Market Segments
Define 3–5 distinct customer segments with JTBD, pain points, and product-fit so you can prioritize who to build for before committing scope.
Overview
Market Segments is an agent skill most often used in Idea (also Validate, Grow) that identifies and analyzes 3–5 customer segments with JTBD and product-fit assessment.
Install
npx skills add https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills --skill market-segmentsWhat is this skill?
- Produces 3–5 non-overlapping segments with demographics and firmographic cues
- Maps jobs-to-be-done, desired outcomes, and pain points per segment
- Five-step analysis flow: exploration → criteria → definition → characterization → opportunity
- Incorporates TAM-style opportunity assessment when market data is provided
- Step-by-step reasoning when ingesting research docs or customer databases
- 3–5 distinct customer segments per run
- 5 analysis steps from exploration through opportunity assessment
Adoption & trust: 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 direction but no crisp, non-overlapping picture of who actually needs it and why each group would buy.
Who is it for?
Solo founders scoping a new SaaS or content product who need PM-grade segmentation before building features.
Skip if: Teams that already have signed ICP docs, CRM-backed cohorts, and a finalized GTM—use this only to refresh hypotheses.
When should I use this skill?
Exploring market segments, identifying target audiences, evaluating new markets, or learning how to segment a market.
What do I get? / Deliverables
You leave with 3–5 validated-style segment profiles and opportunity notes you can rank for landing tests, pricing experiments, or roadmap bets.
- 3–5 segment profiles with demographics, JTBD, pains, and fit
- Opportunity assessment summary across segments
Recommended Skills
Journey fit
Spans multiple journey phases - primary shelf plus alternate fits below.
Canonical shelf is Idea because segmentation answers who the opportunity serves before validation artifacts exist. Audience subphase is where solo builders name segments, demographics, and needs—not competitor deep-dives alone.
Where it fits
Turn a broad “developers” idea into 4 needs-based segments with distinct JTBD before competitor research.
Pick one primary segment to scope the MVP landing page and cut features that no segment cares about.
Add a new firmographic segment when considering expansion pricing or a second product line.
How it compares
Structured segmentation workflow in chat, not a live analytics or CRM integration.
Common Questions / FAQ
Who is market-segments for?
Indie builders and small teams doing their own PM who need audience clarity before validation or feature work.
When should I use market-segments?
In Idea when exploring audiences; in Validate when scoping who the landing and prototype target; in Grow when expanding into adjacent segments.
Is market-segments safe to install?
Review the Security Audits panel on this Prism page before installing; the skill is analytical text generation unless you attach local files for the agent to read.
SKILL.md
READMESKILL.md - Market Segments
# Market Segments ## Purpose Identify and analyze 3-5 distinct customer segments for your product, understanding their unique jobs-to-be-done, desired outcomes, pain points, and product fit. Use this skill to evaluate market opportunities, prioritize target audiences, or expand into new market segments. ## Instructions You are a strategic market research expert skilled in market segmentation, customer profiling, and total addressable market (TAM) analysis. ### Input Your task is to identify and analyze potential customer segments for **$ARGUMENTS**. If research data, market studies, customer databases, or existing segmentation documents are provided, read and analyze them directly. Look for behavioral patterns, demographic clusters, and distinct needs across segments. ### Analysis Steps (Think Step by Step) 1. **Market Exploration**: Consider the full addressable market for $ARGUMENTS 2. **Segmentation Criteria**: Identify logical segmentation dimensions (behavioral, demographic, firmographic, needs-based) 3. **Segment Definition**: Create 3-5 distinct, non-overlapping customer segments 4. **Characterization**: For each segment, synthesize profiles and validate distinctness 5. **Opportunity Assessment**: Evaluate market size, growth potential, and competitive intensity per segment ### Output Structure For each of the 3-5 segments, provide: **Segment Name & Overview** - Clear, memorable segment identifier - Size estimate (% of total market or absolute numbers if data available) - Growth trajectory and market dynamics **Key Demographics & Firmographics** - Core characteristics (age, role, company size, industry, geography, etc.) - Decision-maker profiles if B2B **Jobs-to-be-Done** - Primary job and desired outcome for this segment - Frequency, context, and stakes of the job - Success criteria and desired outcomes **Key Pain Points & Obstacles** - Barriers to job completion specific to this segment - Consequences of not solving the problem **Desired Gains & Success Factors** - What outcomes matter most to this segment - Preferred solution characteristics - Cost and time constraints **Product Fit Analysis** - How well $ARGUMENTS serves this segment's needs - Unique value proposition for this segment - Potential adoption barriers or resistance **Competitive Landscape** - Existing solutions or workarounds this segment uses - Alternative approaches or competitors ## Best Practices - Ensure segments are measurable, accessible, and distinct - Prioritize segments with clear jobs-to-be-done and pain points - Validate segment assumptions with available data - Consider both greenfield opportunities and underserved segments - Flag segments requiring additional market research --- ### Further Reading - [Market Research: Advanced Techniques](https://www.productcompass.pm/p/market-research-advanced-techniques) - [User Interviews: The Ultimate Guide to Research Interviews](https://www.productcompass.pm/p/interviewing-customers-the-ultimate) - [Crossing the Chasm: The Ultimate Guide For PMs](https://www.productcompass.pm/p/crossing-the-chasm) - [How to Achieve Product-Market Fit? Part I: Market and Value Proposition](https://www.productcompass.pm/p/how-to-achieve-the-product-market) - [Product Innovation Masterclass](https://www.productcompass.pm/p/product-innovation-masterclass) (video course)