Customer Development in the
             High Tech Enterprise




              Customer Discovery
                    Part 3

                    Steve Blank
                 sblank@kandsranch.com




5/24/10                                  1
Class 6: Agenda

    Logistics/Questions
    Customer Discovery
    Guest: Flowtown
    CASE: Motive
Customer Discovery: Step 1

          Customer    Customer       Customer   Company
          Discovery   Validation     Creation   Building




    Stop selling, start listening

    Test your hypotheses
         Two are fundamental: problem and product concept
Customer Discovery

Customer     Phase 3          Phase 4
Discovery      Test      Verify, Iterate &
             Product          Expand
            Hypothesis

                                        To Validation



                            Phase 1
              Phase 2        Author
               Test        Hypothesis
             Problem
            Hypothesis
Customer Discovery
                                              Hypotheses!
 Product             Customer           Distribution         Demand            Market Type   Competitive
Hypothesis           & Problem           & Pricing           Creation          Hypothesis    Hypothesis
                     Hypothesis         Hypothesis          Hypothesis




                           Test “Problem” Hypothesis!
       Friendly           “Problem”           Customer             Market
    First Contacts       Presentation       Understanding        Knowledge




                                                            Test “Product” Hypothesis!
                                          First Reality        “Product”          Yet More     Second
                                             Check           Presentation         Customer   Reality Check
                                                                                    Visits
        Verify!


      Verify the           Verify the          Verify the         Iterate or
       Product             Problem             Business              Exit
                                                Model
Customer Discovery - Web




                      Source: ash maurya
Customer Discovery
                                       Hypotheses!
                                                                                      T
                                                                                      h
                                                                                      e
                                                                                      i
                                                                                      m




 Product
Hypothesis               Inside the Building!
                     Customer
                    & Problem
                    Hypothesis
                                       Distribution
                                        & Pricing
                                       Hypothesis
                                                            Demand
                                                            Creation
                                                           Hypothesis
                                                                              Market Type
                                                                              Hypothesis
                                                                                            Competitive
                                                                                            Hypothesis




              Test “Problem” Hypothesis!
      Friendly           “Problem”           Customer             Market
   First Contacts       Presentation       Understanding        Knowledge




                      Outside the Building!
                            Test “Product” Hypothesis!
                                         First Reality       “Product”          Yet More      Second
                                            Check           Presentation        Customer    Reality Check

   Verify!                                                                        Visits




      Verify the          Verify the          Verify the         Iterate or
       Product            Problem             Business              Exit
                                               Model
Phase 1: Author Hypothesis


  Phase 3
 Product
                  Phase 4
                 Iterate &
                                 One-time writing exercise
 Concept          Expand
 Testing                         All other time spent in
                                  front of customers
                Phase 1          Assumes you’re smart but
  Phase 2
   Test         Author            guessing
 Problem
Hypothesis     Hypothesis
Phase 2: Test & Qualify Problem Hypothesis


   Phase 3     Phase 4
    Test
  Product
              Iterate &
               Expand
                               Get out of the building
 Hypothesis
                               Test the problem
                               Become the customer
                Phase 1
 Phase 2         Author        Solve a real problem
   Test       Hypothesis

 Problem
Hypothesis
Phase 3: Test Product Hypothesis


 Phase 3              Phase 4        First reality check w/
   Test              Iterate &
                      Expand          product development
 Product
Hypothesis                           The product hits the street
                                     Lots of customer visits
                      Phase 1
  Phase 2
    Test
                    Hypothesis       More doses of reality
  & Qualify
 Hypothesis
Test Product Hypothesis

         First Reality Check
         Product Presentation
         Yet More Customer Visits
         Second Reality Check



First Reality    “Product”     Yet More     Second
   Check        Presentation   Customer   Reality Check
                                 Visits
Test Product Hypothesis:
                      First Reality Check

    Build a Workflow Map of customer
         Before and after your product
    Problem scale
    Key insights
    How did the product spec match needs?
    Re-review product feature List
    Why are you different
Test Product Hypothesis:
                  Product Presentation

    Questionnaire
    Start with a Problem Presentation
    Then describe the Product
    Demo if you have one
Test Product Hypothesis:
             Yet More Customer Visits

    Set up More Calls
    Validate Solution
    Validate Product
    Validate Positioning
    Understand Customer and Org. Pain
    Validate Pricing and Budget
    Understand “Whole Product” needs
    Understand Approval Process
    Update potential Advisory Board candidates
Test Product Hypothesis:
                   Second Reality Check

    Does the product solve a problem?
         Serious problem?
         For a large scalable market?
    How did the product spec match needs?
    Re-review product Feature List
Phase 4: Verify, Iterate & Expand


  Phase 3      Phase 4
                                        The Problem
   Test
 Product
              Iterate &                 The Product
Hypothesis     Expand
                                        The Business Model
                                        Iterate or Exit
                Phase 1
 Phase 2      Hypothesis
   Test
 Problem
Hypothesis



               Verify the   Verify the       Verify the   Iterate or
                Product     Problem          Business        Exit
                                              Model
Verify, Iterate and Expand:
                   The Problem

    Problem Hypothesis Testing
    Magnitude of customer needs
    Rank customer problems
    Summary of customer problem input
Verify, Iterate and Expand:
                 The Product

    Product match Problem?
    Feature list
    Quantify customer problem
    Summary of customer product input
    Why are you different?
    Review Product Spec
Verify, Iterate and Expand:
               The Business Model

    Customer Model
    ROI
    Market Size
    Service
    Development
    Manufacturing
    Customer Acquisition
Customer Discovery:
                   Exit Criteria

    What are your customers top problems?
         How much will they pay to solve them
    Does your product concept solve them?
         Do customers agree?
         How much will they pay
    Draw a day-in-the-life of a customer
         before & after your product
    Draw the org chart of users & buyers
Verify- Iterate or Exit

    Summarize
    Iterate
    Exit
3 Ways To FAIL At Customer Development




 Credit: cgldesign
Flowtown’s Evolution

Don’t Talk to Customers
Solve Problems You’re Not Passionate About
Sell Your Solution Before It’s Validated
3 Tips For A Successful CD Process
Thanks! We’re
twitter: @ebloch & @danmartell


ethan@flowtown.com &
dan@flowtown.com

022310 class 6

  • 1.
    Customer Development inthe High Tech Enterprise Customer Discovery Part 3 Steve Blank sblank@kandsranch.com 5/24/10 1
  • 2.
    Class 6: Agenda   Logistics/Questions   Customer Discovery   Guest: Flowtown   CASE: Motive
  • 3.
    Customer Discovery: Step1 Customer Customer Customer Company Discovery Validation Creation Building   Stop selling, start listening   Test your hypotheses   Two are fundamental: problem and product concept
  • 4.
    Customer Discovery Customer Phase 3 Phase 4 Discovery Test Verify, Iterate & Product Expand Hypothesis To Validation Phase 1 Phase 2 Author Test Hypothesis Problem Hypothesis
  • 5.
    Customer Discovery Hypotheses! Product Customer Distribution Demand Market Type Competitive Hypothesis & Problem & Pricing Creation Hypothesis Hypothesis Hypothesis Hypothesis Hypothesis Test “Problem” Hypothesis! Friendly “Problem” Customer Market First Contacts Presentation Understanding Knowledge Test “Product” Hypothesis! First Reality “Product” Yet More Second Check Presentation Customer Reality Check Visits Verify! Verify the Verify the Verify the Iterate or Product Problem Business Exit Model
  • 6.
    Customer Discovery -Web Source: ash maurya
  • 7.
    Customer Discovery Hypotheses! T h e i m Product Hypothesis Inside the Building! Customer & Problem Hypothesis Distribution & Pricing Hypothesis Demand Creation Hypothesis Market Type Hypothesis Competitive Hypothesis Test “Problem” Hypothesis! Friendly “Problem” Customer Market First Contacts Presentation Understanding Knowledge Outside the Building! Test “Product” Hypothesis! First Reality “Product” Yet More Second Check Presentation Customer Reality Check Verify! Visits Verify the Verify the Verify the Iterate or Product Problem Business Exit Model
  • 8.
    Phase 1: AuthorHypothesis Phase 3 Product Phase 4 Iterate &   One-time writing exercise Concept Expand Testing   All other time spent in front of customers Phase 1   Assumes you’re smart but Phase 2 Test Author guessing Problem Hypothesis Hypothesis
  • 9.
    Phase 2: Test& Qualify Problem Hypothesis Phase 3 Phase 4 Test Product Iterate & Expand   Get out of the building Hypothesis   Test the problem   Become the customer Phase 1 Phase 2 Author   Solve a real problem Test Hypothesis Problem Hypothesis
  • 10.
    Phase 3: TestProduct Hypothesis Phase 3 Phase 4   First reality check w/ Test Iterate & Expand product development Product Hypothesis   The product hits the street   Lots of customer visits Phase 1 Phase 2 Test Hypothesis   More doses of reality & Qualify Hypothesis
  • 11.
    Test Product Hypothesis   First Reality Check   Product Presentation   Yet More Customer Visits   Second Reality Check First Reality “Product” Yet More Second Check Presentation Customer Reality Check Visits
  • 12.
    Test Product Hypothesis: First Reality Check   Build a Workflow Map of customer   Before and after your product   Problem scale   Key insights   How did the product spec match needs?   Re-review product feature List   Why are you different
  • 13.
    Test Product Hypothesis: Product Presentation   Questionnaire   Start with a Problem Presentation   Then describe the Product   Demo if you have one
  • 14.
    Test Product Hypothesis: Yet More Customer Visits   Set up More Calls   Validate Solution   Validate Product   Validate Positioning   Understand Customer and Org. Pain   Validate Pricing and Budget   Understand “Whole Product” needs   Understand Approval Process   Update potential Advisory Board candidates
  • 15.
    Test Product Hypothesis: Second Reality Check   Does the product solve a problem?   Serious problem?   For a large scalable market?   How did the product spec match needs?   Re-review product Feature List
  • 16.
    Phase 4: Verify,Iterate & Expand Phase 3 Phase 4   The Problem Test Product Iterate &   The Product Hypothesis Expand   The Business Model   Iterate or Exit Phase 1 Phase 2 Hypothesis Test Problem Hypothesis Verify the Verify the Verify the Iterate or Product Problem Business Exit Model
  • 17.
    Verify, Iterate andExpand: The Problem   Problem Hypothesis Testing   Magnitude of customer needs   Rank customer problems   Summary of customer problem input
  • 18.
    Verify, Iterate andExpand: The Product   Product match Problem?   Feature list   Quantify customer problem   Summary of customer product input   Why are you different?   Review Product Spec
  • 19.
    Verify, Iterate andExpand: The Business Model   Customer Model   ROI   Market Size   Service   Development   Manufacturing   Customer Acquisition
  • 20.
    Customer Discovery: Exit Criteria   What are your customers top problems?   How much will they pay to solve them   Does your product concept solve them?   Do customers agree?   How much will they pay   Draw a day-in-the-life of a customer   before & after your product   Draw the org chart of users & buyers
  • 21.
    Verify- Iterate orExit   Summarize   Iterate   Exit
  • 22.
    3 Ways ToFAIL At Customer Development Credit: cgldesign
  • 23.
  • 24.
    Don’t Talk toCustomers
  • 25.
    Solve Problems You’reNot Passionate About
  • 26.
    Sell Your SolutionBefore It’s Validated
  • 27.
    3 Tips ForA Successful CD Process
  • 28.
    Thanks! We’re twitter: @ebloch& @danmartell ethan@flowtown.com & dan@flowtown.com