Lean Canvas
Generate a structured Lean Canvas so you can stress-test problem, solution, metrics, and revenue before committing engineering time.
Overview
Lean-canvas is an agent skill most often used in Validate (also Idea, Build) that generates a nine-block Lean Canvas from your product and market inputs.
Install
npx skills add https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills --skill lean-canvasWhat is this skill?
- Nine-section Lean Canvas template: problem, solution, UVP, unfair advantage, segments, channels, revenue, costs, metrics
- Strategist-style instructions grounded in product description, segments, and market context inputs
- Explicit triggers: lean canvas, startup canvas, lean model, business hypothesis
- Top-3 problems and top-3 features structure to force prioritization before build
- 9-section Lean Canvas template
- Top 3 problems and top 3 solution features
Adoption & trust: 1.1k installs on skills.sh; 12.3k GitHub stars; 3/3 security scanners passed (skills.sh audits).
What problem does it solve?
You have a product idea but no shared sheet of assumptions about problem, revenue, and differentiation to validate before you code.
Who is it for?
Founders scoping an MVP, side project, or feature bet who want a single-page model before prototype or pricing work.
Skip if: Mature products with locked financials and no open hypotheses, or teams that only need technical architecture docs.
When should I use this skill?
User mentions lean canvas, startup canvas, lean model, or business hypothesis exploration.
What do I get? / Deliverables
You get a filled Lean Canvas with prioritized problems, solutions, UVP, channels, and metrics ready for experiments or a written plan skill next.
- Completed Lean Canvas with all standard sections
- Prioritized problems, solutions, and key metrics assumptions
Recommended Skills
Journey fit
Spans multiple journey phases - primary shelf plus alternate fits below.
Lean Canvas is the canonical artifact when you are scoping and de-risking a venture—after initial idea research but before full build. Scope subphase captures business-model assumptions, MVP boundaries, and hypothesis framing that the canvas sections explicitly require.
Where it fits
Turn competitor and audience notes into a Lean Canvas to see if the opportunity still has a defensible UVP.
Define top-three problems and solutions before choosing what belongs in the first prototype.
Align revenue streams and cost structure on one page before testing price on a landing page.
Re-run the canvas after discovery calls to update segments and channels before sprint planning.
How it compares
Use instead of unstructured brainstorming when you need the standard Lean Canvas sections—not a full PRD or implementation plan.
Common Questions / FAQ
Who is lean-canvas for?
Solo builders and indie founders framing startup or feature bets who want lean methodology without hiring a strategist.
When should I use lean-canvas?
In Validate when scoping an MVP, in Idea after audience research to crystallize hypotheses, and in Build when reframing a pivot before new integrations or pricing changes.
Is lean-canvas safe to install?
It is a planning prompt skill with no infra side effects; check the Security Audits panel on this page for the package’s catalog risk summary.
SKILL.md
READMESKILL.md - Lean Canvas
# Lean Canvas ## Metadata - **Name**: lean-canvas - **Description**: Generate a Lean Canvas business model with detailed sections for problem, solution, metrics, cost structure, UVP, unfair advantage, channels, segments, and revenue. - **Triggers**: lean canvas, startup canvas, lean model, business hypothesis ## Instructions You are a business model strategist designing a Lean Canvas for $ARGUMENTS. Your task is to create a comprehensive Lean Canvas that outlines the business hypothesis and key business model assumptions for the product. ## Input Requirements - Product or feature description - Target customer segment(s) - Market context and problem space - Any available metrics or business constraints ## Lean Canvas Template ### Section 1: Product Definition **1. Problem** - Top 3 customer problems or needs - Customer pains and frustrations - Current unsatisfactory solutions **2. Solution** - Top 3 features or approaches - How each feature addresses the problem - Why this solution is novel or better **3. Unique Value Proposition (UVP)** - Concise, memorable statement - Why customers choose you over alternatives - What makes you different (not just "better") **4. Unfair Advantage** - What defensibility exists? - Barriers to competition (network effects, brand, IP, switching costs) - What competitors can't easily replicate ### Section 2: Market & Traction **5. Customer Segments** - Who is the target customer? - Early adopters and first segment - Customer personas or archetypes - How large is the addressable market? **6. Channels** - How do you reach customers? - Primary acquisition channels - Distribution and sales approach - How do customers find you? **7. Revenue Streams** - How do you make money? - Pricing model or revenue per customer - Customer lifetime value (LTV) - Revenue growth assumptions ### Section 3: Economics & Validation **8. Cost Structure** - Fixed costs (salaries, infrastructure, facilities) - Variable costs (COGS, transaction costs, support) - Key cost drivers - Cost per customer acquisition (CAC) **9. Key Metrics** - Activation: How do users get value quickly? - Retention: How many users stick around? - Revenue: How do we measure financial success? - North Star metric for the business ## Output Process 1. Define the core problem(s) being solved 2. Outline 2-3 solution approaches 3. Craft a compelling UVP 4. Identify what creates competitive advantage 5. Target 1-2 customer segments 6. Map acquisition channels 7. Define revenue model and pricing 8. Estimate cost structure 9. Identify 3-5 critical metrics to track 10. Surface key assumptions and hypotheses 11. Suggest validation experiments (landing page, interviews, MVP) ### Domain Context **Lean Canvas vs Business Model Canvas vs Startup Canvas**: Lean Canvas (Ash Maurya) is a startup-focused adaptation of the Business Model Canvas that replaces Partners/Activities/Resources with Problem/Solution/Unfair Advantage. It's fast and hypothesis-driven, but has known limitations: - **Redundancy**: "Problem" overlaps with Market Segments (markets are defined by problems/JTBD), and "Solution" overlaps with Value Proposition (which by definition includes features). This can create confusion about what goes where. - **Missing strategic sections**: No vision (why should your team wake up every day?), no trade-offs (what you choose NOT to do), no relative costs (low cost vs unique value positioning), no key metrics. - **Narrow defensibility**: "Unfair Advantage" focuses on one defensive element, but strong strategy is hard to copy as an integrated whole — not because of a single advantage. - **No coherence check**: Doesn't address whether all strategic choices reinforce each other. **