Behavioral Strategy Ontology #
This page documents the linked ontology of Behavioral Strategy concepts and relationships. The repository’s ontology.json file is the source. The published JSON-LD export and the reference sections below are generated from that source. Every relationship in the export points to a stable node identifier.
Core conceptual hierarchy #
Behavioral Strategy. Behavioral Strategy makes behavior the unit of strategy for achieving outcomes. It defines the desired outcome and population, generates and evaluates multiple candidate behaviors, selects or invents the highest-fit behavior, validates Behavior Market Fit in real contexts, and then designs the system of products, programs, policies, and operations that enables and sustains the behavior.
| Concept | Position | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| Problem Market Fit | 1 | A clearly defined problem for which the target population actively seeks solutions. |
| Behavior Market Fit | 2 | A target behavior the population can and will perform in realistic contexts. |
| Solution Market Fit | 3 | A solution that measurably enables the validated target behavior by reducing friction and increasing payoff. |
| Product Market Fit | 4 | Sustained target behavior in market conditions with viable economics or program operations. |
Framework Relationships #
Four-Fit is the ordered validation hierarchy of Problem Market Fit, Behavior Market Fit, Solution Market Fit, and Product Market Fit.
DRIVE is the execution process used to achieve and sustain the Four-Fit hierarchy. Define maps to Problem Market Fit, Research to Behavior Market Fit, Integrate to Solution Market Fit, Verify to Product Market Fit, and Enhance to sustaining Product Market Fit.
Four-Fit defines what must be validated. DRIVE defines how the work is done.
Model status and limits #
| Model or heuristic | Public status | Version | Canonical source | Definition or limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Behavior Fit Assessment | canonical | 2.0 | Behavior Fit Assessment | The Behavior Fit Assessment is a practitioner decision tool for comparing candidate behaviors across Dispositional Fit, Capability Fit, and Context Fit. It is not a validated measurement instrument. Treat the minimum dimension as a bottleneck and prioritization heuristic; it is not a deterministic probability of behavior. The Behavior Fit Assessment is informed by the Behavioral State Model but is not a literal one-to-one condensation or reassignment of its eight components. |
| Behavior Fit Assessment Starting Threshold | heuristic | 1.0 | Behavior Fit Assessment Starting Threshold | A score of 6 out of 10 on each Behavior Fit Assessment dimension is a starting threshold that must be calibrated by domain, population, context, stakes, and observed behavior. Treat the minimum dimension as a bottleneck and prioritization heuristic; it is not a deterministic probability of behavior. |
| Behavioral State Model | canonical | 1.1 | Behavioral State Model | The Behavioral State Model is a practitioner diagnostic model with six Personal Components: Personality, Perception, Emotions, Abilities, Social Status/Situation, and Motivations. It also includes two Context Components: the Social Environment and Physical Environment. The Behavioral State Model is a practitioner model, not a validated psychometric instrument or a universal prediction equation. Identity is a historical technical alias for Personal Components, not a synonym for self-concept, identity-based habits, or aspirational identity. Personal Components operate on mixed timescales: some are relatively enduring, while others are state-sensitive or situation-dependent. |
Behavior Fit Assessment dimensions #
The Behavior Fit Assessment is informed by the Behavioral State Model but is not a literal one-to-one condensation or reassignment of its eight components.
| Dimension | Legacy alternate name | Definition | Boundary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dispositional Fit | Identity Fit | The degree to which a candidate behavior matches the target population’s relatively enduring tendencies and preferences over the decision-relevant time horizon. | Identity Fit is a legacy alternate name only. Dispositional Fit is not defined as self-concept, identity-based habits, or aspirational identity. |
| Capability Fit | — | Whether the target population has the actual abilities and skills required to perform the behavior. | — |
| Context Fit | — | Whether the external social and physical environment supports the behavior. | — |
Behavioral State Model component structure #
The Behavioral State Model is a practitioner diagnostic model with six Personal Components: Personality, Perception, Emotions, Abilities, Social Status/Situation, and Motivations. It also includes two Context Components: the Social Environment and Physical Environment. Personal Components operate on mixed timescales: some are relatively enduring, while others are state-sensitive or situation-dependent.
| Component group | Historical technical alias | Components | Timescale and scope boundary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal Components | Identity | Personality, Perception, Emotions, Abilities, Social Status/Situation, Motivations | These components operate on mixed timescales, ranging from relatively enduring predispositions to state-sensitive and situation-dependent conditions. Identity is retained only as the historical technical alias for this complete six-component group; it does not mean self-concept, identity-based habits, or aspirational identity. |
| Context Components | — | Social Environment, Physical Environment | — |
Relationship Matrix #
| Concept A | Relationship | Concept B |
|---|---|---|
| Problem Market Fit | enables | Behavior Market Fit |
| Behavior Market Fit | requires | Problem Market Fit |
| Behavior Market Fit | enables | Solution Market Fit |
| Solution Market Fit | requires | Behavior Market Fit |
| Solution Market Fit | enables | Product Market Fit |
| Product Market Fit | requires | Solution Market Fit |
| Define | maps to | Problem Market Fit |
| Research | maps to | Behavior Market Fit |
| Integrate | maps to | Solution Market Fit |
| Verify | maps to | Product Market Fit |
| Enhance | sustains | Product Market Fit |
| Behavior Fit Assessment | has dimension | Dispositional Fit |
| Behavior Fit Assessment | has dimension | Capability Fit |
| Behavior Fit Assessment | has dimension | Context Fit |
| Behavior Fit Assessment | informed by | Behavioral State Model |
| Behavioral State Model | has component group | Personal Components |
| Personal Components | has part | Personality |
| Personal Components | has part | Perception |
| Personal Components | has part | Emotions |
| Personal Components | has part | Abilities |
| Personal Components | has part | Social Status/Situation |
| Personal Components | has part | Motivations |
| Behavioral State Model | has component group | Context Components |
| Context Components | has part | Social Environment |
| Context Components | has part | Physical Environment |
Application Domain Mappings #
| Domain | Example concepts | Example behaviors | Example measures |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technology Applications | User engagement, Product adoption, Retention | Onboarding actions, Feature use, Sustained use | Activation rate, Behavior velocity, Behavioral cohort lifetime value |
| Healthcare Applications | Patient outcomes, Medication adherence, Preventive care | Treatment adherence, Lifestyle changes, Screening participation | Adherence rate, Health outcomes, Behavior persistence |
Semantic Relationships (RDF-style) #
bs:ProblemMarketFit bs:enables bs:BehaviorMarketFit .
bs:BehaviorMarketFit bs:requires bs:ProblemMarketFit .
bs:BehaviorMarketFit bs:enables bs:SolutionMarketFit .
bs:SolutionMarketFit bs:requires bs:BehaviorMarketFit .
bs:SolutionMarketFit bs:enables bs:ProductMarketFit .
bs:ProductMarketFit bs:requires bs:SolutionMarketFit .
bs:Define bs:mapsTo bs:ProblemMarketFit .
bs:Research bs:mapsTo bs:BehaviorMarketFit .
bs:Integrate bs:mapsTo bs:SolutionMarketFit .
bs:Verify bs:mapsTo bs:ProductMarketFit .
bs:Enhance bs:sustains bs:ProductMarketFit .
bs:BehaviorFitAssessment bs:hasDimension bs:DispositionalFit .
bs:BehaviorFitAssessment bs:hasDimension bs:CapabilityFit .
bs:BehaviorFitAssessment bs:hasDimension bs:ContextFit .
bs:BehaviorFitAssessment bs:informedBy bs:BehavioralStateModel .
bs:BehavioralStateModel bs:hasComponentGroup bs:PersonalComponents .
bs:PersonalComponents schema:hasPart bs:Personality .
bs:PersonalComponents schema:hasPart bs:Perception .
bs:PersonalComponents schema:hasPart bs:Emotions .
bs:PersonalComponents schema:hasPart bs:Abilities .
bs:PersonalComponents schema:hasPart bs:SocialStatusSituation .
bs:PersonalComponents schema:hasPart bs:Motivations .
bs:BehavioralStateModel bs:hasComponentGroup bs:ContextComponents .
bs:ContextComponents schema:hasPart bs:SocialEnvironment .
bs:ContextComponents schema:hasPart bs:PhysicalEnvironment .
How to reuse this ontology #
- License: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 with attribution to “Behavioral Strategy Ontology by Jason Hreha”.
- Versioning: this page and the JSON-LD export identify the current version. No historical archive is claimed until one is actually published.
- Programmatic access: download the generated JSON-LD export at /static/ontology.jsonld.
JSON-LD and breadcrumbs #
This site publishes a shared Organization node and per-page BreadcrumbList via includes. See page source.
Usage Guidelines #
This ontology is licensed under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0. When referencing:
- Attribution: Credit “Behavioral Strategy Ontology by Jason Hreha”
- Names: Use framework names accurately and do not imply endorsement
- Non-Commercial: Academic and research use permitted
- Share-Alike: Derivative works must use the same license
Version Information #
- Version: 2.0
- Last Updated: 2026-07-10
- Next Review: Recorded through the canonical-authority governance process
- Feedback: Email ontology@behavioralstrategy.com
This ontology is the public reference for Behavioral Strategy concept relationships and is designed for both human and machine use.