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business-model-canvas

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Build, evaluate, and stress-test a Business Model Canvas (Osterwalder) across all 9 blocks. Use when designing or refreshing a business model, auditing a canvas for gaps, exploring monetization, or aligning on the model's assumptions.

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Business Model Canvas

A working Business Model Canvas (BMC) — Alexander Osterwalder's 9-block strategic management template that captures how an organization creates, delivers, and captures value.

When to use this skill

  • Designing the business model for a new product or company
  • Refreshing the BMC after a strategic pivot
  • Stress-testing the assumptions in an existing model
  • Aligning leadership on how value flows through the business
  • Comparing two or more candidate business models
  • Onboarding a new exec / investor to the business

The 9 building blocks

  1. Customer Segments — Who do we serve? (mass market, niche, segmented, diversified, multi-sided)
  2. Value Propositions — What value do we deliver to each segment?
  3. Channels — How do we reach customers? (own, partner; direct, indirect; physical, digital)
  4. Customer Relationships — How do we acquire, keep, and grow each segment?
  5. Revenue Streams — How does the customer pay? (one-time, subscription, usage, licensing, advertising)
  6. Key Resources — What assets are required? (physical, intellectual, human, financial)
  7. Key Activities — What do we do to deliver value? (production, problem-solving, platform/network)
  8. Key Partnerships — Who helps us? (strategic alliances, JVs, supplier relationships)
  9. Cost Structure — Where do costs come from? (cost-driven vs value-driven; fixed vs variable)

Clarify First

Before building the canvas, confirm these inputs. If any is unknown or vague, ASK — do not assume:

  • Customer segment(s) — who you serve, specifically (drives Value Prop, Channels, Relationships, Revenue — "everyone" collapses the whole canvas)
  • Revenue model — how the customer pays: subscription / usage / licensing / advertising (must reconcile against Cost Structure or unit economics break)
  • Stage — new model / pivot / mature operating business (determines whether Lean Canvas is the better tool)
  • Cost-driven vs value-driven posture — shapes Cost Structure and Key Activities (trying both produces mediocre everything)

Stop rule: ask only the 2-3 that most change the output. If the user says "just draft it," proceed and list your assumptions at the top of the artifact.

Workflow

Step 1 — Draft per block

Start with Customer Segments and Value Propositions (these drive everything else). Then fill: Channels, Customer Relationships, Revenue Streams. Then: Key Resources, Activities, Partnerships. Finish with Cost Structure.

Step 2 — Validate the chain

For each Customer Segment, trace: Segment → Value Prop → Channel → Relationship → Revenue. If you can't connect these, the model has a gap.

Step 3 — Stress-test assumptions

For each block, list the top 2-3 assumptions and rate (high / medium / low) on:

  • Evidence (do we know this is true?)
  • Riskiness (what breaks if wrong?)
  • Testability (can we run a cheap experiment?)

Step 4 — Run canvas_validator.py

Audit the canvas for: empty blocks, ungrounded value-prop / segment matches, revenue / cost imbalance, segment-channel-relationship coherence.

python3 project-management/strategy-frameworks/business-model-canvas/scripts/canvas_validator.py \
  --input canvas.json --format markdown

Step 5 — Iterate

Most first drafts are wrong in interesting ways. Plan to revise 3-5 times.

Decision frameworks

Which type of business model?

PatternExamplesCharacteristics
UnbundledInvestment banking (advisor + product)Different segments; different value props
Long TailNetflix, AmazonNiche x volume
Multi-sided platformVisa, AirbnbConnects 2+ segments; network effects
Free / FreemiumSpotify, LinkedInOne segment pays for another's free use
OpenOpen-source + servicesFree product, paid expertise/services

Most modern SaaS = multi-sided OR freemium variant.

Cost-driven vs value-driven

Cost-drivenValue-driven
Lean cost structureFocus on premium value
Low-price value propHigh-value, often high-price
Maximum automationHigh-touch service
Extensive outsourcingIn-house excellence

Most companies need to pick ONE — trying both produces mediocre everything.

Common BMC anti-patterns

  • Generic value proposition. "Better, faster, cheaper" — applies to anything; means nothing.
  • One segment listed as "everyone." Forces commodity positioning.
  • Revenue streams with no channel. How does money flow?
  • Costs that don't sum to revenue model. Unit economics broken.
  • Partnerships listed without specific roles. What do they actually do?
  • No coherent customer journey across blocks. Segment doesn't connect to channel.

Output expectations

After using this skill, you should have:

  1. A populated 9-block canvas with specific (not generic) statements
  2. A validation report flagging gaps, ungrounded assumptions, coherence issues
  3. 2-3 prioritized experiments to test the riskiest assumptions
  4. References to other strategy skills (lean canvas for startup-stage; value-proposition-canvas for the VP block)

References

  • references/canvas-framework.md — the 9 blocks deep, patterns, examples
  • references/examples-anti-patterns.md — worked examples + common failures

Related skills

  • project-management/strategy-frameworks/lean-canvas — startup-stage variant
  • project-management/strategy-frameworks/swot-analysis — internal/external strengths-weaknesses
  • project-management/strategy-frameworks/porters-five-forces — competitive dynamics
  • project-management/discovery/value-proposition-canvas — deeper on the value-prop block
  • project-management/execution/north-star-metric — what to measure once model is set
  • business-growth/pricing-strategy — pricing depth for the revenue block
  • c-level-advisor/ceo-advisor — strategic context for the model