Program Validation

Canvas
Ways To Balance Desirability, Feasibility, and Viability in Education
We tend to see a class (be it online course or even courses in higher
education) as a mere product instead of end to end business process.
Thus making some class lack of sense of thoughtfulness from each
division in terms of planning and execution, which eventually lead to class
cancellation due to lack of learners.

It’s not enough to create a class that learners love. If it costs us too much
to find mentors or partners of the program, it will not work accordingly. If
it’s difficult to acquire learners, the class will be cancelled. Or if our pricing
doesn’t meet learner’s buying power, the class will also be cancelled.

In other words, all divisions of the educational team should vibin’

together.
There are three major areas of risk
that contribute in class
cancellation:

01 02 03

Desirability Feasibility Viability

Do learners really Are we capable to Is the pricing right and
want our class? execute it? make us sustain?
Text

In business process, these risk can

be reduced by developing a
balanced business model canvas.

Since a course is actually end to

end business process, why don’t
we implement a program model
canvas?
lingkaran © 2018
Program
Validation Canvas
Similar to Business Model Canvas invented by Alexander Osterwalder, this
Program Ideation Canvas has been refined to fit the process in
educational ideation. This canvas must be developed by various divisions
of educational team in order to ignite sense of collaboration in planning
and executing a program.

By developing a balanced canvas, class cancellation risk can be reduced

while the team can still be free to experimenting in many types of
programs.
 Program
Activities
Learners
Partners Program Segmentation
Marketing
Value Channels
Proposition

Mentor/Speaker
/Coach

Cost Pricing

Program Validation Canvas

How to fill it?
 Program Value
Proposition
Questions to ask before
developing this section:
This section aims to see if the program we are creating meets
What is the problem that
the need of our learners.
this program is solving?

People/division who responsible in developing this section Why would someone want to
includes but not limited to: have this program executed?

● Program designer/Curriculum Developer What is the underlying

motivation for this program?
 Learners
Segmentation
Questions to ask before
developing this section:
This section aims to identify the learners we are trying to inspire
Who are we designing this
through this program. program for?

People/division who responsible in developing this section Who are the people who will
value this program?
includes but not limited to:
● Educational Researcher What are their
● Program Designer/Curriculum Developer characteristic/persona?

Which city are going to

execute this program?
 Marketing Channels

Questions to ask before

This section aims to identify the way to reach our target learners developing this section:
to deliver our program. Try to refer back to our followers
segmentation first before prioritizing our instagram account as Where are our target
learners?
a main marketing channel.
What community they might
People/division who responsible in developing this section involved in?
includes but not limited to:
Which offline channels that
● Marketing Team we can utilize?
● Partnership & Relation Team
 Program Activity
Questions to ask before
developing this section:
This section aims to identify the important actions this What activity does this
program must perform to deliver the value to learners. program value require?

Who is our learner?

People/division who responsible in developing this section
includes but not limited to: What action that can be
● Experience Designer done if we refer to the cost
and pricing?
● Program Designer/Curriculum Developer
What channels do we utilize
for this program?
 Mentor/Speaker/
Coach
This section aims to identify the important skill, traits, or Questions to ask before
characteristic of the mentor/speaker/coach that will convey developing this section:
program value to learners.
What capabilities the
mentor should have to
People/division who is responsible in developing this convey the value?
section includes but not limited to:
Who are our learners?
● Program Designer/Curriculum Developer
● Partnership & Relation Team Do you have anyone in
mind?
 Partners

Questions to ask before

developing this section:
This section aims to identify the important skill, traits, or
characteristic of the mentor/speaker/coach that will convey Which program activity does
program value to learners. this partner support?

What can motivate this

People/division who is responsible in developing this partnership?
section includes but not limited to:
● Partnership & Relation Team What resource do we get
from partners?
 Cost & Pricing

This section aims to identify the cost of the program and Questions to ask before
create strategic pricing. developing this section:

What is our program

People/division who is responsible in developing this activity?
section includes but not limited to:
Who are our learners?
● Finance
● Experience Designer What value are our learners
really willing to pay?
How to know if
it’s balanced?
Step back and look at the canvas from afar. Look at the section you are
responsible to develop then empathize on the other sections.

Does each point in your section accommodate the needs of the other
section? If there is a point that does not accommodate anything, take it
off. Don’t force something to exist if it does not give any gain.

It’s okay to put your section blank if you are unsure if there is anything to
accommodate other sections.

But…
This program is This program is This program is
not desirable if not feasible if we not viable if we
we are unable to are unable to fill.. are unable to fill..
fill..
01
01 01

Program Value Program Activity Cost

Proposition
02
02 02

Learners Mentor/Coach/ Pricing

Segmentation Speaker

03 03

Marketing Partners
Channel
 Program
Activities

Partners Program
Desirability Learners
Marketing Segmentation
Feasibility Value
Proposition
Channels

Mentor/Speaker
/Coach

Cost
Viability Pricing

Program Ideation Canvas

If we succeed to develop each section accordingly, then congrats! This
program is eligible to be put on the market.

But what if this program is undesirable/unfeasible/unviable?

That means there is something that needs to be validated in order to fill

the undeveloped section. One of the things that can help to validate this
program is by creating a class experiment and gain insight from it.
Hopefully by planning
any educational program
thoughtfully as early as in
the ideation phase, we
are able to reduce the risk
of class cancellation
 Program Validation Canvas
Kinan Kawuryan, 2019
Originally developed for lingkaran.co

kinankawuryan@gmail.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kinankawuryan/