Business model canvas – plan your business in one page!

When to use it:

• developing a business idea to a real plan ready to be put in practice
• planning projects that involve different clients and stakeholders

Size of the group: 5 to 30 people

Age of the group: over 14 years old

Time:

Preparation: 1 hour

Presentation: 1 hour 30 min.

Materials:

• flip-chart paper (one for each group of 5 people, and the one used by the trainer)
• sticky notes – 2 to 5 colours
• markers
• video-projector and laptop

How:

Preparation:

• read the 5.7. Imagine your business. Business Model Canvas, and watch the short video presentation of the business model canvas.
• prepare a flip-chart paper by using the business model canvas available at this link: http://www.businessmodelgeneration.com/downloads/business_model_canvas_poster.pdf;
• using sticky notes, prepare the presentation of a project / business idea (choose a simple one that people from your group might be familiar with!) following the nine areas from the canvas; use at least two type of clients, so that people can understand how clients can become key partners or provide key resources to the project, when other clients’ segment is discussed on the canvas.

Presentation:

1. Brainstorm with the help of the participants about the main components of any project (goal, objectives, problem, target group, activities, methodology, estimated results, budget, etc.) or of any business idea (products, clients, channels of distribution, prices, costs, promotion etc.);
2. Present the business model canvas as a tool of having all components of a project / business idea on one page; 
3. Exemplify the usage of the business model canvas with the project / business idea you prepared before the workshop. Present how the model works for at least two different clients’ segments. Show how the nine elements are related and explain each component: clients / customer segments,value propositions, customer relationships, channels, revenue streams, key activities, key resources, key partners, and cost structure.
4. Split the participants in groups of five, and give each group a flip-chart paper.
5. Ask each group to prepare the flip-chart paper with a business model canvas.
6. Ask each group to come up with an idea of project they would like to implement in the community / in their school / in their neighborhood, and to prepare a presentation of the project using the business model canvas.
7. Each group has to present in 5 to 7 min. their project idea.
8. You should give feedback on each project idea. Focus not on the idea of the project, but on how the project was planned using the business model canvas.

Follow-up questions:

• How did your project idea develop during the exercise?
• What are the new aspects / new ideas or the new questions you raised in regards to your project using the business model canvas?
• What can you say about the sustainability of your project, looking to the business model you developed?

Possible variations:

For step 6., to make it easier for the participants or to shorten the exercise, you can prepare one or more short descriptions of different projects, and ask them to translate those projects in the business model canvas.

Other resources:

http://www.businessmodelgeneration.com/

http://nonprofitcanvaskit.com/