Absence usually means a gate, a definition or a data problem, not a verdict. Firms publish different reasons: failing a pass/fail criterion, not being generally available by a cut-off, limited market visibility, declining to participate, or only marginal overlap with the segment. Read the scope section before you read anything into a missing name.
Reasons firms state publicly
Forrester Wave. The analyst sets inclusion criteria based on the Wave's scope. Forrester evaluates only products that are generally available by the questionnaire due date. Vendors that meet criteria are invited, and non-participants can still be evaluated from public information and client interviews. Forrester may also remove a vendor if it conflicts with the Wave's objectives.
GigaOm Radar. Products must clear binary pass/fail criteria before scoring. The page says missing one can mean exclusion, with an appeal path.
KuppingerCole Leadership Compass. The goal is global coverage, but some vendors are left out for limited market visibility, declining to participate, insufficient information or only marginal overlap with the segment. Uncovered vendors are listed in a vendors to watch chapter.
Forrester market map. Analysts identify relevant vendors in preliminary research and send a questionnaire. The page does not spell out specific inclusion criteria.
Frost Radar. The firm describes starting with a broad universe and says inclusion is selective. I found no public criteria list.
What this means for a buyer
A missing vendor might be too new to meet an availability cut-off, too small for market visibility, too focused to overlap the segment, or simply not interested in taking part. Newer areas such as agent security or automated remediation often sit across several segments, so a product can fall between definitions.
A checklist when a product you like is missing
- Read the market definition. Does your use case actually fit?
- Find the inclusion criteria and check the product against them honestly.
- Ask the vendor whether it was invited, whether it participated and why it may have been left out.
- Look for a vendors to watch section or an adjacent report.
- Test it anyway if it fits your requirements.
Try it yourself
Category lines blur. See what a vulnerability management workflow looks like, then check whether the categories in your shortlist cover each step you need.
Click through it at your own pace, or open it full screen.
What to ask the analyst firm
Most firms take briefings from buyers who are clients, and some publish contact routes for questions on scope. Useful questions are factual: what is the definition of the market, which products were considered, what was the cut-off for availability, and when is the next edition planned. You are asking about scope, not asking the firm to review a product.
Avoid asking an analyst to say a product is good. That is not what the research is for, and a well-run firm will decline.
Quick check
Does absence from a report mean a weak product?
Not by itself. Public criteria cite availability, visibility, participation and overlap as reasons.
Can a non-participating vendor still appear?
In a Forrester Wave, yes. Forrester says it may evaluate products whether or not the vendor participates.
Safeguard offers SBOM and dependency scanning and asset discovery, so you can compare coverage across the steps your workflow needs.
Sources
- The Forrester Wave Methodology
- Forrester Wave Vendor Participation Policy
- GigaOm methodology
- About KuppingerCole's Leadership Compass
- Forrester market-mapping report methodology
- Frost and Sullivan press release on the Frost Radar update
Last reviewed: 19 October 2026.
