Alex Osterwalder — Value Proposition Design in the Age of AI (Part 2)

"You're gonna run up a hundred wrong hills, and you're still not gonna get a good understanding of the map."

Alexander Osterwalder, co-author of Value Proposition Design and founder of Strategyzer, returns for Part 2 of our series. Last week: which projects to retire. This week: value proposition design in the age of AI — why generative AI can formulate a brilliant value proposition, but only if you've done the homework it cannot do for you.

In this conversation, Alex reveals:

• Why building fast with AI without validated customer jobs, pains and gains is "running up a hundred wrong hills"
• The four foundations of an irresistible value proposition — and why even world-class brands can't show quantitative evidence for the first one
• Why teams differentiate against competitors instead of through the customer's eyes
• The Value Stack, Strategyzer's new tool for prioritising the benefits customers actually care about
• Should you feed your secret formula into enterprise AI? Alex's two answers to the data-privacy dilemma
• Why the fear of AI handing your value proposition to competitors is — for now — irrational
• Why marketing teams "shouldn't be writing a word" — and how to turn Gen AI into rocket fuel instead of a shortcut
• The B2B trap: designing for users when decision-makers sign the cheque
• How a solo inventor should ABC-test differentiators and pricing with three landing pages
• The Roger Federer analogy: why e-learning alone will never make you world-class
• Why growth is a profession you learn, not a creative gift

00:00 Building Fast Up the Wrong Hill

00:25 Validate Customers with Evidence

01:07 A Word from Our Sponsor, Kyndryl

01:45 How Teams Misuse AI in Value Proposition Design

02:59 Why a Value Proposition Is Not a Writing Exercise

03:55 The Four Ingredients of an Irresistible Value Proposition

05:59 Benefits Backed by Proof

06:50 Differentiate Through the Customer's Eyes

07:58 The Process and the Playbook

10:06 AI Only Works After the Homework

11:55 The Data Privacy Dilemma

13:04 Safe Models and Why Your Value Proposition Is Unique

16:41 Stop Wordsmithing, Start Iterating

17:05 The Gen AI Playbook, Step by Step

18:58 Inside the Playbook Library

19:52 B2B: Users vs Decision-Makers

22:05 Listener Discount and Webinar Details

23:07 Advice for Builders and Entrepreneurs

26:11 Discipline Beats Creativity

27:02 The Roger Federer Coach Analogy

30:07 The Party Trick: Evaluating Business Ideas

31:51 Wrap Up and Thanks to Kyndryl

Explore the Strategyzer playbook library at https://www.strategyzer.com — Innovation Show listeners get 20% off with the code INNOVATIONSHOW20.

This series is brought to you by Kyndryl, who run and reimagine the technology systems that drive advantage for the world's leading businesses. With a unique blend of AI-powered consulting built on unmatched managed-service capability, Kyndryl helps leaders harness technology for smarter decisions, faster innovation, and lasting competitive edge. Learn more about Kyndryl and the Kyndryl Institute at https://www.kyndryl.com.

Sign up for the Kyndryl Institute at https://www.kyndryl.com/institute and send us a screenshot for a chance to win a copy of Value Proposition Design, with thanks to Kyndryl.

About The Innovation Show: the Thinkers50-recognised podcast where square pegs find their place in a world of round holes. Hosted by Aidan McCullen, author of Undisruptable, it brings you conversations with world-class authors, scientists and practitioners on disruption, innovation, change, transformation and leadership.

Website: https://theinnovationshow.io Substack (Thursday Thought): https://thethursdaythought.substack.com

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/the-innovation-show/id1148455669

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/63nFKf4bsSWo3W72gWtOsK?si=b62d9614237c4450

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/theinnovationshow

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aidanmccullen