Guide teams through Lean UX Canvas v2. Use when framing a business problem, surfacing assumptions, and defining what to learn next.

Purpose Guide product managers through creating Jeff Gothelf's Lean UX Canvas (v2) —a one page facilitation tool that frames work around a business problem to solve , not a solution to implement . Use this to align cross functional teams around core assumptions, craft testable hypotheses, and ensure learning happens every sprint by exposing gaps in understanding (problem, users, value, and why the solution should work). This is not a roadmap or feature list—it's an "insurance policy" that turns assumptions into experiments before committing to full development. The canvas shifts conversations from outputs to outcomes and ensures teams build the right thing, not just build things right. Input Works best with: The business problem you're framing — or the solution idea you're being handed, which the canvas will reframe as a problem. Also useful: Known users, evidence so far, and what the team already believes (assumptions to surface). Anything supplied with the invocation itself — text after the skill name, a pasted context dump, or an appended ARGUMENTS: line — counts as answers already given. Use it and skip whatever it covers; don't re ask. Arriving empty handed? That works too. The skill opens with Box 1: what business problem are you trying to solve? Example invocation: Fill a Lean UX canvas: leadership wants 'an AI chatbot' — underlying problem seems to be support ticket volume growing 3x faster than the team. Key Concepts What is the Lean UX Canvas? The Lean UX Canvas (v2) is a structured, one page template designed to help teams frame their work around a business problem, not a solution. It aligns cross functional teams on: What problem exists (and why it matters now) What measurable outcomes indicate success Who we're solving for What assumptions we're making What we need to learn first What experiments will test those assumptions Origin: Created by Jeff Gothelf, author of Lean UX (O'Reilly, 2013). Version 2 was released to improve clarity around business vs. user outcomes. Key Insight: The canvas acts like an insurance policy —it exposes gaps in understanding before you build, ensuring you don't waste sprints on the wrong thing. Canvas Structure (8 Boxes) Layout (3 columns × 3 rows): The 8 Boxes (fill in this order): 1. Business Problem — What changed in the world that created a problem worth solving? 2. Business Outcomes — What measurable behavior change indicates success? 3. Users — Which persona(s) should you focus on first? 4. User Outcomes & Benefits — Why would users seek this? What benefit do they gain? 5. Solutions — What features/initiatives might solve the problem and meet user needs? 6. Hypotheses — Testable assumptions combining boxes 2 5 (If/Then format) 7. What's Most Important to Learn First? — The single riskiest assumption right now 8. What's the Least Work to Learn Next? — Smallest experiment to validate/invalidate that assumption Why This Works Problem First, Not Solution First: Starts with "what changed in the world?" not "we should build X." This prevents solution driven thinking. Assumption Driven: Makes hypotheses explicit before building. Every discipline surfaces their risks (technical feasibility, user value, business viability). Experiment Focused: Tests assumptions before committing resources. Small experiments beat big bets. Cross Functional Alignment: Shared canvas creates common language. Everyone sees the same gaps in understanding. Key Distinctions (Avoid Confusion) Box 2 (Business Outcomes) vs. Box 4 (User Outcomes): Box 2: Measurable behavior change (retention rate, time on site, average order value) Box 4: Goals, benefits, emotions, empathy (save money, get promoted, spend time with family) Box 2 is metrics. Box 4 is human. Solutions (Box 5) Are Hypotheses, Not Commitments: List candidate solutions (features, policies, even business model shifts). You're not committing to build all of them—you're exploring the solution space. Hypotheses (Box 6) Are Testable: Use the template: "We believe [business outcome] will be achieved if [user] attains [benefit] with [solution]." Each hypothesis focuses on one solution. Anti Patterns (What This Is NOT) Not a feature list: Solutions are ideas to test, not a backlog Not a project plan: Canvas frames learning, not delivery timelines Not a replacement for strategy: Canvas executes strategy; it doesn't create it Not a one time exercise: Re visit as you learn; update assumptions When to Use This ✅ Use this when: Starting a new product initiative or feature Reframing an existing project (suspect you're building the wrong thing) Aligning cross functional teams on assumptions and experiments Planning discovery sprints or MVPs Stakeholders are solution driven ("we need to build X") and you need to expose assumptions ❌ Don't use this when: Problem and solution are already validated (move to execution) Tactical bug fixes or technical debt (no learning needed) Stakeholders have committed to a solution regardless of evidence (address alignment first) Facilitation Source of Truth Use [ workshop facilitation ](../workshop facilitation/SKILL.md) as the default interaction protocol for this skill. It defines: session heads up + entry mode (Guided, Context dump, Best guess) one question turns with plain language prompts progress labels (for example, Context Qx/8 and Scoring Qx/5) interruption handling and pause/resume behavior numbered recommendations at decision points quick select numbered response options for regular questions (include Other (specify) when useful) This file defines the domain specific assessment content. If there is a conflict, follow this file's domain logic. Application Use template.md for the full fill in structure. This interactive skill walks through 8 adaptive questions (one per canvas box) in sequence. At each step, the agent offers guidance, examples, and options to help you fill the box correctly. Step 0: Gather Context Agent asks: Before we fill out the Lean UX Canvas, let's gather context. Please share: Business Context: Stakeholder request, product brief, or initiative description Business metrics (revenue, churn, growth targets, KPIs) Strategic goals (OKRs, roadmap priorities) User Context: Customer research, personas, JTBD insights User feedback, support tickets, churn reasons Competitor analysis, market trends You can paste: PRD or product brief Stakeholder memo User research summary Just describe the initiative briefly Question 1: Business Problem (Box 1) Agent asks: What problem does the business have that you are trying to solve? Describe: Current state: How does the business deliver value today? What changed: Market shift, competitive threat, customer behavior change, new delivery channel Why it matters: Why isn't the current situation meeting expectations? Good examples: "Our checkout conversion rate dropped 15% after mobile traffic surpassed desktop. Our checkout flow wasn't designed for mobile, and competitors have one tap checkout." "Enterprise customers are churning after 6 months because our onboarding process requires 3+ weeks of manual configuration. Competitors offer self service onboarding." Bad examples (too vague): "We need to increase revenue" (no context on what changed) "Users want more features" (no business problem stated) Agent offers 3 options: 1. I'll describe the business problem — [Paste or write your description] 2. Help me identify the business problem — [Agent asks follow up questions: What changed? What metrics are affected? What are competitors doing?] 3. I'm not sure what the business problem is — [Agent suggests starting with skills/problem statement/SKILL.md or skills/problem framing canvas/SKILL.md first] User response: [Selection or description] Agent validates: Does this describe what changed and why it creates a problem? If not, ask clarifying questions. Question 2: Business Outcomes (Box 2) Agent asks: How will you know you solved the business problem? What will you measure? Focus on measurable behavior change (leading indicators welcome). Ask yourself: "What will people be doing differently if the solution works?" Examples of business outcomes: Increase mobile checkout conversion rate from 45% to 60% Reduce enterprise onboarding time from 3 weeks to 3 days Increase average order value from $50 to $75 Reduce customer support tickets by 30% Increase free to paid conversion rate from 5% to 10% Important: This is Box 2 (behavior change) , not Box 4 (user benefits/empathy). Metrics go here. Emotions go in Box 4. Agent offers 3 options: 1. I have specific metrics in mind — [State your business outcomes] 2. Help me define measurable outcomes — [Agent suggests metrics based on the business problem] 3. I only have lagging indicators (revenue, profit) — [Agent helps identify leading indicators that predict those outcomes] User response: [Selection or description] Agent validates: Are these measurable? Observable? Do they indicate behavior change (not just "increase revenue")? Question 3: Users (Box 3) Agent asks: What types (i.e., personas) of users and customers should you focus on first? Consider: Who buys it? Who uses it? Who configures it? Who administers it? Why this matters: Teams tend to shortcut here ("everyone"). The canvas wants a shared vision of the user—and it's not always "the customer." Examples: "SMB owners (1 10 employees) in professional services (consultants, accountants, lawyers)" "Enterprise IT admins who configure SSO for 500+ employees" "Mobile first millennials (25 35) who order takeout 3+ times per week" Agent offers 3 options: 1. I have personas already — [Reference skills/proto persona/SKILL.md or paste persona] 2. Help me identify target users — [Agent asks: Who experiences the business problem most? Who's most likely to adopt? Who's easiest to reach?] 3. I need to create personas first — [Agent suggests using skills/proto persona/SKILL.md component skill] User response: [Selection or description] Agent validates: Is this specific enough to imagine a real person? Or is it too broad ("all users")? Question 4: User Outcomes & Benefits (Box 4) Agent asks: Why would your users seek out your product or service? What benefit would they gain? What behavior change can we observe that tells us they've achieved their goal? Focus on goals, benefits, emotions, empathy —not metrics (those go in Box 2). Examples of user outcomes & benefits: Save 10 hours per week on manual data entry (spend more time with family) Get promoted by delivering projects faster Avoid embarrassment of failed checkout in front of friends Feel confident configuring enterprise software without calling support Why this matters: This is the empathy box . It's about human motivation, not just behavior change. Agent offers 3 options: 1. I know what users want to achieve — [Describe user benefits] 2. Help me identify user benefits — [Agent prompts: What job are they hiring this product to do? What pain are they avoiding? What gain are they seeking?] 3. I need to research this first — [Agent suggests skills/jobs to be done/SKILL.md or skills/discovery interview prep/SKILL.md ] User response: [Selection or description] Agent validates: Does this explain why the user cares (not just what they'll do)? Question 5: Solutions (Box 5) Agent asks: What can we make that will solve our business problem and meet the needs of our customers at the same time? List features, initiatives, policies, systems, or even business model shifts that might work. Encourage a wide solution space:

lean-ux-canvas