agile3
Product Management

Value Proposition Canvas

A tool for matching what your product offers to what customers actually need, pains and gains included.

2 min read · Practitioner

In 30 seconds

  • Two halves: the customer profile and the value map.
  • Customer: jobs, pains, gains. Product: offers, pain relievers, gain creators.
  • Fit happens when your offer addresses the most important jobs, pains and gains.

The two halves

Customer profileValue map
Jobs: what they're trying to get doneProducts and services
Pains: frustrations and risksPain relievers
Gains: outcomes they wantGain creators

Alexander Osterwalder and colleagues created the canvas as a companion to the Business Model Canvas.

Filling it in

  1. Pick one customer segment or persona.
  2. Fill the customer profile from research.
  3. Rank jobs, pains and gains by importance.
  4. Map your product's pain relievers and gain creators against them.

Testing fit

Every important pain or gain should have a matching reliever or creator. Gaps are opportunities; offers that match nothing are candidates to cut. Test the assumptions with experiments.

Myth vs reality

Myth · Fill it from the team's opinions.
Reality · Use customer research where possible.
Myth · More features means better fit.
Reality · Fit is about addressing the most important needs.
Myth · One canvas covers all customers.
Reality · Make one per key segment.

FAQ

How is it different from the Business Model Canvas?

It zooms into the value proposition and customer segment blocks.

How long does it take?

A first draft often takes an hour or two.

When should we use it?

When shaping a new product or a major new capability.