An introduction to validation methods for early stage startup ideas. Delivered to students from the National University of Singapore Overseas College program.
6. “Bringing the startup
community together
offline, getting user feedback
and generating buzz are
exactly what NY’s tech
community needs to do so it
can continue to grow and
thrive. ”
~ Harrison Weber
TNW editor, New York office
7. “There is no better
feedback in the world
than hearing right from
your target”
Jared O’Toole
Under30ceo NYC editor
16. The basis of lean startups
Learning which activities
in a startup creates value
17. Just 3 things founders must do:
• Build products
• Talk to people
• Work out
See: http://www.foundersatwork.com/blog.html
And we do that in an
iterative “Build - Measure - Learn” loop.
Refer to: http://lean.st/principles/build-measure-learn for notes on the
principle and http://www.designstaff.org/articles/shortening-the-build-
measure-learn-cycle-2012-02-06.html for how to create an action plan
through the BML
18. Build - Measure - Learn
Refer to: http://lean.st/principles/build-measure-learn for notes on the principle
and http://www.designstaff.org/articles/shortening-the-build-measure-learn-cycle-
2012-02-06.html for how to create an action plan through the BML
19. Everything we thought we knew
• Of course people have problems
(problem hypothesis)
• Sure, everyone will use it
(customer hypothesis)
• I’m smart, my product is exactly what the
world needs
(product validation)
20. Combining photo sharing with Geo-caching
http://leanstartupmachine.com/2012/06/taking-on-a-market-leader-through-validated-
http://leanstartupmachine.com/2012/06/taking-on-a-market-leader-through-
learning/ validated-learning/
21. Problem:
Forming new social circles in a new place is
difficult.
Customer:
Students/Expats moving for at least 6 months.
Product:
City app to discover new people and things.
Get the whole story at http://Go.Krawst.com
22. Experiment #1: Register early users
Learn: which cities I can register enough early
users.
Measure: Identify which cities have >150 users
Build: Landing page targeted at 6 cities
Get the whole story at http://Go.Krawst.com
24. Experiment #2: Understand institutions
Learn: How to tap into existing institutions
Measure: 3/10 favorable responses
Build: Email offices that handle international
student affairs
Get the whole story at http://Go.Krawst.com
25. 3 ways to test
• Problem exploration
- talking to people.
• Concierge service
– Providing the service manually.
• Product pitch
– Sell it like it’s finished.
32. Best way to learn is to do it
• BUT, these might help:
– Udemy lean startup at sxsw (http://www.udemy.com/lean-startup-sxsw-
2012-videos-and-presentations/)
– Eric ries’ blog (www.startuplessonslearned.com )
– Steve blank’s blog (www.steveblank.com )
– Ash Maurya (www.ashmaurya.com)
– How to create a lean canvas (http://startit.rs/wp-
content/uploads/LeanCanvas.pdf)
– Lean canvas online (http://leancanvas.com/)
– What is Lean UX
(http://uxdesign.smashingmagazine.com/2011/03/07/lean-ux-getting-
out-of-the-deliverables-business/)
– We got it wrong, learn-measure-build
(http://grasshopperherder.com/build-measure-learn-vs-learn-measure-
build/)