--- title: 3. Gathering process & product data description: You predict customer value differently for their process benefits than their product benefits. --- [Skip to content](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/3.-gathering-process-product-data#main-content) English Show submenu for translations ![AIM-logo-white.png\]](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/hs-fs/hubfs/AIM-logo-white.png?height=40&name=AIM-logo-white.png) Open main navigation Close main navigation - English Show submenu for translations - Contact us Contact us BlueHelp® Knowledge Center - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. 1. [BLUE HELP](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en?hsLang=en) 2. [Rest of Blueprinting (Steps 4-7)](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/rest-of-blueprinting-steps-4-7?hsLang=en) 3. [How to build & use a value calculator](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/rest-of-blueprinting-steps-4-7?hsLang=en#how-to-build-use-a-value-calculator) # 3. Gathering process & product data ## You predict customer value differently for their process benefits than their product benefits. When thinking about a value calculator, it helps to consider your possible customer value creation in two categories… process benefits and product benefits. - ***Process benefits***: Here you help customers *save* money… by taking out unnecessary costs, streamlining, saving energy, reducing material requirements, etc. If your team designs *equipment* or a *service*, these process benefits will likely be a large part of your value proposition. - ***Product benefits***: In this case you help customers make money… by improving their product to the point where they can increase its price and/or sales volume. If you team is designs *materials* or *components* that become *part* of your customers’ products, this will be an important part of your value proposition. ![](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-281.png?width=528&name=image-281.png) You can learn about customers’ process and product needs in your interviews… and mostly about their process needs during customer tours. New Product Blueprinting includes powerful skills that you and your team can learn to gather a *lot* of valuable process and product data. The more frequently and proficiently you apply these, the more useful your value calculator will be later. These skills are covered in detail in the following places: ***Process benefits***: New Product Blueprinting includes our AMUSE customer tour methodology. When you take a customer tour, it helps to break their process down into a series of discrete activities. Then for each activity, ask yourself: Could we **A**ccelerate this, **M**inimize its input (capital, energy, labor), **U**pgrade its output, **S**implify the transition to the next activity, or **E**liminate the activity altogether? For more, see the BlueHelp article, How to conduct a Discovery interview and view e-Learning Module 8: Creating & Capturing Value at [www.blueprintingcenter.com](http://www.blueprintingcenter.com). You can also download the AMUSE Customer Tour Checklist at [www.blueprintingcenter.com](http://www.blueprintingcenter.com) \> BlueTools \> Conduct Discovery Interviews/Tours. ***Product benefits***: Your best way to gather financial data about customers’ product needs is with great interview probing. During your interviews, use our “What and Why” probing methods covered at the bottom of page 2 of your *Discovery Interview Quick-Start Card*, downloadable at [www.blueprintingcenter.com](http://www.blueprintingcenter.com) \> BlueTools \> Conduct Discovery Interviews/Tours. This is also described in the BlueHelp article, How to probe during customer interviews. Be sure to check out the BlueHelp article, How to gather economic data during interviews, where you’ll find some detailed guidance specifically for collecting value calculator data. Both product benefits and process benefits have their “attractions.” In the case of process benefits, you can usually make accurate predictions of the value you are creating… especially if you probe well and keep your eyes wide open on customer tours. It’s much harder to predict product benefits. After all, how can you predict how much they might increase the price of their product… or how much their sales volume will increase? Here’s one way: Interview some paid industry experts (from GLG, AlphaSights, or other networks) that have recently retired from companies’ like your customers… and ask them. What’s the “attraction” for product benefits over process benefits? The value you create may be *very* high compared to the cost of your product. So be careful you don’t leave a pile of money on the table. You can download an Excel-based *Value Calculator Example* at [www.blueprintingcenter.com](http://www.blueprintingcenter.com) \> BlueTools \> Skill-Building & Other Tools. For more on gathering economic data during customer interviews, see the BlueHelp article, [*Economic probing questions*](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/2.-economic-probing-questions?hsLang=en). Also check out the 2-minute video, *[Build your interviewing skills](http://www.b2bgrowth.video/26)*, part of the B2B Organic Growth [video series](http://www.b2bgrowth.video) by Dan Adams.   Keywords: value calculator, customer value, value calculator example, new product pricing, understand customer value, communicate customer value, price decision-making, price decisions, customer perceived value, process benefits, product benefits, AMUSE - [Blueprinting Center & Methodology](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/blueprinting-center-methodology?hsLang=en#main-content) - [What is New Product Blueprinting?](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/blueprinting-center-methodology?hsLang=en#what-is-new-product-blueprinting) - [How is Blueprinting learned and applied?](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/blueprinting-center-methodology?hsLang=en#how-is-blueprinting-learned-and-applied) - [Blueprinting Center](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/blueprinting-center-methodology?hsLang=en#blueprinting-center) - 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[How does Blueprinting fit with Minesweeper de-risking?](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/blueprinting-center-methodology?hsLang=en#how-does-blueprinting-fit-with-minesweeper-de-risking) - [How does Blueprinting fit with LaunchStar product launch?](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/blueprinting-center-methodology?hsLang=en#how-does-blueprinting-fit-with-launchstar-product-launch) - [What innovation metrics should we use?](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/blueprinting-center-methodology?hsLang=en#what-innovation-metrics-should-we-use) - [What is "Jobs-to-be-Done?"](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/blueprinting-center-methodology?hsLang=en#what-is-jobs-to-be-done) - [Project Teams](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/blueprinting-center-methodology?hsLang=en#project-teams) - [Blueprinter® Software](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/blueprinter-software?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Getting Started](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/blueprinter-software?hsLang=en#getting-started) - [FAQs / General Questions](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/blueprinter-software?hsLang=en#faqs-general-questions) - [Step 1](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/blueprinter-software?hsLang=en#step-1) - [Step 2](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/blueprinter-software?hsLang=en#step-2) - [Step 3](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/blueprinter-software?hsLang=en#step-3) - [Step 4](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/blueprinter-software?hsLang=en#step-4) - [Step 5](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/blueprinter-software?hsLang=en#step-5) - [Software Security and Setup](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/blueprinter-software?hsLang=en#software-security-and-setup) - [Blueprinting Executive Dashboard](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/blueprinter-software?hsLang=en#blueprinting-executive-dashboard) - [Technical Issues](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/blueprinter-software?hsLang=en#technical-issues) - [Blueprinter Updates](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/blueprinter-software?hsLang=en#blueprinter-updates) - 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[How to plan Discovery interviews](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/discovery-interviews-step-2?hsLang=en#how-to-plan-discovery-interviews) - [Preparing your interview team](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/discovery-interviews-step-2?hsLang=en#preparing-your-interview-team) - [Convincing customers to be interviewed](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/discovery-interviews-step-2?hsLang=en#convincing-customers-to-be-interviewed) - [How to handle confidential info in an interview](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/discovery-interviews-step-2?hsLang=en#how-to-handle-confidential-info-in-an-interview) - [How to conduct a Discovery interview](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/discovery-interviews-step-2?hsLang=en#how-to-conduct-a-discovery-interview) - [Finding & using a digital projector for interviews](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/discovery-interviews-step-2?hsLang=en#finding-using-a-digital-projector-for-interviews) - [How to conduct a customer tour](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/discovery-interviews-step-2?hsLang=en#how-to-conduct-a-customer-tour) - [How to debrief & follow-up a Discovery interview](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/discovery-interviews-step-2?hsLang=en#how-to-debrief-follow-up-a-discovery-interview) - [Engaging your sales colleagues in interviews](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/discovery-interviews-step-2?hsLang=en#engaging-your-sales-colleagues-in-interviews) - [Engaging distributors in interviews](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/discovery-interviews-step-2?hsLang=en#engaging-distributors-in-interviews) - [Interviewing customers down the value chain](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/discovery-interviews-step-2?hsLang=en#interviewing-customers-down-the-value-chain) - [How to interview remotely with web-conferences](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/discovery-interviews-step-2?hsLang=en#how-to-interview-remotely-with-web-conferences) - [How to interview at trade shows & other venues](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/discovery-interviews-step-2?hsLang=en#how-to-interview-at-trade-shows-other-venues) - 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[How to select Top Picks (TP)](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/discovery-interviews-step-2?hsLang=en#how-to-select-top-picks-tp) - [How to use Trigger Maps](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/discovery-interviews-step-2?hsLang=en#how-to-use-trigger-maps) - [How to form Outcome Statements](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/discovery-interviews-step-2?hsLang=en#how-to-form-outcome-statements) - [Preference Interviews (Step 3)](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/preference-interviews-step-3?hsLang=en#main-content) - [How to prepare for Preference interviews](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/preference-interviews-step-3?hsLang=en#how-to-prepare-for-preference-interviews) - [How to schedule Preference interviews](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/preference-interviews-step-3?hsLang=en#how-to-schedule-preference-interviews) - [How to conduct a Preference interview](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/preference-interviews-step-3?hsLang=en#how-to-conduct-a-preference-interview) - [How to analyze your Preference data](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/preference-interviews-step-3?hsLang=en#how-to-analyze-your-preference-data) - [How to build your Market Case](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/preference-interviews-step-3?hsLang=en#how-to-build-your-market-case) - [Rest of Blueprinting (Steps 4-7)](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/rest-of-blueprinting-steps-4-7?hsLang=en#main-content) - [How to build & use a value calculator](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/rest-of-blueprinting-steps-4-7?hsLang=en#how-to-build-use-a-value-calculator) - [Blueprinting Step 4: Side-by-side testing](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/rest-of-blueprinting-steps-4-7?hsLang=en#blueprinting-step-4-side-by-side-testing) - [Blueprinting Step 5: Product Objectives](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/rest-of-blueprinting-steps-4-7?hsLang=en#blueprinting-step-5-product-objectives) - [Blueprinting Step 6: Technical Brainstorming](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/rest-of-blueprinting-steps-4-7?hsLang=en#blueprinting-step-6-technical-brainstorming) - [Blueprinting Step 7: Business Case](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/rest-of-blueprinting-steps-4-7?hsLang=en#blueprinting-step-7-business-case) - [Everyday VOC](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/everyday-voc?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Overview of Everyday VOC](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/everyday-voc?hsLang=en#overview-of-everyday-voc) - [Everyday VOC probing skills](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/everyday-voc?hsLang=en#everyday-voc-probing-skills) - [When to employ Everyday VOC](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/everyday-voc?hsLang=en#when-to-employ-everyday-voc) - [After your Everyday VOC call](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/everyday-voc?hsLang=en#after-your-everyday-voc-call) - [Minesweeper® De-risking](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/minesweeper-de-risking?hsLang=en#main-content) - [What is Minesweeper Project De-risking?](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/minesweeper-de-risking?hsLang=en#what-is-minesweeper-project-de-risking) - [Step 1. Brainstorm Assumptions](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/minesweeper-de-risking?hsLang=en#step-1-brainstorm-assumptions) - [Step 2. Consumption Chain](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/minesweeper-de-risking?hsLang=en#step-2-consumption-chain) - [Step 3. Individual Ratings](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/minesweeper-de-risking?hsLang=en#step-3-individual-ratings) - [Step 4. Team Ratings](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/minesweeper-de-risking?hsLang=en#step-4-team-ratings) - [Step 5. Review Certainty Matrix](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/minesweeper-de-risking?hsLang=en#step-5-review-certainty-matrix) - [Step 6. CheckPoint Plan](https://support.theaiminstitute.com/en/minesweeper-de-risking?hsLang=en#step-6-checkpoint-plan) - [Step 7. 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