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Adjacency map

Plots possible moves by how far each sits from the core, in each of the ways a move can be distant. Distance compounds, which is why two-step adjacencies fail so reliably.

The printable canvas and the handoff into Claude Code are part of a paid plan. See what a plan includes. It needs the Claude desktop app on this machine, and your team and the prompt library already installed in that project — we cannot see your disk, so open it there.

Stage
02 Explore
Works at
Corporate, Business
Maturity
Scaling → Large organisation
Time
Half a day

What it is

A structured assessment of how far a candidate move sits from the existing core, measured separately on each dimension along which a business can move. Based on Chris Zook's work on adjacency, its central finding is that distance compounds rather than adds.

The core
The business you are moving out from, defined by its customers, products and economics. Everything is measured from here, so it must be stated precisely.
Dimensions of distance
Customer, product, channel, geography, capability and cost model. Each is a separate axis along which a move can be near or far.
Step count
How many dimensions the move changes. One step is adjacency; three or more is diversification whatever it is called internally.
What transfers
The specific asset, relationship or capability that carries from the core into the new space. If nothing transfers, adjacency is not the right frame.
Core strength
Whether the core is strong enough to fund and survive the move. Adjacency from a weakening core is how businesses spread themselves thin.
The mistake people makeDistance compounds. A move that is one step on two dimensions is meaningfully harder than two separate one-step moves, and organisations consistently price it as though it were the same.
What it’s forYou are considering moves beyond the core and need to see which are genuinely adjacent.
What it’s not forThe core is not yet strong. Adjacency from a weak core is how businesses spread themselves thin.

How you run it

  1. Define the core first, and test itAdjacency is measured from somewhere. If the core is weak, the honest output of this tool is 'not yet'.
  2. Score each move on every dimensionCustomer, product, channel, geography, capability, cost model. A move that changes one is genuinely adjacent; one that changes four is diversification with better manners.
  3. Compound the distanceTwo steps in different directions is not twice as hard, it is roughly the product. This is the single most useful thing the map tells you.
  4. Check what transfersThe case for adjacency rests on something carrying across — a relationship, a capability, a brand permission. Name it explicitly or the move is a start-up.
  5. Sequence rather than parallelAdjacent moves are best made one at a time from a strong core. Three at once is how a good business becomes an average one in several markets.

The prompt

Two ways to run it

Run this tool in your own Claude

The short prompt starts your partner against the library on your disk. The long one carries everything with it and needs nothing installed.

🔒 Prompt locked

Everything above is free — what this tool is, what it is for, what it is not for, and how to run it as a workshop. Three tool prompts a month are free with an account; beyond three, and for the printable canvas, it is the paid part.

See plans — from £19 a month

Your playbook

It lands in the earliest stage this tool suits. Move it on the Playbook page.

You’ll need

  • A clear definition of the current core
  • Candidate moves already generated
  • Honest data on how well the core is actually performing

You’ll end up with

  • Each move rated on every dimension of distance
  • A ranked shortlist by combined distance
  • An explicit view on whether the core can support any of it

Runs well with

AI opportunity mapAnalysis planAssumption mappingAssumption stress test