Applying the Value Proposition Canvas — My insights

Applying the Value Proposition Canvas (Osterwalder & Pigneur, 1999) to the Harvard University website “Canvas” was a novel and insightful exercise. By applying the mindset laid out in IDEO’s “The Field Guide to Human-Centered Design”, please see below the output of my analysis:

These were my main insights generated during the exercise:

Insight 1: Do not underestimate the role of social and emotional jobs: During my first draft, I realized that I solely focused on the functional jobs of a student, which is not necessarily a comprehensive view. According to Osterwalder & Pigneur (1999), we need to also look at social and emotional jobs. For a student this could be to “feel comfortable and confident” and to be “integrated into a larger university community”. I made sure to add these points in my second iteration.

Insight 2: Make sure to tie it all together: The biggest value-add for me was at the end of the exercise, when mapping the value proposition gain creators/pain relievers to the customer gains and pains. This is where I was able to identify strengths but also potential pitfalls of Canvas. For instance, I think Canvas does a solid job in providing structure and tools for time management. However, it fails to address some of the social/emotional jobs of a student.

Insight 3: Ethics matter: we need to value impact over form: Last but not least, I think it is essential to take a step back from the exercise and take into account the broader mission of design. According to Mike Monteiro’s “A Designer’s Code of Ethics”, the output of a product or service should hold priority over its form. This is an insight that will inform my future decisions in design processes.