About DEJ
TRANSFORMING
TECHNOLOGY EVALUATION
From one-size-fits-all evaluations, rigid categories, and static rankings—to user-defined criteria, real outcomes, and measurable impact. It’s time for a better model.
Our Approach
A SMARTER PATH TO EVALUATION
At DEJ, we listened to users and built an approach that mirrors how they actually evaluate technology. The path we’ve created is more relevant, transparent, adaptive, and credible—designed to reflect how organizations truly assess solutions:
• By defining their own evaluation criteria, based on specific goals and requirements
• By focusing on solving real problems, not analyst-defined categories
• By measuring how solutions perform in real business environments
This isn’t just a framework. It’s a fundamentally different way to guide decisions—with clarity, flexibility, and measurable impact at every step.
Beyond Legacy Approaches:
A Foundational Shift
Legacy models are built around constraints—predefined categories, static insights,
and vendor-influenced coverage. DEJ was designed to break away from those limitations.
The visual below highlights the core differences between traditional evaluation models
and DEJ’s outcomes-based, user-powered approach.
Core Values
Where Principles Power Impact
Adaptivity
Ensuring that insights continuously evolve to match shifting user needs and business environments.
User Empowerment
Giving users the ability to personalize insights in real time, based on what matters most to them.
Outcomes-Driven Clarity
Connecting technology capabilities to measurable business results, with a focus on solving real challenges.
Collaboration
Combining user-driven research with diverse industry perspectives to create insights that are both applicable and inclusive.
Transparency
Providing full visibility into how insights are created, delivered, and continuously refined.
Inclusivity
Creating a level playing field by removing pay-for-play influence and highlighting innovation—regardless of vendor size or marketing budget.
DEJ Model
The Junction Where Clarity Happens
DEJ’s model is powered by continuous data collection—capturing real-time user input through a dynamic research engine that adapts to evolving priorities. This foundation ensures that every insight we deliver is grounded in what matters most to users right now.
DEJ Model
Built on top of that are six purpose-built capabilities that work together to solve specific challenges while creating powerful synergies:
Together, these six capabilities form the Junction—an interconnected system that enables DEJ to deliver on its core promises:
From empowering users to define their own technology leaders to mapping the path to proven technology success. From surfacing hidden innovation to aligning insights with real business outcomes.
For more information about DEJ’s six key capabilities, see the Full DEJ Model→
The Evolution
of DEJ
DEJ was founded to challenge the status quo of the traditional analyst model. From day one, we saw how rigid categories, pay-to-play influence, and limited access to insights often left the most impactful technologies overlooked.
Instead of following that path, we built from data. We developed tools to continuously collect user input and formed a vibrant research community—ensuring our insights reflect real-world needs as they evolve.
Along the way, we stayed grounded in our founder’s expertise—producing data-driven research in areas like observability and IT performance. But even then, we were testing a different approach: publishing vendor-agnostic studies, using horizontal evaluation frameworks, and putting user priorities ahead of legacy structures.
Those weren’t experiments. They were the blueprint.
Today, DEJ represents the result of that strategy—a fundamentally new model for evaluating technology based on real user needs and measurable business outcomes.
How DEJ Creates Value
Across the Ecosystem
DEJ’s model is built to serve both sides of the technology ecosystem.
Whether you're evaluating solutions or bringing them to market, our approach is designed to deliver clarity, credibility, and real business impact.
Key Value
Points for Users
1. Empowered to Choose What Works
2. Confidence in Business Impact
3. Clarity over AI Noise
4. Start With the Problem—Not the Category
5. A Roadmap to Outperforming Peers
.jpeg)
Key Value
Points for Vendors
1. Trusted Influence with Buyers
2. Stronger Sales and GTM Alignment
3. Agile Opportunities to Participate
4. Maximized Marketing ROI
5. Differentiation That Buyers Understand