Glossary

Core fits at a glance

  • Problem Market Fit – users actively seek solutions to a meaningful problem.
  • Behavior Market Fit – users can and will perform the specific target behaviors in context.
  • Solution Market Fit – your solution measurably enables those behaviors at low friction.
  • Product Market Fit – those behaviors sustain in real market conditions.

Canonical metrics: Δ‑B, TTFB, Behavior Retention D30/D180, Chain Risk Score.

Concept Relationship Map 

# How Behavioral Strategy Terms Connect
glossary_relationships:
  foundational_layer:
    behavioral_state_model:
      description: "8-component framework for behavior prediction"
      enables: ["behavior analysis", "intervention design"]
      components: ["identity factors", "contextual factors"]
      
  validation_hierarchy:
    problem_market_fit:
      description: "Users actively seek solutions"
      prerequisite_for: ["behavior_market_fit"]
      validates: "problem exists and matters"
      
    behavior_market_fit:
      description: "Users will perform target behaviors"
      requires: ["problem_market_fit"]
      prerequisite_for: ["solution_market_fit"]
      validates: "behaviors are feasible and desirable"
      
    solution_market_fit:
      description: "Solution enables validated behaviors"
      requires: ["behavior_market_fit"]
      prerequisite_for: ["product_market_fit"]
      validates: "design effectively enables behaviors"
      
    product_market_fit:
      description: "Sustained behavior change in market"
      requires: ["solution_market_fit"]
      validates: "long-term strategic success"
      
  operational_concepts:
    behavioral_selection:
      description: "Process of choosing target behaviors"
      uses: ["behavioral_state_model"]
      produces: ["prioritized_behaviors"]
      criteria: ["impact", "feasibility", "alignment"]

Foundational Models

Behavioral State Model

Jason Hreha’s comprehensive 8-component framework that explains how behavior emerges from the interaction of:

  • Identity Factors (relatively stable): personality, perception, emotions, abilities, social status, motivations
  • Contextual Factors (changeable): social environment, physical environment

Key Principle: The minimum component score determines behavior likelihood - a single factor scoring below 3/10 can block behavior entirely.

The Four‑Fit hierarchy

The following concepts form a sequential validation chain, where each fit must be achieved before proceeding to the next:

1. Problem Market Fit

Definition: Clearly identifying a substantial problem users actively seek solutions for.

Validation Criteria:

  • Evidence of active solution-seeking behavior
  • Willingness to pay (time, money, or effort)
  • Current workarounds or makeshift solutions exist

Common Mistake: Assuming a problem exists without validating user demand.

2. Behavior Market Fit

Definition: Matching specific user behaviors to validated market needs.

Validation Criteria:

  • Users can perform the behavior (ability ≥ 6/10)
  • Users are motivated to perform it (motivation ≥ 6/10)
  • Context supports the behavior (environment ≥ 6/10)

Common Mistake: Selecting behaviors based on assumptions rather than observation.

3. Solution Market Fit

Definition: Validating that a designed solution effectively enables and scales desired user behaviors.

Validation Criteria:

  • 80% of users can complete target behaviors

  • Time to first behavior <5 minutes
  • Behaviors feel natural and sustainable

Common Mistake: Building features before validating they enable target behaviors.

4. Product Market Fit

Definition: Ensuring a market-ready product sustainably supports validated behaviors to solve problems for a viable market.

Validation Criteria

  • Retention of the target behavior at day 30 and day 180 with denominators and windows specified
  • Expansion driven by behavior visibility or network value, not paid acquisition
  • Stability across contexts: the minimum BSM component score for the target behavior remains ≥ 6/10 in the served segment

Common Mistake: Celebrating initial adoption without measuring behavior sustainability.

Operational Concepts

Behavioral Selection

Definition: The systematic process of identifying and prioritizing behaviors critical to achieving strategic outcomes.

Process:

  1. Generate comprehensive behavior inventory
  2. Score behaviors on impact, feasibility, and alignment
  3. Validate top candidates with target users
  4. Select based on actual performance data

Common Mistake: Choosing complex behaviors when simpler ones would suffice.

Quick Reference: Term Relationships 

graph TD
    BSM[Behavioral State Model] --> BS[Behavioral Selection]
    PMF[Problem Market Fit] --> BMF[Behavior Market Fit]
    BMF --> SMF[Solution Market Fit]
    SMF --> PMF2[Product Market Fit]
    BS --> BMF
    BSM --> Analysis[Behavior Analysis]
    Analysis --> BMF

Using This Glossary

Each term page includes:

  • Detailed definition and context
  • Practical examples and case studies
  • Common misconceptions
  • Measurement approaches
  • Relationship to other concepts

These terms form the foundational vocabulary for implementing Behavioral Strategy effectively.

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