What needs to be finished first
A sharpened value proposition for at least one customer segment exists so the Value Propositions block in the BMC can be filled with substance.
A defined scope for the business-model initiative (new business field, questioning an existing model, new market) is aligned with the sponsor.
What needs to be ready before start
Business Model Canvas template (Strategyzer format) as an A1 printout or digital board with 9 blocks (Key Partners, Key Activities, Key Resources, Value Propositions, Customer Relationships, Channels, Customer Segments, Cost Structure, Revenue Streams); sticky notes in colors per block; markers.
One strategy or business leadership representative as owner; facilitator; 3-6 people from strategy, product, sales, finance, and operations.
Existing business model description if available; market and competitor data; current revenue and cost structure; known assumptions and risks; Value Proposition Canvas if available.
1-2 h
Place the canvas on a shared surface. Give the fill order (1 Customer Segments, 2 Value Propositions, 3 Channels, 4 Customer Relationships, 5 Revenue Streams, 6 Key Resources, 7 Key Activities, 8 Key Partners, 9 Cost Structure). Set the timer to 75 min.
The one question this method answers
How does the business model create, deliver, and capture value, and which assumptions should be checked first?
Marker: Phase
| Step | Duration | Action | Hint |
|---|---|---|---|
1Phase 1: Scope and customer segments | 15 min | Clarify the scope (which business model, which year). Name customer segments concretely, with one sub-persona per segment. Use different colors for multiple segments. | If all segments are just 'B2B' or 'end customers', the canvas is too coarse. Two or three specific segments are better than one generic one. |
2Phase 2: Value propositions | 15 min | Formulate one value proposition per segment. Derive it from the VPC if available. Clear value, no marketing language. | Multiple value propositions per segment usually mean the segments should be split further. The goal is one strong VP per segment. |
3Phase 3: Channels and customer relationships | 15 min | Channels: how do we reach the segment (acquisition) and how do we deliver value (delivery)? Customer relationships: what is the relationship like (self-service, account management, community)? | Channels are often too generic ('web', 'direct sales'). Be specific: which channel covers which phase (acquisition, selection, purchase, after-sales). |
4Phase 4: Revenue streams | 10 min | Define the revenue mechanism per segment: pricing model, price, frequency, willingness to pay. List multiple streams separately. | If revenue is estimated without evidence from market or tests, mark it as a hypothesis. 'Customers pay EUR 49/month' without validation is an assumption, not a fact. |
5Phase 5: Key resources, activities, partners | 20 min | Resources: what do we need physically, financially, humanly, and in IP terms? Activities: what must we do ourselves? Partners: what do others do for us (suppliers, alliances)? | Key activities are the core activities that cannot be outsourced. If everything is key, focus is unclear. Max 5 key activities. |
6Phase 6: Cost structure and stress test | 15 min | Name the top 5 cost drivers and mark them fixed vs. variable. Stress test: mark the most critical assumptions in red and move the top 3 into the experiment backlog. | The cost block is often overlooked. Without understanding the cost structure, no unit economics can be derived and the model is not decisionable. |
What comes out at the end
Completed Business Model Canvas as an image or structured document with all 9 blocks, plus an assumption list with risk ranking and a list of the top 3 riskiest assumptions with a validation plan and owner.
Create a separate version per model iteration with date. For larger pivots (new segment, new revenue stream), create a new version. Keep old versions for history. Put assumption status (validated / disproven / open) in the header.
Compact working template for Business Model Canvas with context, input, output artifacts, and next step.
What is this method used for?
Which question should be answered at the end?
Which data, observations, or materials are available?
Owner, date, success signal.
Concrete filled scenario, fictional example
Concrete filled scenario, fictional example
Customer Segments:
Value Propositions:
Channels: Direct sales via HR managers (acquisition), self-service portal (daily use), account manager (support)
Customer Relationships: Initial account management (onboarding), then self-service with quarterly check-in
Revenue Streams:
Key Resources: Mobility provider contracts (DB, Sixt, Free Now, Tier), HR software integration, platform team
Key Activities: Negotiate partner contracts, operate the platform, run the B2B sales process
Key Partners: Mobility providers (DB, Sixt, Tier, Lime), HR software (Personio, Workday) for integration
Cost Structure: Main costs are variable (mobility procurement), fixed: engineering (~EUR 600k/year), sales (~EUR 400k/year), platform hosting (~EUR 80k/year)
Top-3-Riskiest Assumptions:
Recognize symptoms and steer against them
Some blocks describe the current business, others a future model.
Be explicit about scope: as-is model OR to-be model OR variant X. Two canvases side by side instead of one mixed version.
The block says 'SME', 'mid-market', or 'end customers' without specificity.
Add a sub-persona per segment with role, size, industry, and pain point. If there are fewer than two specifics, the segment is too broad.
Price and volume are stated as facts without tests or market data.
Mark them as hypotheses. Plan validation experiments (pricing test, pilot sales, letters of intent) before scaling.
The cost structure lists a few obvious costs, while hidden costs (compliance, acquisition, churn costs) are missing.
Bring in CFO or controlling for the cost block. Recalculate full unit economics instead of just collecting buzzwords.
The canvas is filled out and archived without an assumption ranking and without experiments.
Mandatory final step: derive the top 3 assumptions with risk marking and move them into the experiment backlog. No canvas without next steps.
Done signals checkable in under a minute
Go to the profile for purpose, similar methods, and sources or continue to the next method in the catalog.