The Value Proposition Canvas pairs a Customer Profile of jobs, pains and gains with a Value Map of products and services, pain relievers and gain creators. The proposed fit must be tested.

1. 1

   Customer segment

   Focus one customer segment

   

   Goal

   The canvas represents one specific customer group and context.

   Inputs for this step

   • Product or service context
   • Available interviews, observations or support cases

   Actions

   • Name the customer segment and usage context.
   • Capture functional, social and emotional jobs from the customer’s perspective.
   • Separate evidence from internal hypotheses.

   Output

   Focused Customer Profile

   Segment · context · customer jobs

   Quality check

   Does the customer profile describe one group and context?

   Pitfall

   Different segments or roles are combined in one profile. Separate profiles or keep segment assumptions explicit until tested.

   Timing: About 20 minutes.

2. 2

   Pains and gains

   Capture pains and desired gains

   

   Goal

   Important customer problems and desired outcomes are prioritized rather than merely listed.

   Inputs for this step

   • Customer Jobs
   • Customer statements or clearly labeled hypotheses

   Actions

   • Record failures, risks, costs, frustrations and obstacles related to the jobs.
   • Name expected, desired and surprising gains.
   • Discuss importance from the customer’s perspective and attach evidence.

   Output

   Customer Profile with jobs, pains and gains

   Job · pain · gain · evidence

   Quality check

   Are pains and gains connected to jobs and situations?

   Pitfall

   The team describes product features as if they were customer gains. Rephrase them as customer outcomes and label assumptions.

   Timing: About 25 minutes.

3. 3

   Value map

   Describe the offer and value contributions

   

   Goal

   Each proposed value contribution connects to an important customer job, pain or gain.

   Inputs for this step

   • Prioritized jobs, pains and gains
   • Current or proposed offering

   Actions

   • List products and services the customer group could actually use.
   • Describe how they could relieve specific pains and create gains.
   • Select a few relevant connections; the offer need not address every profile item.

   Output

   Value Map with justified contributions

   Offer · pain reliever · gain creator · connection

   Quality check

   Does each value contribution connect to a prioritized profile item?

   Pitfall

   The Value Map lists features without a connection to customer outcomes. Connect each contribution to a concrete job, pain or gain.

   Timing: About 25 minutes.

4. 4

   Plan a fit test

   Plan the next customer test

   

   Goal

   The workshop ends with a prioritized test plan for an important fit hypothesis.

   Inputs for this step

   • Customer Profile and Value Map
   • Access to relevant customers

   Actions

   • Choose one prioritized fit hypothesis and its relevant customer group.
   • Plan suitable research or behavior testing with a signal and possible follow-up decision.
   • Assign an owner and date for later execution and evidence review.

   Output

   Test plan with hypothesis, customer group, signal, owner and review date

   Customer group · hypothesis · test · signal · owner

   Quality check

   Is fit labeled as supported or still assumed? Are execution and the later decision scheduled?

   Pitfall

   A completed canvas is mistaken for validated fit. Mark untested connections as assumptions and plan an appropriate follow-up test.

   Timing: About 15 minutes for test planning; execution and customer validation follow separately.