Static ICP definitions are already out of date

ICP definitions face two significant challenges. First, they're constrained by the filters provided by data vendors, which become insufficient as products evolve and markets shift. Second, they neglect the temporal dimension—what the author calls "ICP(t)."

OpenFunnel proposes a three-part framework called TAQ:

Traits (T) capture firmographics and precise company descriptions, such as "AI Code Review SaaS, Enterprise only, 51-200 employees, US."

Activity/Active Pain points (A) identify the "why now" moment through current behaviors signaling buying readiness, like "Hired someone this morning to revamp their GEO strategy."

Qualifiers (Q) specify must-haves for product success, including requirements such as ">5 SDRs" or "Use Salesforce."

The framework's advantage lies in recognizing temporal differences: traits and qualifiers change gradually, while "Activity moves every single day." Companies continuously enter and exit your ICP based on shifting circumstances, requiring data infrastructure sophisticated enough to track all three dimensions dynamically.