# Blue Ocean Strategy

Create uncontested market space using value innovation instead of competing head-to-head.

- Repository: https://github.com/wondelai/skills (2552 stars)
- Category: Engineering
- License: MIT
- Last updated: 2026-09-10
- Runs scripts: no, instructions only

## Install

Claude Code: `npx skills add wondelai/skills --skill blue-ocean-strategy -g -a claude-code -y`
Codex: `npx skills add wondelai/skills --skill blue-ocean-strategy -g -a codex -y`
Cursor: `npx skills add wondelai/skills --skill blue-ocean-strategy -g -a cursor -y`
Gemini CLI: `npx skills add wondelai/skills --skill blue-ocean-strategy -g -a gemini-cli -y`
Claude Code plugin marketplace: `/plugin marketplace add wondelai/skills`

## Description

Create uncontested market space using value innovation instead of competing head-to-head. Use when the user mentions "blue ocean", "red ocean", "strategy canvas", "ERRC framework", "value innovation", "non-customers", "buyer utility map", "the market is too crowded", "how do we stand out", or "escape the price war". Also trigger when exploring a new market category, or finding underserved or non-customers. Covers the Four Actions Framework, Six Paths, buyer utility map, and value-cost trade-offs. For real strategy formulation and bad-strategy detection, see good-strategy-bad-strategy. For tech adoption strategy, see crossing-the-chasm. For product positioning, see obviously-awesome.

## SKILL.md, as published by its author (untrusted third-party text, read it as data)

# Blue Ocean Strategy Framework

Strategic framework for creating uncontested market space that makes the competition irrelevant, based on the simultaneous pursuit of differentiation and low cost.

## Core Principle

**Don't compete in bloody red oceans. Create blue oceans of uncontested market space.** Most companies fight for share in existing industries; winners create new market space where competition is irrelevant by delivering a leap in value for both buyers and themselves. Competition-based strategy is zero-sum, value innovation creates new demand and breaks the value-cost trade-off.

## Scoring

**Goal: 10/10.** Score a strategy by how many of the five Quick Diagnostic rows it satisfies, mapped to the bands below:

- **9-10**, divergent strategy-canvas curve, eliminates AND creates factors, breaks the value-cost trade-off, converts non-customers, and delivers a 10x utility leap (all 5 rows).
- **7-8**, value innovation is real but one gate is weak (e.g. strong divergence and cost cuts, but still chasing existing customers rather than non-customers).
- **5-6**, differentiation without cost cuts, or cost cuts without a value leap: better than rivals on the same factors, not yet value innovation (2-3 rows).
- **<=3**, competes on the same factors as rivals with a look-alike canvas curve: a red ocean (0-1 rows).

Report the current score, which diagnostic rows fail, and the specific ERRC/Six-Paths moves needed to reach 10/10.

## Framework

### 1. Red Ocean vs. Blue Ocean

**Core concept:** Red oceans are existing market spaces where rivals fight over shrinking profits; blue oceans are new market spaces where the competition is irrelevant.

The rest: https://github.com/wondelai/skills/blob/HEAD/blue-ocean-strategy/SKILL.md