Value Proposition
Draft a JTBD-framed value proposition with the 6-part Who / Why / What before / How / What after / Alternatives template before you build or launch messaging.
Overview
Value Proposition is an agent skill most often used in Validate (also Idea) that produces a 6-part JTBD value proposition—Who, Why, What before, How, What after, Alternatives.
Install
npx skills add https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills --skill value-propositionWhat is this skill?
- 6-part value proposition structure: Who, Why, What Before, How, What After, Alternatives
- JTBD framing for core problem, desired outcomes, and job context
- Requires product description, segment, competitive alternatives, and customer insights as inputs
- Product-strategist voice for articulating why customers should choose your product
- Trigger phrases: value proposition, value prop, customer value, JTBD value, value map
- 6-part value proposition template (Who, Why, What Before, How, What After, Alternatives)
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 can describe features but cannot explain who you serve, what job you nail, and why you beat alternatives in one coherent story.
Who is it for?
Founders validating positioning before coding or relaunching an offer with clearer segment and alternative analysis.
Skip if: Teams that only need ad-hoc taglines without segment, JTBD, or competitive inputs, or builders who already finalized messaging and need pure implementation.
When should I use this skill?
Creating a value proposition, analyzing customer value delivery, or articulating why customers should choose your product.
What do I get? / Deliverables
You get a comprehensive six-part value proposition document ready for landing copy, pricing conversations, and downstream positioning experiments.
- Completed 6-part JTBD value proposition
- Segment and problem articulation
- Alternatives and differentiation narrative
Recommended Skills
Journey fit
Spans multiple journey phases - primary shelf plus alternate fits below.
Value proposition design is the canonical Validate activity where you prove the idea is worth building by articulating customer value and competitive differentiation. Scope is where you lock what you are offering and for whom; the 6-part template turns fuzzy features into a scoped customer promise.
Where it fits
Translate interview notes into Who and Why sections before you commit to a niche.
Complete all six parts to decide MVP scope against real alternatives customers cite.
Feed What After and How into hero and subhead copy on a validation landing page.
Reuse Alternatives and Why for comparison pages and launch narrative consistency.
How it compares
Use instead of generic marketing copy skills when you need a JTBD-structured value map, not channel-specific SEO text.
Common Questions / FAQ
Who is value-proposition for?
Solo and indie builders who own positioning and need a strategist-grade value narrative before build, launch, or sales conversations.
When should I use value-proposition?
In Validate/scope when defining the offer; in Idea/audience when tightening segment-problem fit; in Launch/distribution when refreshing hero messaging from the same six-part core.
Is value-proposition safe to install?
Check the Security Audits panel on this Prism page for verification status; the skill is document-generation focused and does not require shell or secrets by default.
SKILL.md
READMESKILL.md - Value Proposition
# Value Proposition ## Metadata - **Name**: value-proposition - **Description**: Generate a detailed value proposition using a 6-part template with JTBD framing. Includes practical examples for designing compelling customer value. - **Triggers**: value proposition, value prop, customer value, JTBD value, value map ## Instructions You are a product strategist designing a clear value proposition for $ARGUMENTS. Your task is to develop a comprehensive value proposition that articulates the customer value delivered by the product. ## Input Requirements - Product description and features - Target customer segment and their problems - Competitive alternatives and current solutions - Customer insights or market data ## Value Proposition Template ### 6-Part Structure **1. Who** - Who is this value proposition for? - What customer segment are we addressing? - What are their characteristics and constraints? **2. Why (Problem)** - What is the customer's core problem or need? - What's the Job to Be Done (JTBD)? - What desired outcomes are they trying to achieve? **3. What Before** - What is the customer's current situation? - What are they using today to solve this problem? - What friction or pain exists in the current approach? **4. How (Solution)** - How does the product solve the problem? - What specific features or capabilities deliver value? - Why is this solution better than alternatives? **5. What After** - What is the improved outcome or future state? - How does the customer's life/work change? - What becomes possible that wasn't before? **6. Alternatives** - What other solutions could customers use? - Why would they choose us instead? - What's the switching cost or friction from alternatives? ## Example: Canva - **Who**: Non-designers who need to create marketing graphics - **Why**: They need professional-looking designs but can't hire designers or use complex tools - **What Before**: Using PowerPoint, Photoshop (too complex), or hiring expensive designers - **How**: Drag-and-drop templates, built-in design elements, AI design assistance, intuitive interface - **What After**: Create professional designs in minutes, launch campaigns faster, save design costs - **Alternatives**: Photoshop (complex), Fiverr (slow, expensive), Canva competitors (fewer templates, harder UX) ## Output Process 1. Identify and profile the target customer segment 2. Define the core problem and JTBD 3. Describe the current state and friction points 4. Articulate how the product solves the problem 5. Envision the improved outcome 6. Compare against competitive alternatives 7. Create a concise value prop statement (1-2 sentences) 8. Develop a positioning statement for marketing use ### Domain Context **This template vs Strategyzer's Value Proposition Canvas**: Strategyzer's canvas (by Alexander Osterwalder) is widely used but has structural limitations. This 6-part JTBD template (by Paweł Huryn and Aatir Abdul Rauf) addresses them: - **Customer first**: This template starts with the customer (Who/Why) and works toward the solution. Strategyzer's canvas places the product on the left, which often leads teams to start with their solution rather than the customer's problem. - **One segment at a time**: This template is designed for one segment per pass. Strategyzer's canvas encourages mapping multiple products/services simultaneously, which dilutes focus. - **Explicit alternatives**: Section 6 (Alternatives) forces you to name what customers would use without you and articulate why you're better. Strategyzer's canvas has no equivalent — you don't directly confront substitutes. - **Simpler structure**: "What before → How → What after" is easier to fi