data accumulates
Emotional Footprint
-
What We Measure
Trust, Service Quality, Value, Innovation
-
Key Inputs
Net Emotional Footprint, Value Index, Review Volume and Recency
-
Publication Cadence
Six Months Later
-
Lock Period
Frozen for 12 months while the next DQ cycle runs
Award Tiers And What They Signify
Data Quadrant Badges
Champion Badge
The highest overall performers in product quality and value.
Leaders Badge
Other upper-right quadrant solutions that demonstrate elite performance.
Vendor Capability Badges
Universal strengths such as Best Support or Top UX.
Top Feature Badges
Category-specific stand-outs (e.g. Best Forecasting in FP&A).
Emotional Footprint Badges
Champion Badge
Vendors with the top Customer Experience score.
CX Leaders Badge
Peers recognized for outstanding customer relationship.
Emotional Footprint Experience Badges
Targeted accolades that showcase specific relationship strengths.
Eligibility & Scoring
Vendors need recent, verified reviews and the category's must-have features need to be ranked. Our engine applies a time-decay curve, so fresh feedback matters most and dated opinions gradually fade. Scores update continuously, but public designations refresh only at the scheduled DQ or EF release. A quadrant or diamond launches once at least five vendors meet the threshold, ensuring meaningful comparison.
Data Integrity You Can Trust
Identity checks, human-in-the-loop moderation, anomaly detection, and continuous internal audits keep bias low and credibility high – one reason ITRG advisory sessions and board presentations cite award outcomes with confidence.
Why These Awards Matter
IT executives shortcut vendor lists, often requiring Champions or Leaders to make the short list.
Procurement teams negotiate from a position of evidence using capability and emotional footprint badges.
Vendors amplify independent validation across websites, webinars, and investor decks.