IMVU is referred to as the first "Lean Startup", and was the proving ground for applying Build-Measure-Learn (the Scientific Method) to rapidly iterate and continuously improve its product development process, resulting in a valuable strategic advantage and highly productive, happy, and motivated teams. This lecture focuses on IMVU's continuous improvement to product development process through experimentation. Success factors are reviewed, including a culture that values and supports experimentation and learning, Agile and XP engineering practices (which support iterative development), and strong product vision and user experience design. Recent product development process experiments will be shared. Takeaway: Attendees will learn how IMVU continuously improves product development using the Scientific Method, Agile, XP, and Scrum supported by strong user experience design. Strategies to support experimental learning (retrospectives, postmortems, and 5 Whys) will be reviewed along with practical examples.

1. The science
of product
development
James Birchler (@JamesBirchler)
VP Engineering Management, IMVU
San Francisco Lean Startup Circle, October 26, 2011

2. Questions & comments?
@jamesbirchler

3. The
scientific method
is
based
on

4. experimentation

8. $
IMVU Revenue Growth
Qtr Q1'06 Q2'06 Q3'06 Q4'06 Q1'07 Q2'07 Q3'07 Q4'07 Q1'08 Q2'08 Q3'08 Q4'08 Q1'09 Q2'09 Q3'09 Q4'09

9. $
IMVU Revenue Growth
Qtr Q1'06 Q2'06 Q3'06 Q4'06 Q1'07 Q2'07 Q3'07 Q4'07 Q1'08 Q2'08 Q3'08 Q4'08 Q1'09 Q2'09 Q3'09 Q4'09

11. @copernicus

12. @copernicus
#inquisition

13. @copernicus

14. @Giordano_Bruno

15. @Galileo

18. @Jamesbirchler

19. Experimentation
IS GOOD

20. RIGHT?

21. Ask Question
Got
Do Research
Hypothesis
Science?
Test
Analyze Data
Conclusion
Report Results

22. Question
Results Research
Scientific
Conclusion
Method Hypothesis
Analyze
Data Test

24. Question
Results Research
Scientific #leanstartup
Conclusion
Method Hypothesis
Analyze
Data Test

25. Question
Results Research
Quack.
Scientific #leanstartup
Conclusion
Method Hypothesis
Analyze
Data Test An Alleged “duck”

26. Ask Question
Do Research
Hypothesis
Test
Analyze Data
Conclusion
Report Results
Looks a lot like the scientific method (it is!)…

27. culture of
Experimentation

28. Okay, I’ll run an
Okay, I’ll run an
Okay, I’ll run an experiment! Okay, I’ll run
experiment! Okay, I’ll run an
experiment! experiment
experiment!
Okay, I’ll run an
experiment!
Let’s keep this
Okay, I’ll run an
simple! Okay, I’ll run an
experiment!
Prove your idea experiment!
is the best!

29. Keep it
simple

30. if( setup_experiment(...) == "control" ) {
// do it the old way
} else {
// do it the new way
Simple
To code
}

31. Simple
To manage

32. Simple
To share

33. embrace
failure

37. Freedom
to
Experiment

38. What could possibly go wrong?

39. simple
to
Screw up

45. What Not to do

46. Start with use cases
X
X

49. – Laura Klein, Principal, Users Know

56. Product
Development

61. Measure

69. 5
whys

70. 5
whys
Root Cause:
Fix this!

73. Process
Experiments

74. Dogma

75. Handling Interrupts…

76. Measuring value to customers…

78. Keep your team Together…
•
•
•

79. Technical Project Reviews…
•
•
•
•

80. Self Selecting Teams…
•
•

81. Scrum 2.0: Continuous Planning

82. Have a “Fixer”

83. Small Team + No rules=Big Win

84. Recap…

85. credits Thanks