The Academy

You might already have an idea or a technology in mind, or you might know exactly which solutions your target customers use.

You need to understand not only "one customer", but also at least 6 other customers (aka people or organizations you need to bring value to ) for each of the use cases you consider.

The trick here is not to look at them through the lens of a job title or function but rather the jobs-to-be-done they need to perform. This is more accurate and will help you cluster the right customers.

Once the mapping is done, you will decide who to focus on (probably at least 3 customers).

The EYE (Ecosystem You Evolve in) canvas  will guide you through this mapping.

Your checklist

Make sure to list the "customers" with a specific use case of your product/service in mind, as it will affect the mapping.

If you are in a B2B context, some or all players here will be within your target Business customers. It will help you see which role/department will play a key role and who you should better understand.

1- END-USER

Who will use your product(s)?

2- THE INFLUENCERS

Due to their position of power, their legal/technical authority or their opinion and reputation, they will impact your access to the user.

• At the company/local level, who assesses the technical, ethical, legal, clinical, compliance, IT (etc.) aspects of the product and service? Who has a say in the procurement, ordering, and listing of available services within your customer's organization (in a B2B context) or around your end user (in a B2C context)? Here, we don't focus on money/ costs (see the "Who pays" section).
• At the national/supranational level: policymakers, decision-makers, experts, commissions (for example, the policymakers in sustainability, or the approval bodies like EMA or Swissmedic in healthcare).
• Due to their opinion and reputation:  social media influencers, key opinion leaders and experts in your field. You can also think of consumer groups or patient associations.

Money & Finance

3- THE BUDGET HOLDER

Who pays? Who makes the financial purchase or funding decision? 

This part is critical if, in your system, the ones who pay differ from those who use it.

For example, employees will use new, more environmentally friendly equipment, but the employer, (especially the head of IT) is the one who will pay for it. The same goes for families with kids (end users) and parents (budget holders).

In healthcare, who will decide to fund/reimburse, or pay for your product? Who will bear the cost? It could be the hospital, a national reimbursement system, a private insurer, or out-of-pocket patient payment.

4- THE FINANCIAL IMPACTEES  

Who has financial incentives (+ or -)? Who will benefit from the efficiency and the savings your service brings? Who will have financial incentives to choose your offering over available options? Who will lose money, margin, or revenue?

5- THE ENABLERS 

Who will support the product throughout its lifecycle (product lifecycle support team)?

This includes people who install, transport, repair, maintain, ensure availability or administration, upgrade, dispose of, or recycle the product (e.g. the IT department for software, a nurse for a medical device).

Impact

6- THE SABOTEURS 

Can you hear the French accent 🤭. They may perceive your offering as a threat, potentially leading to a loss of money, power, control, freedom, or time.

For example, a physician might view an AI diagnostic algorithm as a competitor, threatening their sense of power or control.

7- THE BENEFICIARIES

Who will benefit from the value/outcomes of the services besides the end user? Here, we exclude financial benefits as they will be captured in the "Money & Finance" section.

• Who are the indirect beneficiaries around your end-users? (e.g. if your end-user is a child, parents will benefit; if your end-user are employees, employers will benefit; if your target elderly population, caregivers will benefit), 
• Who are the other players benefiting from your success in changing the system? (e.g. city residents if you reduce air pollution, insurance companies if you improve hospital and ambulatory care communication).

Tips: these players, such as SMEs (Small and Medium-sized Enterprises), startups, and academic centers, could also be ideal partners.

Next steps

Now it's your turn! 💪

As a team, you will decide who the most critical customers on this map are: the ones you absolutely need to understand and bring value to succeed.

You will most likely have at least 3 customers. They are the ones you will focus your energy on when designing the customer profile and running interviews.