# How to Create Value Propositions with the 6-Part JTBD Template

> Learn to create customer-first value propositions using the 6-part JTBD template. Discover the command in the phuryn/pm-skills repository for powerful product narratives.

- Repository: [Pawel Huryn/pm-skills](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills)
- Tags: how-to-guide
- Published: 2026-06-09

---

**The 6-part JTBD value-proposition template in the `phuryn/pm-skills` repository lets you generate customer-first product narratives through a declarative skill that lives in the `pm-product-strategy` plugin and is invoked with the `/value-proposition` slash command.**

If you are building product strategy documentation inside an AI-assisted workflow, the `phuryn/pm-skills` repository offers a declarative, repeatable way to create value propositions with the 6-part JTBD template. Encoded in the `pm-product-strategy` plugin, this six-part Jobs-to-be-Done framework lets product managers move from raw ideas to investor-ready pitch copy without writing any imperative code.

## Anatomy of the 6-Part JTBD Template

The value-proposition capability is defined in [`pm-product-strategy/skills/value-proposition/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/pm-product-strategy/skills/value-proposition/SKILL.md). It breaks every proposition into six sequential blocks that force a customer-first orientation.

### Who and Why (The Job to Be Done)

**Who** identifies the target user segment, while **Why** captures the underlying motivation—the "job" they are hiring your product to do. According to the `phuryn/pm-skills` source code, starting with these two elements ensures the proposition is anchored in real user needs rather than feature lists.

### What Before, How, and What After (The Narrative Arc)

The middle three parts create causal continuity:

- **What Before** – The current state, pain points, or workarounds the user suffers today.
- **How** – Your product's mechanism or approach that bridges the gap.
- **What After** – The measurable outcome or improved state the user experiences after adoption.

This "What Before → How → What After" structure is explicitly designed to produce a story that is easy to communicate across teams and stakeholders.

### Alternatives (Competitive Context)

The final part, **Alternatives**, forces you to name competitors or existing workarounds. The [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/SKILL.md) file includes a comparative note (lines 78-85) that explains how this step differs from classic frameworks such as the Strategyzer Value Proposition Canvas, which often omits direct competitive mapping.

## How to Invoke the Value-Proposition Command

### Interactive Chat Usage

To create a value proposition in any Claude-compatible chat that has loaded the `pm-product-strategy` plugin, type:

```text
/value-proposition

```

The agent will ask follow-up questions such as:

```text
What does the product do?
Who is the target user segment?
What alternatives do they currently use?

```

Once context is gathered, the AI executes the skill and returns a structured markdown block.

### Programmatic Usage in CI Pipelines

You can also trigger the template programmatically. Assuming the Claude CLI is installed and the plugin is added, run:

```bash
claude ask "/value-proposition" "AI writing assistant for non-native speakers"

```

The CLI returns the same structured markdown block, ready for inclusion in a [`README.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/README.md) or internal wiki.

## Example Generated Output

When the skill runs, it produces a pre-formatted document. Below is the sample output from the repository for an AI writing assistant targeting non-native English speakers:

```markdown

## Value Proposition: AI Writing Assistant

### For non-native English speakers who need professional-grade copy:

1. **Who**: Language learners & small-business owners with limited editing budgets.  
2. **Why**: They need clear, persuasive content quickly, but lack native fluency and editing resources.  
3. **What Before**: Manual editing, costly freelance writers, or generic translation tools that produce awkward phrasing.  
4. **How**: An AI-powered editor that suggests tone-appropriate phrasing, corrects grammar, and adapts style to the intended audience.  
5. **What After**: Users publish polished copy in minutes, improve conversion rates, and reduce reliance on external writers.  
6. **Alternatives**: Traditional copy-editing services (expensive), generic grammar checkers (limited context).  

**Value Proposition Statement**  
*For non-native English speakers who need professional copy, the AI Writing Assistant is an intelligent editor that delivers native-level language and contextual tone in seconds. Unlike expensive copy-editing services, it provides instant, affordable, and brand-consistent output.*

```

The markdown above is generated automatically by the **value-proposition** skill and can be copied straight into a product brief or marketing one-pager.

## Skill Architecture and Source Files

The value-proposition capability follows a clear, layered architecture inside `phuryn/pm-skills`:

- **Skill definition** – [`pm-product-strategy/skills/value-proposition/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/pm-product-strategy/skills/value-proposition/SKILL.md) describes the 6-part JTBD template, metadata, input requirements, and step-by-step workflow.
- **Command wrapper** – [`pm-product-strategy/commands/value-proposition.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/pm-product-strategy/commands/value-proposition.md) exposes the skill via the slash command and formats the final output.
- **Plugin registration** – The Value-Proposition entry in the main [`README.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/README.md) declares the skill in the marketplace so AI assistants can load it automatically.

### Execution Flow

When a user invokes the command, the AI agent performs a fully declarative flow:

1. Pulls any supplied product context.
2. Runs the **value-proposition** skill defined in [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/SKILL.md).
3. Produces a structured markdown block that can be copied into product docs, marketing collateral, or pitch decks.

No code execution is required beyond the built-in AI tooling, making the workflow safe to run in any assistant environment.

## Summary

- The **6-part JTBD template** breaks value propositions into Who, Why, What Before, How, What After, and Alternatives.
- The **`pm-product-strategy` plugin** in `phuryn/pm-skills` encodes this template as a declarative skill at [`pm-product-strategy/skills/value-proposition/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/pm-product-strategy/skills/value-proposition/SKILL.md).
- You trigger generation interactively with **`/value-proposition`** or programmatically through the Claude CLI.
- The skill outputs **structured markdown** ready for product briefs, wikis, or pitch decks.
- A comparative note in the SKILL file (lines 78-85) helps teams choose between this template and the classic Value Proposition Canvas.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### What does JTBD stand for in this template?

JTBD stands for **Jobs-to-be-Done**. In the `phuryn/pm-skills` implementation, it means the template starts with the customer's job and motivation (Who and Why) before describing any product features.

### How is the 6-part JTBD template different from the Value Proposition Canvas?

The 6-part JTBD template explicitly includes an **Alternatives** section and follows a narrative arc (What Before → How → What After). According to lines 78-85 in [`pm-product-strategy/skills/value-proposition/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/pm-product-strategy/skills/value-proposition/SKILL.md), the classic Strategyzer Value Proposition Canvas often omits direct competitive mapping, whereas this template forces you to name workarounds and competitors up front.

### Can I use this skill outside of a chat interface?

Yes. The command is exposed as a declarative skill, so you can call it programmatically via the Claude CLI or any AI assistant that supports the `pm-product-strategy` plugin. The execution flow requires no additional code beyond the built-in AI tooling.

### Where is the value-proposition skill defined in the repository?

The core definition lives in [`pm-product-strategy/skills/value-proposition/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/pm-product-strategy/skills/value-proposition/SKILL.md). The slash-command wrapper is in [`pm-product-strategy/commands/value-proposition.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/pm-product-strategy/commands/value-proposition.md), and marketplace registration appears in the main [`README.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/README.md) under the "Value-Proposition" section.