GrasshopperHerder

Lean Startup

Lean startup is the modern approach to developing new business models.

When starting a new business, there are a huge number of unknowns and risks. Will the distributor agree to carry our product? Can we overcome the technical challenges to build the solution? Does the customer even have a problem?

It is a philosophy rather than a step by step methodology. It’s an approach that systematically identifies risk in a business model and designs research and experimental methods to bring more certainty to the business. We do this through rapid iteration of our business model.

In simpler terms,

1) Try something
2) See if it works
3) If not, try something else.

This page contains posts on lean startup and practical lessons on how to apply lean thinking to real products and services.

Customers and Causality – Customer Analysis

When looking for product/market fit, we start with the customer. That's the "market" part of product/market fit. Everything starts and ends with the customer. Continue reading...

How to Build a Minimum Viable Product

Isn't an MVP just a bare bones product? If people sign up for our MVP, that means we've got Product/Market Fit, right? Nope. A real MVP has four critical parts. Continue reading...

False Positives and Product Market Fit Survey – How do we test for it?

Lean Startup is hard. All we want is to build something people want. Which one of these tests will actually tell us if we have the fabled Product / Market Fit? Continue reading...

Agile Transformation – Adopting the Lean Hype Cycle

if you're adopting lean, you need to understand this flow: Inspiration, Application, Practice. It has another, more famous name, the hype cycle. Continue reading...

The Rudder Fallacy – Adopting Lean Transformation Principles

In a lean startup, team velocity proceeds measurable product progress. Before there is velocity, no measurable progress can be seen on any metrics dashboard. Continue reading...

Adopting Agile Retrospective

Lean startup is hard. When we adopt a new paradigm it's hard to differentiate tactics like "use a business model canvas" and the principle of "plan to learn." Continue reading...

Living Lean Startup

Lean Startup is not easy. It sounds easy when you hear Eric talk. "I'll put up a launchrock page! Now I'm a Lean Startup." Sorry... it doesn't work like that. Continue reading...

The Four Parts of a Minimal Viable Product (part 2)

Value Proposition Similar to the customer segment, without a clearly defined Value Proposition, we can’t really make an MVP. Sure, we could throw something against... Continue reading...

Business Model Canvas for Puppies (part II)

When we last left off, our intrepid Puppies-as-a-Service Business Model Canvas was looking pretty good. We'd finished off the product/market fit side of the canvas. Continue reading...

12 Random Tips For Practicing Customer Development

Customer development is hard. It takes work to get it right and you'll always be improving your technique. Here are a few tips I like to keep in my head while I'm getting out of the building. Continue reading...