The Business Model Environment Tool

Description
Putting a solid system in place to scan your business model environment for threats and opportunities can be difficult. However doing it is important as they may flag up ways in which your model could be improved or reinvented. This tool has been built so that you can force yourself to ask more specific questions in a systematic way, which could result in new ideas for the business model.

Business models are built within an environment and are influenced by outside forces, and so should be evaluated with this in mind. It is essential to observe the ever-changing business environment to be successful.

New opportunities are often identified randomly and in a disorganized way. Usually, an insightful individual will point out an untapped opportunity and the model will grow from this. This method cannot be relied on for growth in the long-term. A tool should be used to illustrate a clear image of the environment so that opportunities and threats can be identified in a more predictable and structured way.

Usually this tool is used during strategy meetings to make the team aware of what's going on in the current business environment, the effects, and to make sure there's a mutual understanding across teams. Use this tool to discover insights, links, and potential patters that will eventually lead to more business model ideas.

[Credit also due to Nabila Amarsy for adjoining article.]