Value Proposition and Core Use Cases

What “Value Proposition” Means in App Planning

Your value proposition is a clear statement of why your app should exist for a specific group of people. It describes the meaningful benefit users get, in a way that is distinct from alternatives (other apps, manual workarounds, spreadsheets, messaging threads, paper notes, or “doing nothing”). In planning, the value proposition is not marketing copy first; it is a decision tool. It helps you decide what to build, what to postpone, and what to avoid entirely.

A strong value proposition has three parts:

• Outcome: the result users achieve (save time, reduce mistakes, stay consistent, coordinate, learn, track, get reminders, get approvals).
• Mechanism: how your app delivers that outcome (automation, templates, guided steps, integrations, real-time collaboration, smart defaults).
• Differentiator: why your approach is better for the user than existing options (fewer steps, less cognitive load, more trustworthy data, faster setup, better fit for a niche workflow).

Example (not as a slogan, but as a planning statement): “For small clinic receptionists who juggle calls and walk-ins, the app reduces appointment booking errors by providing a single, fast scheduling view with conflict checks and pre-filled patient details.” This tells you what screens and features matter: scheduling view, conflict checks, patient lookup, fast entry.

Value Proposition vs. Features

Features are what you build. The value proposition is why those features matter. Two apps can share the same feature (e.g., “calendar”), but deliver different value propositions depending on how that calendar is designed and what job it helps users complete.

• Feature: “Push notifications.”
• Value proposition: “Helps shift workers never miss a schedule change by sending immediate alerts with one-tap acknowledgment.”

When you plan screens, you should be able to point from each screen to a piece of the value proposition. If you cannot, the screen is likely “nice to have” or belongs in a later phase.

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What “Core Use Cases” Mean (and Why They Matter)

Core use cases are the most important user activities your app must support to deliver the value proposition. They are not a full list of everything the app could do; they are the minimum set of user journeys that prove the app’s value.

A use case is typically expressed as: “A user wants to accomplish X, so they do Y in the app, and the app responds with Z.” In planning, use cases become the backbone for:

• Screen list: which screens you need and what each screen is for.
• Feature list: what functionality must exist on each screen.
• Data needs: what information must be stored or fetched.
• Edge cases: what can go wrong and how the app should behave.
• MVP scope: what you build first to validate value.

Core use cases should be small in number. For a beginner project, aim for 3–7 core use cases. If you have 20 “core” use cases, you likely have not prioritized.

Use Cases vs. User Stories

You might see formats like “As a user, I want to…, so that…”. Those are user stories. Use cases are slightly more structured and often include steps and system responses. Both are useful, but for planning screens and flows, use cases help you be more concrete.

Step-by-Step: Craft a Value Proposition You Can Build From

Step 1: Choose One Primary Outcome

Pick the single most important outcome your app delivers. Many apps try to promise multiple outcomes (“save time, save money, improve health, build community”). That makes planning messy because every feature can be justified. Choose one primary outcome, and treat other benefits as secondary.

Examples of primary outcomes:

• “Complete a recurring task consistently.”
• “Coordinate a group decision quickly.”
• “Reduce errors in a repetitive workflow.”
• “Find the right information fast.”

Step 2: Name the Moment of Value

The “moment of value” is the point where a user first experiences the benefit. It is often earlier than you think. Planning around this moment helps you design onboarding and the first session.

• Meal planner app: moment of value might be “I have a grocery list generated in 30 seconds.”
• Study timer app: moment of value might be “I completed a focused 25-minute session and it was recorded.”
• Expense tracker: moment of value might be “I logged an expense in under 10 seconds and it categorized correctly.”

Write it as a sentence: “A user feels the app is worth keeping when they can ______.” This sentence will guide which actions must be frictionless.

Step 3: Identify the Main Alternative (Competitor or Workaround)

Alternatives are not only other apps. They include habits and tools users already use. Your value proposition must beat the alternative on something that matters.

• Notes app, spreadsheets, group chat, email threads
• Paper checklists, whiteboards
• Doing it mentally, relying on memory

Planning question: “Why would someone switch from the alternative to your app?” If the answer is “because it has more features,” you likely need a sharper differentiator.

Step 4: Define Your Differentiator as a Constraint

A differentiator should constrain design choices. For example:

• “Fastest possible capture” means you avoid multi-step forms, require minimal typing, and use defaults.
• “Trustworthy shared status” means you prioritize permissions, audit trails, and clear timestamps.
• “Guided for beginners” means you prioritize templates, explanations, and safe guardrails over advanced customization.

Turn the differentiator into a rule you can apply: “If a feature adds steps to capture, it must be optional or postponed.”

Step 5: Write a Working Value Proposition Statement

Use a simple template you can revise later:

For [group], the app helps them [primary outcome] by [mechanism], unlike [alternative] because [differentiator].

Example: “For home bakers who sell weekly, the app helps them avoid missing orders by collecting requests through a simple form and generating a production checklist, unlike DMs and notes because it consolidates everything into one confirmed list with cutoffs.”

This is not a tagline; it is a planning anchor. You will use it to judge use cases and screens.

Step-by-Step: Derive Core Use Cases from the Value Proposition

Step 1: List the “Jobs” Users Must Do to Reach the Outcome

Start from the outcome and work backward. Ask: “What must the user do, repeatedly, for the outcome to happen?” Keep it action-focused.

Using the home baker example, jobs might be:

• Collect orders
• Confirm what’s included and quantities
• Know what to bake and when
• Mark orders as completed/picked up

These jobs become candidate use cases.

Step 2: Convert Jobs into Use Case Titles

Write use case titles as verbs + object. Avoid vague titles like “Manage orders.” Prefer “Create an order,” “Confirm an order,” “Generate a baking checklist.”

Candidate core use cases:

• Create an order (from customer request)
• Set order cutoff and pickup time
• Generate production checklist for a date
• Mark order as fulfilled

Step 3: Choose 3–7 Core Use Cases by Testing Against the Value Proposition

For each candidate use case, ask:

• Does this directly enable the primary outcome?
• Is this required to reach the moment of value?
• Does this reinforce the differentiator?
• Can the app still deliver value without it (for now)?

Anything that fails these tests is not “core” for the first version. It may still be valuable later (e.g., analytics, discounts, customer profiles, fancy customization).

Step 4: Write Each Core Use Case with a Simple Flow

Use a consistent structure so you can later map it to screens and features:

• Trigger: what starts the use case
• Preconditions: what must be true before it can happen
• Main steps: user actions and app responses
• Result: what success looks like
• Exceptions: common problems and how the app handles them

Example use case: “Generate production checklist for a date”

• Trigger: Baker wants to prepare for tomorrow’s pickup
• Preconditions: Orders exist with pickup date = tomorrow
• Main steps: User selects date → app aggregates items and quantities → app shows checklist grouped by product → user can mark items as prepared
• Result: Baker has a single consolidated list for production
• Exceptions: No orders for that date → app shows empty state with suggestion to check other dates

Practical Examples: Value Proposition → Core Use Cases → Screens

Example 1: Habit Consistency App (Minimalist)

Working value proposition: “For people who struggle to stay consistent, the app helps them build daily habits by making check-ins effortless and showing streak progress, unlike complex trackers because it focuses on one-tap logging and clear feedback.”

Core use cases:

• Create a habit (name, schedule)
• Log today’s completion in one tap
• See streak and recent history
• Get a reminder at the right time

Likely screens derived from use cases:

• Habit list (today view with one-tap check)
• Add/edit habit
• Habit detail (streak, history)
• Reminder settings

Planning insight: If the differentiator is “one-tap logging,” avoid requiring notes, tags, or mood selection during logging. Those can be optional later.

Example 2: Local Sports Team Coordination

Working value proposition: “For amateur team captains, the app helps them confirm attendance quickly by collecting RSVPs and showing a reliable roster, unlike group chats because it centralizes responses and highlights who hasn’t replied.”

Core use cases:

• Create an event (time, location)
• Invite players (link or list)
• Player RSVPs yes/no/maybe
• Captain views attendance summary and non-responders

Likely screens:

• Events list
• Create event
• Event detail (RSVP buttons, roster)
• Invite/share screen

Edge-case planning: If someone changes RSVP, the event detail must update immediately and show “updated at” timestamps to maintain trust.

Example 3: Simple Inventory for a Small Studio

Working value proposition: “For small studios tracking supplies, the app helps them avoid running out by logging usage and alerting when stock is low, unlike spreadsheets because it makes updates fast on mobile and triggers low-stock reminders automatically.”

Core use cases:

• Add an item with current quantity and low-stock threshold
• Adjust quantity quickly (use, restock)
• See low-stock list
• Receive low-stock alert

Likely screens:

• Items list (search, quick adjust)
• Add/edit item
• Item detail (history optional)
• Low-stock dashboard

Planning insight: The differentiator is “fast updates on mobile.” That suggests a prominent “-1 / +1” control or quick adjust modal rather than forcing users into a full edit form.

How to Keep Use Cases “Core” (Avoiding Scope Creep)

Use the “Frequency × Importance” Filter

Core use cases are usually frequent and important. Create a quick table (even in a notebook) and rate each candidate use case from 1–5 on frequency and importance. Multiply them. Focus on the highest scores.

Example candidates for the team coordination app:

• Create event (frequency 3, importance 5 → 15)
• RSVP (frequency 4, importance 5 → 20)
• Chat inside the app (frequency 4, importance 2 → 8)
• Photo sharing (frequency 2, importance 1 → 2)

This makes it easier to say “not now” to chat and photos, even if they sound attractive.

Define “Must Work” Paths for Each Core Use Case

For each core use case, identify the shortest path that must work reliably. This is especially helpful for beginners because it reduces complexity.

Example: “Player RSVPs” must work even if:

• The player is not logged in yet (maybe they can RSVP via a link)
• The network is slow (show pending state and retry)
• The player changes their mind (update RSVP)

You do not need to solve every edge case in the first version, but you should identify the ones that would break the value proposition if ignored.

Separate “Admin” Use Cases from “User” Use Cases

Many apps have behind-the-scenes needs (moderation, exports, configuration). These can quietly expand scope. Label them explicitly.

• User use case: “Log a habit completion.”
• Admin use case: “Export all habit data to CSV.”

Admin use cases are often not core for early validation unless your value proposition depends on them (e.g., compliance reporting).

Turn Core Use Cases into Feature Requirements (Without Overdesigning)

Map Use Case Steps to UI Elements

Once you have a written flow, translate each step into what the user sees and does. This is where you start forming screens and components.

Example use case: “Adjust quantity quickly”

• User finds an item → needs search or a scannable list
• User taps “Use” → needs a clear action button
• User enters amount (or taps -1) → needs a numeric input or quick stepper
• App updates quantity and confirms → needs immediate feedback and updated list

This prevents you from building generic screens like “Inventory management” and instead builds exactly what the use case requires.

Define Data Inputs and Outputs per Use Case

For each core use case, list what data is required (inputs) and what the app produces (outputs). This helps you later when you design your data model and API, but you can keep it simple at this stage.

Example: “Create an event”

• Inputs: date/time, location, opponent (optional), notes (optional)
• Outputs: event record, shareable invite link, RSVP slots

Mark optional fields clearly. Optional fields are a common way to keep the core flow fast while still allowing flexibility.

Decide What You Will Not Support Yet (Explicitly)

Beginners often leave “not supported” undefined, which causes rework. For each core use case, write 2–4 exclusions that you will not handle in the first version.

Example: “Generate production checklist” exclusions:

• No multi-location production planning
• No ingredient-level breakdown
• No automatic shopping list from recipes
• No printing integration (export later)

These exclusions are not permanent; they protect your first build from expanding beyond the value proposition.

Quality Checks: Is Your Value Proposition and Use Case Set Good?

Check 1: Can You Explain the App in One Breath?

If you cannot explain the outcome and differentiator simply, your value proposition is likely too broad. A planning-friendly explanation should be understandable without listing features.

Check 2: Do Core Use Cases Lead to a Small, Coherent Set of Screens?

If your 5 core use cases require 20 screens, you may be designing too much detail or including non-core flows. Core use cases should share screens and reuse components.

Check 3: Does Each Core Use Case Reinforce the Differentiator?

If your differentiator is “fast,” but your core use cases require long forms, accounts before value, or complex navigation, the plan is inconsistent. Adjust either the differentiator or the use cases.

Check 4: Can You Identify the First Session Flow?

Even without discussing personas, you should be able to outline what a new user does in their first session to reach the moment of value. If the first session requires too many steps, consider simplifying a core use case or adding a template/default.

Example first session for the habit app:

• Create one habit (or pick from templates)
• Return to today view
• Log completion once
• See streak start (1 day)

This directly connects value proposition to an achievable first experience.