fnd.r-segmenting-customers

Customer Segmenting

Generate strategic customer segment definitions for strategy/​canvas/​04.segments.md.

Prerequisites

Before proceeding, verify:

• strategy/​canvas/​03.opportunity.md exists (TAM/​SAM/​SOM data required)

If missing, inform user:

Canvas 03.opportunity.md required before defining segments.
Use fnd-researcher agent to establish market sizing first.

Optional context (read if exists):

• strategy/​canvas/​01.context.md — KBOS framework
• strategy/​canvas/​05.problem.md — Problem severity data

Core Principle

Segments must be observable and strategic:

Process

1. Load Context

Read available canvas files:

strategy/​canvas/​03.opportunity.md  # Required: TAM/​SAM/​SOM
strategy/​canvas/​01.context.md      # Optional: strategic context
strategy/​canvas/​05.problem.md      # Optional: pain data

Extract: market size, trends, existing customer hypotheses.

2. List Segment Hypotheses

From market research, identify 3-5 potential customer groups.

For each, capture:

• Who they are (role, company type)
• Why they might buy (problem fit)
• How big the group is (rough estimate)

3. Define Observable Filters

For each segment, identify 2-4 searchable criteria.

Valid filters (can query in databases):

• Company size: "50-200 employees"
• Industry: "E-commerce, NAICS 454110"
• Technology: "Uses Shopify Plus"
• Geography: "US-based, tier-1 cities"
• Behavior: "Monthly GMV >$100K"

Invalid filters (not searchable):

• "Innovative companies"
• "Growth-minded founders"
• "Customer-centric organizations"

See references/​filters.md for comprehensive examples.

4. Score Pain Intensity

Rate each segment's pain 1-5:

Require evidence for each score — job postings, market reports, interview quotes.

See references/​scoring.md for detailed rubric.

5. Estimate Segment Size

For each segment, calculate:

• Total matching filters (from industry data)
• Portion within SAM (addressable)
• Derivation source (cite report or calculation)

Use 03.opportunity.md TAM/​SAM as ceiling.

6. Prioritize Segments

Rank by: Pain Intensity × Willingness to Pay × Accessibility

Select:

• 1 Primary (P0) — Immediate focus, highest score
• 1-2 Secondary (P1) — Expansion path

Document rationale for prioritization.

7. Write Output

Format per references/​template.md.

Write to: strategy/​canvas/​04.segments.md

Quality Checklist

Before writing output, verify:

• Each segment has 2+ observable, searchable filters
• No psychographic traits in filters
• Segment sizes quantified with sources
• Pain scores have evidence justification
• 1-3 segments total (not 5+)
• Clear prioritization rationale
• Cross-references 05.problem.md if exists

Common Mistakes

Output Location

strategy/​canvas/​04.segments.md

Boundaries

• Does NOT validate segment existence (requires outreach)
• Does NOT guarantee segment accessibility
• Does NOT interview customers (provides framework)
• Segment sizes are estimates from available data
• Pain scores require evidence — flag when assumed
• Does NOT handle persona creation (behavior, not demographics)
• Observable filters must be searchable in databases
• Psychographic traits are NOT valid filters

Resources

• Output template: references/​template.md
• Filter examples: references/​filters.md
• Scoring rubric: references/​scoring.md