The Business Model Canvas (BMC) gives you the structure of a business plan without the overhead and the improvisation of a 'back of the napkin' sketch without the fuzziness.  The Canvas has nine elements: Customer Segments, Value Propositions, Channels, Customer Relationships, Revenue Streams, Key Activities, Key Resources, Key Partnerships, Cost Structure.  The Canvas is popular with entrepreneurs for business model innovation.  Fundamentally, it delivers three things: focus, flexibility, and transparency.