The Business Model Canvas was created by Alexander Osterwalder, of Strategyzer® and provides a one-page primer and template that offers a basic methodology. Questions and points of view are detailed below.[1] Especially intended to support the MG RUSH Business Analyst community, please modify each and all of the following to support your situation.

Business Model Canvas — Agenda Steps and Questions to be Addressed

• Business Model Canvas: Partners

  • Who are our significant partners?
  • Who are our significant suppliers?
  • What critical activities do our partners perform?
  • What important resources are we acquiring from our suppliers?
    • Value-add from partnerships
      • Acquisition of specialized resources and activities
      • Optimization and economy
      • Reduction of risk and uncertainty

• Business Model Canvas: Activities

  • What significant activities do our value propositions require?
  • Which activities are the primary drivers of customer relationship?
  • Where does our distribution channel provide value-add?
  • What are the revenue streams for each channel?
    • Categories
      • Production activities
      • Problem-solving activities
      • Platform/ network

• Business Model Canvas: Resources

  • What significant resources do our value propositions require?
  • Which significant resources do our distribution channels require?
  • What significant resources do our customer relationships require?
  • Which significant resources do our revenue streams require?
    • Types of resources
      • Financial
      • Human
      • Intellectual (patents, copyrights, data, etc.)
      • Physical

• Business Model Canvas: Value Propositions

  • What value do we deliver to our customers?
  • Which customer needs are we satisfying?
  • Which customer problems are we helping to solve?
  • What bundles of products and services are we offering to each customer segment?
    • Characteristics
      • Brand/ status
      • Customization
      • Design
      • “Getting the Job Done”
      • Newness
      • Performance

• Business Model Canvas: Customer Relationships

  • What type of relationships do each of our primary customer segments expect us to build and maintain with them?
  • Which ones have we established?
  • How are they integrated with the rest of our business model?
  • How costly are they?
    • Examples
      • Automated services
      • Co-creation
      • Communities
      • Dedicated personal assistance
      • Personal assistance
      • Self-service

• Business Model Canvas: Channels

  • Through which channels do our primary customer segments want to be reached?
  • How are we reaching them now?
  • How are our channels integrated?
  • Which channels work best?
  • Which channels are most cost-efficient?
  • How are we integrating them with customer routines?
    • Channel phases
      • Awareness
        • How do we raise awareness about our company’s products and services?
      • Evaluation
        • How do we help customers evaluate our organizations value propositions?
      • Purchase
        • How do we allow customers to purchase specific products and services?
      • Delivery
        • How do we deliver a value proposition to our primary customer segments?
      • After sales
        • How do we provide post-purchase customer support?

• Business Model Canvas: Customer Segments

  • For whom are we creating value?
  • Who are our most important customers?
    •  Diversified
    •  Mass market
    •  Multi-sided platform 
    •  Niche market
    •  Segmented

• Business Model Canvas: Cost Structure

  • Which costs are most critical our business structure?
  • What primary resources are the most expensive?
  • What primary activities are the most expensive?
    • Is your business more . . .
      • Cost driven (leanest cost structure, low price value proposition, maximum automation, extensive outsourcing)
      • Value driven (focused on value creation, premium value proposition)
    • Sample characteristics
      • Economies of scale
      • Economies of scope
      • Fixed costs (salaries, rents, utilities)
      • Variable costs

• Business Model Canvas: Revenue Streams

  • For what value are our customers willing to pay?
  • For what value do they currently pay?
  • How are they currently paying?
  • What method would they prefer to use for paying?
  • How much does each revenue stream contribute to overall revenues?
    • Types
      • Advertising
      • Asset sale
      • Brokerage fees
      • Lending/ renting/ leasing
      • Licensing
      • Subscription fees
      • Usage fee
    • Fixed pricing
      • Customer segment dependent
      • List price
      • Product feature dependent
      • Volume dependent
    • Dynamic pricing
      • Negotiating (bargaining)
      • Real-time market
      • Yield management

For a more thorough discussion around business ideas and additional context around the Canvas, turn to “The Entrepreneur’s Foolproof 5-Step Guide to Finding and Validating Business Ideas”.

[1] Go to (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business_Model_Canvas) for a high-resolution version. The file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 1.0 Generic license and thus available for restricted distribution

______

Finally, MG RUSH professional facilitation curriculum focuses on providing methodology. Each student thoroughly practices methodology and tools before class concludes. Some call this immersion. We call it the road to building impactful facilitation skills.

Become Part of the Solution While You Improve Your Facilitation, Leadership, and Methodology Skills

Take a class or forward this to someone who should. MG RUSH Professional Facilitation Training provides an excellent way to earn up to 40 SEUs from the Scrum Alliance, 40 PDUs from PMI, 40 CDUs from IIBA, and 3.2 CEUs. As a member of the International Association of Facilitators (IAF), our Professional Facilitation Training aligns with IAF Certification Principles and fully prepares alumni for their Certified Professional Facilitator designation.

Furthermore, our Professional Facilitation curriculum immerses students in the responsibilities and dynamics of an effective facilitator and methodologist. Because nobody is smarter than everybody, attend an MG RUSH Professional Facilitation, Leadership, and Methodology workshop offered around the world, see MG RUSH for a current schedule.

Go to the Facilitation Training Store to access our in-house resources. You will discover numerous annotated agendas, break timers, and templates. Finally, take a few seconds to buy us a cup of coffee and please SHARE.

In conclusion, we dare you to embrace the will, wisdom, and activities that amplify a facilitative leader.