Motivations Matrix Canvas

#The problem this canvas solves

Platforms fail when they don't understand why entities would participate. Each entity type has different motivations - producers want reach and revenue, consumers want convenience and quality, partners want scale and capabilities. Misaligned incentives lead to churn or gaming. The Motivations Matrix systematically analyzes what motivates each entity type, revealing how to design incentives and governance that attract and retain participants.

#When to use it

Use the Motivations Matrix to systematically analyze what motivates each entity type in your ecosystem to participate. Understanding motivations is essential for designing incentives, governance, and value sharing mechanisms that attract and retain participants.

#The canvas

The canvas in the updated Boundaryless brand (full resolution — click to zoom). A print-ready PDF and editable SVG are also available on request.

#Connections with other canvases

#Feeds into

• Platform Design Canvas — Motivations inform platform value proposition
• Platform Experience Canvas — Motivations guide experience design

#Informed by

• Entity Portrait Canvas — Portraits provide entity insights
• Ecosystem Canvas — Ecosystem design identifies entities to analyze

#Used in techniques

• Articulating the Platform Value Proposition
• Mapping Key Relationships and Value Exchanges

#Used in pipelines

• Understanding the Ecosystem
• Designing the Platform Experience

#Related reading

• Defining the Platform Experience, and Flywheels for Defensibility — Shows how to use Motivations Matrix with Entity Portraits for experience design

#Resources

• Guide reference: PDT Strategy Design Guide - Motivations Matrix chapter
• License: Creative Commons Attribution - Share Alike 4.0 International
• Version: 2.2

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Part of Platform Design Toolkit · v2.2