PM - Kotler's Five Levels of Product

Agent mode (--agent)

Supports --agent: runs autonomously in a subagent, drafts the artifact from existing inputs, and returns a short summary + coverage note.

• No flag → interactive (default); if inputs are heavy, offer agent mode.
• --agent → obey. First check inputs are complete. Anything missing: do NOT invent it - mark [ASSUMED - what/why] in the output and summary. Never hallucinate to fill a gap.

Standalone run

Runs with or without a Pureinn workspace - it needs no other skill's artifact, so it works as a single tool from an install that never ran /pureinn.

• No workspace: create just the folder this skill writes into, or write to a path the user names, and say where the file went. Do not scaffold a project, do not invent a state.json, and do not send the user to /pureinn first.
• Read pureinn-variables.md / state.json where a value is actually used, not at the top of the run. Missing value: continue and name the capability it costs.

What this skill does

Structures the product definition across five levels of value, from core benefit to future potential. Forces explicit separation of what the product IS from what it DOES and what it COULD become.

Output is used in two ways:

1. Product positioning - what we sell and why it matters (feeds PRD)
2. Feature planning preview - each level maps to a KANO category, giving early signal on what goes into MVP vs. post-MVP (feeds Phase 5)

No invented product facts. Claude structures the framework; user provides the product knowledge.

Dependencies

Recommended before running:

• pm-hypotheses (Results mode) - Go/No-Go verdict must be GO before running this skill
• design-thinking - UVP and core job-to-be-done are input to Level 1 and Level 3
• pm-personas - customer segments inform Level 3 (expected attributes per segment)
• pm-market-analysis - competitor benchmarks inform Level 3 (expected) and Level 4 (augmented)

Produces artifacts used by:

• pm-prd - Five Levels summary is a PRD section (product definition)
• pm-mvp-scope - Level 2 and 3 map to Must-be features, Level 4 maps to Performance/Delighter

Step 0: Current state check

Check for existing artifact:

• pureinn-workspace/[slug]/artifacts/phase-3-define/kotler-five-levels.md

Also check: did Go/No-Go verdict produce a GO? If the hypothesis register shows PIVOT or STOP, flag it before proceeding.

Check for Design Thinking synthesis and Personas - these are the primary inputs. If missing, output quality will be lower.

Re-run behavior (delta mode): If a Five Levels artifact already exists and inputs changed (new differentiators, revised positioning), do not rewrite from scratch. Read the current version first, update only what changed per level ([UPDATED - previous: X / new: Y]), and mark what is unaddressed [UNCHANGED]. Show the delta before finalizing.

Interaction: Group related questions (2-4 per round) and confirm before moving on. For any A/B/C/D choice, use the AskUserQuestion tool with one option marked (Recommended) - never print options as plain text. Keep open-ended questions free-text (don't fake options). If the user is unsure, propose 3-4 concrete options plus "Other". Surface an assumption the moment you make one; never fabricate to fill a gap. (Full standard: CLAUDE.md.)

Step 1: Gather inputs

Ask questions in 2 groups. After each group show a summary and wait for confirmation before continuing.

Group 1 of 2 - Core to expected (Levels 1-3)

Ask all as plain text:

What is the single most important outcome the customer gets from this product? Not the feature - the outcome. What changes in their work or life? (e.g., "save time," "avoid risk," "feel confident," "close more deals")

What is the bare minimum version of this product that could deliver that outcome? Which 2-3 features are absolutely non-negotiable for the product to work at all?

What would a customer be surprised NOT to find in this type of product? Think about what your segment considers "standard" based on what they use today. List 4-6 attributes they expect by default.

After answers, confirm: "Do Levels 1-3 accurately reflect the core product and its category expectations?"

Group 2 of 2 - Differentiation and future (Levels 4-5)

Use AskUserQuestion tool for these two questions:

How confident are you in your stated differentiators?

A) Real and validated - confirmed by customer feedback or competitive testing B) Directionally right - based on market knowledge, not yet formally tested C) Aspirational - where we want to be, not yet delivered D) Mixed - some real, some aspirational

How far out is your product vision for Level 5 (potential product)?

A) 1 year - near-term roadmap extensions B) 2-3 years - medium-term platform evolution C) 3-5 years - long-term vision, category expansion D) Not yet defined

Then ask as plain text:

What does your product offer that competitors do not, or do worse? List 2-4 differentiators and be honest about whether each is real or aspirational.

Where could this product go in 2-3 years? What new capabilities, integrations, or use cases could it unlock? These are not commitments - signals for long-term vision.

After answers, show complete Five Levels summary. Ask for final confirmation before generating the artifact.

Step 2: Build the Five Levels artifact

Generate the structured output. For each level, include:

• Definition (what this level means)
• Product content (what specifically applies to this product)
• KANO mapping (the typical KANO category for features at this level)
• Notes (gaps, risks, open questions)

# Kotler's Five Levels of Product

**Product:** [product name]
**Date:** [date]
**Status:** Phase 3b - Commercial Definition

---

## Level 1: Core Benefit

> The fundamental job the customer hires this product to do.

**For [product name]:**
[1-2 sentences describing the core outcome]

**KANO signal:** Core benefit is not a feature - it is the reason all Must-be features exist.

---

## Level 2: Basic Product

> The minimum that physically or digitally delivers the core benefit. Without these, the product does not work.

| Component | Description | KANO |
|---|---|---|
| [feature/component] | [what it does] | Must-be |
| [feature/component] | [what it does] | Must-be |

**Gap check:** [are there known gaps between what we can build now and what Level 2 requires?]

---

## Level 3: Expected Product

> Attributes customers assume are included. Absence creates dissatisfaction even if not explicitly requested.

| Attribute | Why expected | Customer segment | KANO |
|---|---|---|---|
| [attribute] | [because competitors have it / industry standard / etc.] | [all / power users / etc.] | Must-be |
| [attribute] | [reason] | [segment] | Must-be |

**Competitive benchmark:** [where does the market set the expected bar for this category?]

---

## Level 4: Augmented Product

> What differentiates the product from alternatives. Creates satisfaction when present but not dissatisfaction when absent.

| Differentiator | Description | How it differs from competitors | KANO |
|---|---|---|---|
| [differentiator] | [description] | [comparison] | Performance / Delighter |

**Honest assessment:** [are these differentiators real and defensible today, or aspirational?]

---

## Level 5: Potential Product

> All future augmentations and transformations the product might undergo. Not commitments - vision signals.

| Future capability | Rationale | Timeline signal |
|---|---|---|
| [capability] | [why this direction makes sense] | Year 1 / Year 2+ / Exploratory |

---

## Summary: KANO Preview

| KANO Category | Levels | Implication for Phase 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Must-be | Level 2 + Level 3 | Goes into MVP |
| Performance | Level 4 (some) | Goes into MVP or first post-MVP |
| Delighter | Level 4 (some) | Post-MVP, validate before building |
| Potential | Level 5 | Roadmap vision, not near-term scope |

---

## Open items

| Item | Type | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| [gap or question] | [gap / assumption / risk] | [high / medium / low] |

Step 3: Validate and close

After generating the artifact, surface:

1. Internal consistency check: Does Level 4 (differentiators) actually differentiate, or does it overlap with Level 3 (expected)? If expected by the market, it is not a differentiator.
2. Scope signal: How many features are implied across Levels 2+3? If the list is long, flag it - Phase 5 will need to be strict about what actually goes into MVP. Apply the early-adopter test to every Level 3 attribute: it is Expected only if its absence would make the early adopter (not the average mainstream user) reject the product. Early adopters tolerate far more roughness - test Level 3 against the Early Adopter Profile, not the mainstream persona. Level 3 inflation is the single most common cause of oversized MVPs; every attribute that fails the early-adopter test moves to Level 4 or post-MVP.
3. Vision coherence: Is Level 5 a natural extension of Level 4, or a pivot? A pivot at Level 5 suggests unclear product identity.

Notion

Read pureinn-variables.md key "Kotler Five Levels" → if URL present, remind user after saving: Kotler Five Levels saved locally. Update Notion: [Kotler Five Levels URL]

Save to

pureinn-workspace/[project-slug]/artifacts/phase-3-define/kotler-five-levels.md

Handoff

Čo si teraz má: Product Definition cez Kotlerových 5 úrovní - jasné čo je jadro hodnoty a kam siaha rozšírená ponuka.

Ďalší krok: /pm-lean-canvas — pretav definíciu do one-page biznis modelu.

Môžeš preskočiť ak: Produktovú definíciu už máš z inej strategickej práce - choď rovno na /pm-lean-canvas.