Value Proposition Canvas Model and Template

Value Proposition Canvas (VPC) - Toolshero

Value Proposition Canvas Model: this article describes the Value Proposition Canvas model or VPC, developed by Alexander Osterwalder and Yves Pigneur in a practical way. Next to what it is (theory basics), this article also highlights the advantage of using, the added value for the customer and overview, the importance of survey and fit. This article also contains a downloadable and editable Value Proposition Canvas template to get started. enjoy reading!

What is the Value Proposition Canvas? The theory

The Swiss business management theorist Alexander Osterwalder developed a design for the perfect value proposition.

This design is intended for the development of products customers are really waiting for. Alex Osterwalder ’s Business Model Canvas (BMC) is one of the most widely used models for the creation of a business model that identifies determiners of the value proposition.

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In addition he developed the Value Proposition Canvas (VPC), in which the focus is on the customer and his requirements.

This element of the BMC is about finding out why customers, in their respective customer segments, need a supplier, what the customer can perceive as an extra value and what the customer finds annoying or disadvantageous.

There are 6 components: customer jobs, customer pains, customer gains, your products & services, pain relievers and the gain creators that create Value Proposition Canvas (VPC) in order get the best product-market fit.

Value Proposition has therefore become an important component of the aforementioned BMC and focuses on an important part of BMC, namely the value proposition that the product or service has for the customer.

Advantage of using the Value Proposition Canvas

The Value Proposition Canvas helps to systematically understand what customers want and it creates products and services that perfectly match their needs.

It collects customer information in a simple way that suits their needs and requirements which allows a more effective design of business models. This information is transformed into a clearly defined product or service that creates gain and relieves pain.

Added value for the customer: a overview of the Value Proposition Canvas

When designing new business models, organisations are usually focused internally and they are inclined to forget to look at their customers externally. Anyone can think of good and creative ideas, but the main idea is to design added value for a customer on paper.

By using the Value Proposition Canvas organizations identify customer needs in a visual and structured way as a result of which they design a value proposition that perfectly reflects their customer requirements, pain relievers and gain creators.

With this they have a profitable business model for both themselves as suppliers and for their customers.

You find an example overview of the Value Proposition Canvas below. It features the value map on the right side, and the customer profile map on the right side.

Value Proposition Canvas - Toolshero

Figue 1 – Value Proposition Canvas overview

Pain and gain

By using VPC, suppliers look at what customers really want, the problems they experience, how these can be solved and what their ‘pains’ and ‘gains’ are.

By expressing this in a structured and visual manner, it immediately becomes clear how the value proposition of the service and product or market can be adjusted to match the requirements of the customer.

In order to apply VPC properly, it is important to have a good look at the customer’s requirements. The following questions can be used as tools in this:

What jobs is the customer trying to get done?

Jobs represent the tasks the customer wants get done and which call for the help of a supplier.

This is how an organization knows whether their products and/or services are in line with the functional jobs of the customer. Essentially, it is about the needs and requirements of the customer and his demands. Furthermore, there might be several ‘jobs’ at the same time.

What is the pain of the customer?

By pain or customer pain is meant what the potential customer finds annoying or what he perceives as negative. It is the negative experience of the customer in the process of finishing a job to be done.

These are the unpleasant side effects such as rising costs, high risks, declining sales, fierce competition, customer loss and perhaps negative emotions and a negative atmosphere. Not all pains are perceived as equally important by the supplier.

What is the gain of the customer?

The gain is the positive outcome the potential customer envisages.

It is about what the customer expects and what would surprise him. What makes the customer happy? This could be cost savings, user friendliness, more turnover, service, advice and a pleasant working environment. By responding well to the gain, suppliers can make a difference.

Survey

Suppliers can obtain information about the jobs, pain and gain by entering into discussions with customers and by observing the market.

By writing down the answers and categorizing and priority setting, a clear picture emerges of how they can serve their customers in the best possible way (market fit). As suppliers it is important to manage the customer’s biggest pain.

When it has become clear what the customer wants, a value proposition can be attached to the product or service immediately. The most important elements will then form the basis of the new product or service.

After this phase there will be a test phase in which the customer himself plays an important role.

The importance of the fit within the Value Proposition Canvas

It is important that there is a fit between the pain and the pain solutions and the gain and gain-ideas the supplier proposes.

By looking very closely at this, the chances of failure are minimal and something will be developed that will eventually help the customer. Initially, this fit will be studied by the supplier. The customer has the task to carry out a final check.

Value Proposition Canvas and testing

A value proposition has now been created of which the supplier has the idea that it looks promising.

It will have to be tested at an early stage so that adjustments can be made in good time. It may happen that the requirements of the customers about the jobs, gain and pain have been misunderstood or misinterpreted.

There could also be a problem because the supplier has made certain assumptions. The value proposition must therefore be translated into practice.

In a Value Proposition Canvas it is important to always test the value proposition together with the customer so that it can be established whether the value proposition actually adds value to the customer’s business as required by the customer.

The customer is led through the process step by step to assess whether previous assumptions and interpretations are still correct.

After all, it is the customer who determines whether the value proposition will produce results for him or not.

Value Proposition Canvas template and worksheet

To perform a VPC exercise yourself, you will be able to use the ready-to-use Value Proposition Canvas template in .DOC format.

Download the Value Proposition Canvas template

This template is exclusively for our paying Toolshero members. Click here to see if a membership is something for you!

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Now It’s Your Turn

What do you think? Is the Value Proposition Canvas (VPC) applicable in today’s modern marketing and product development methods? and in your work or life? Do you recognize the practical explanation or do you have more suggestions? What are your success factors regarding the development of products to meet the customer’s requirements (and expectations)?

Share your experience and knowledge in the comments box below.

More information

  1. Osterwalder, A. (2014). Value proposition design: how to create products and services customers want. John Wiley and Sons.
  2. Osterwalder, A., & Pigneur, Y. (2013). Designing business models and similar strategic objects: the contribution of IS. Journal of the Association for Information Systems, 14(5), 237-244.
  3. Osterwalder, A., & Pigneur, Y. (2010). Business model generation: a handbook for visionaries, game changers and challengers. John Wiley & Sons.

How to cite this article:
Mulder, P. (2017). Value Proposition Canvas (Osterwalder and Pigneur). Retrieved [insert date] from Toolshero: https://www.toolshero.com/marketing/value-proposition-canvas/

Original publication date: 12/23/2017 | Last update: 01/18/2024

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Patty Mulder
Article by:

Patty Mulder

Patty Mulder is an Dutch expert on Management Skills, Personal Effectiveness and Business Communication. She is also a Content writer, Business Coach and Company Trainer and lives in the Netherlands (Europe).
Note: all her articles are written in Dutch and we translated her articles to English!

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One response to “Value Proposition Canvas Model and Template”

  1. ELTECEY POI says:

    Greeting from Malaysia:) good day to you. I have a question. Actually, i don’t really understand what is the meaning of “pains and gains”. currently, I’m doing a task given by my lecturer in University which requires me to do an online business under entrepreneurship course, and my starting business in selling a homemade potato chips through Fb and Instagram. And it requires me to list down what is the pains and gains in my business proposal. Hope you will help me, thank you so much.

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