This document summarizes a workshop on designing a passion product using lean startup methods in 3 hours. The workshop covered defining users and their needs through personas and brainstorming uses and features. It emphasized the importance of rapidly prototyping and testing ideas to validate assumptions. Participants worked in pairs to develop a product narrative, dashboard of metrics, and 3-minute pitch for a minimum viable product. The goal was to have an initial concept that could be built upon after validating it with potential customers.

1. Design a Passion Product
using Lean Startup Methods
* Make a Product in Three Hours
+
UX London 2013 Conference
April 10, 2013
Kate Rutter, Co-Founder, LUXr #uxlondon #passionproduct

2. 5 min
Hello!
Whoʼs here?
" " "
30 second intros @ tables
* name
* role
* your favorite superpower!
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3. We coach startup entrepreneurs on
how to build products that people
need, want, and love to buy.
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4. LUXR.CO APRIL 2013

5. TWEET!
Kate Rutter
www.luxr.co
@katerutter
@luxrco
#uxlondon
#passionproduct
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6. Let’s get warmed up
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7. {5 min Activity}
Users + problems + solution
Sketch it out
Who are the users?
What problems do they have?
What would be a proposed solution?
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8. Users + Problem + Solution map
“the DNA of your idea”
5 min
April 2013
Task-a-doodle
business professionals
Working parents with
with kids
need to share tasks on the go
a mobile app for
Too much to do, not enough time
delegating tasks
need to know when
something’s done
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9. This is not...
A class on how to
(how do you know itʼs awesome?)
produce an awesome UI
A session on making (how do you know these arenʼt
production wireframes or a waste of valuable time?)
photoshop comps
A “perfect approach” or (100s of entrepreneurs have
used these techniques to define
a rigid point of view on their own unique Great UX.)
Great UX.
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10. This is about making products.
• UX Designers as founders
• Lean Startup concepts & mindset
• Hands-on } make a product MVP
• Learning through personal expression
Focus • Simplify • Decide • Test
Move forward.
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11. What to expect...
I am not an expert on your
business or product idea.
You are.
My goal is to help get your ideas
out...fast and simply...
so you can validate them and
move them forward.
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12. What to expect...
We are going to be working really,
really, really fast.
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13. What to expect...
We are going to be working really,
really, really fast.
There is a purpose to this.
I will push you to get something
down rapidly. In 3 hours, you will
have a concept MVP that you can
commit to and take to the next step.
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14. What to expect...
You will be working in peer pairs.
Two brains are
better than one.
And weʼll keep talking to a minimum.
(There is a break where
we can get all social!)
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15. What to expect...
You may not like the pace/process/
pressure/perspective, etc. etc.
That is okay.
All I ask is that you keep an open
mind and try it.
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16. About the whole
LEAN thing

17. 2 Big Ideas
n St artup xper ience
Lea U ser E
Build. Empathy.
Measure. Design.
Learn! Products!
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18. Eric Ries wrote
a blog post on
Sept 8, 2008
titled “The Lean
Startup.”
The big idea...
+ +
make products reduce
incremental
customers
want releases waste
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19. Build.
Measure.
Learn
These change everything...
• Experiments
•!Validated learning
•!Reduce waste
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20. Empathy.
Design.
Products!
The big idea...
product UI UX
via Ed Lea: http://design.org/blog/difference-between-ux-and-ui-subtleties-explained-cereal
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21. UX Stack BUILD
MEASURE
LEARN
Users
1. I need...
why
what Needs 2. I want...
3. My goal is...
how
Your vision & ideas go here
Mary can...
Uses
Sketches,
Features
prototypes,
wireframes,
This Week
pixels Interfaces & flows
Prototypes
User stories
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22. Let’s make stuff!
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23. {Activity}
7 min
Rapid Sketching
Clothespin Man!
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24. Who is it for?
Picture your user as a human person.
(Insert provisional personas here)
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25. UX Stack
Users
1. I need...
why
what Needs 2. I want...
3. My goal is...
how
Your vision & ideas go here
Mary can...
Uses
Sketches,
Features
prototypes,
wireframes, This Week
pixels Interfaces & flows
Prototypes
User stories
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26. Who: Make a Persona
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27. {Activity} 5 min
Make a persona
Portrait
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28. {Activity}
Make a persona
Facts
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29. {Activity}
5 min
Write down...
• Age
• City where s/he lives
• Family (married? kids?
single? divorced?)
• Job role
• Annual income
Be specific.
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30. {Activity}
Make a persona
Behaviors
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31. {Activity} 5 min
Brainstorm 10 behaviors
• What do they do that
indicates that they are a
good customer for you?
• How are they solving
the problem now?
• Behaviors are verbs.
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32. {Activity}
2 min
Divide into 2 piles:
less more
important important
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33. {Activity}
2 min
Pass & peer write
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34. {Activity}
Make a persona
Needs & Goals
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35. {Activity} 5 min
Brainstorm 10 needs/goals
• What do they need to
accomplish that will
solve their problem?
• What do they need to do
to feel heroic?
• Why do they do the
behaviors?
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36. {Activity}
2 min
Divide into 2 piles:
less more
important important
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37. {Activity}
2 min
Pass & peer write
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38. {check}
3 checks
* Could enough people like this exist?
(And can you find them to talk to them?)
If no, make adjustments.
* Is this a specific person you know?
If yes, make adjustments.
* Is the persona respectful?
If no, make adjustments or re-do. Contempt is not helpful.
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39. Break!
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40. What’s the value?
Act on user needs by identifying
value propositions.
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41. UX Stack
Users
1. I need...
why
what Needs 2. I want...
3. My goal is...
how
Your vision & ideas go here
Mary can...
Uses
Sketches,
Features
prototypes,
wireframes, This Week
pixels Interfaces & flows
Prototypes
User stories
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42. An example from Foodspotting
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43. What: Envision 6 uses
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44. {Activity} 10 min
Sketch 6-up Uses
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45. {Activity} 5 min
Work with your peer
Pass your work
2-minute “quiet read”
Focus on understanding
Confirm clarity
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46. {Activity} 5 min
Dot-vote top picks
Peers use 3 dots } pick top uses
Founders use 1 dot } pick top use
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47. {Activity} 3 min
Redraw the top pick
April 2013
Task-a-doodle
Mary
Know when
someone in her
family finishes
a shared task.
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48. UX Stack
Users
1. I need...
why
what Needs 2. I want...
3. My goal is...
how
Your vision & ideas go here
Mary can...
Uses
Sketches,
Features
prototypes,
wireframes, This Week
pixels Interfaces & flows
Prototypes
User stories
LUXR.CO APRIL 2013

49. {Activity} 3 min
Brainstorm 6 features
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50. {Activity}
1 min
Divide into 2 piles:
build later build now
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51. {Activity}
1 min
Make a feature list.
April 2013
5-item Task Status
to-do sharer tracker
list
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52. How do you know
it’s working?
Measure what matters by tracking
actionable metrics.
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53. Measuring what?
Traffic
Conversion
Funnel
Product
(black box)
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54. Measuring what?
Traffic
Conversion
Funnel
Product
(black box)
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55. Metrics checklist
a good metric... a great metric...
...measures the usage of your ...makes you look at all the
product by a person. The usage other metrics and say “none of
should be specific to features that those other numbers matter if
deliver value to your user. we donʼt get this right first.”
unhelpful vanity good better awesome
% of users % of users
% of new
total number who sign in who share a
users per
sign-ups of registered 3+ times a task 3+
week
users day, times a day,
per week per week
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56. {Activity} 3 min
Brainstorm 5 measures
(from features)
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57. {Activity}
1 min
Divide into 2 piles:
less more
telling telling
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58. {Activity}
1 min
Pick 3.
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59. {Activity}
Pair-check your metrics
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60. Metrics checklist
• “number of...” [ # ]
1. Does the metric • “average number of...” [avg ]
begin with a number? • “percent of...” [ % ]
• “per week” [ ___/wk ]
2. Is there a time basis? • “per month” [ ___/mo]
• “per user” [ ___/user]
3. Is there an object • “per user per week” (fancy!)
basis? • Examples: per user, per session,
or by interaction or item
* not required, but super-helpful
(messages per file, emails
per thread)
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61. Metrics checklist
a good metric... a great metric...
...measures the usage of your ...makes you look at all the
product by a person. The usage other metrics and say “none of
should be specific to features that those other numbers matter if
deliver value to your user. we donʼt get this right first.”
unhelpful vanity good better awesome
% of users % of users
% of new
total number who sign in who share a
users per
sign-ups of registered 3+ times a task 3+
week
users day, times a day,
per week per week
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62. {Activity}
5 min
each
Pair-check your metrics
*You* are the person responsible
for getting your peer to
awesome!
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63. {Activity}
Make a dashboard
April 2013
% of users Avg number Avg # of
who share a of logins per tasks
task 3+ person per completed
times a day, week. per person
per week per month.
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64. Tell the story
Pull it all together
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65. UX Stack BUILD
MEASURE
LEARN
Users
1. I need...
why
what Needs 2. I want...
3. My goal is...
how
Your vision & ideas go here
Mary can...
Uses
Sketches,
Features
prototypes,
wireframes,
pixels Interfaces & flows
This Week
Prototypes
User stories
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66. Making the most of the team
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67. MVP* Narrative This is [product name] .
The idea... 5 min
Meet...
M V C
M V P
* Minimum Viable Product
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68. 2 min
Story time!
Your pair peer reads
your story back to you.
(Simply read the words on the page.)
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69. 1 min
Pitch Practice
Come up and share
your story!
Exciting prizes for the 3
entrepreneurs who
volunteer!
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70. UX Stack
Users
1. I need...
why
what Needs 2. I want...
3. My goal is...
how
Your vision & ideas go here
Mary can...
Uses
Sketches,
Features
prototypes,
wireframes,
This Week
pixels Interfaces & flows
Prototypes
User stories
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71. Patterns of work
1. Sketch
(especially of people)
2. Timebox!
(speed kills the censor and keeps you moving)
3. Generate independently, discuss as a team
(3 people ideal)
4. Dump & Sort
(one item per Post-It, use Sharpie)
5. 2x2 organizing framework
(help decision-making when lots of items)
6. Work at the wall
7. Quick decision-making techniques
(dot-vote, roman vote, stack rank)
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72. Resources & Next Steps
• Validate! Do 3 customer development interviews
(Within the next week, or even sooner if your audience
is at UX London!)
• Startup Weekends & hackathons
Startupweekend.org
• Founders Institute
fi.co
• Bootstrapping your idea
• Crowdfunding, Peerfunding, Enterprise Incubators
• LUXr Core Curriculum
(come see me for discount codes!)
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73. Geek out & learn tons more
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74. LUXr makes products that coach early-
stage entrepreneurs on effective practices
to deliver products that customers want,
need and love to buy.
LUXr.co
3435 Cesar Chavez, San Francisco, CA • 94110
The Juhl, 353 E. Bonneville Ave., Las Vegas, NV • 89101
info@luxr.co • http://luxr.co • twitter: @luxrco • www.facebook.com/LUXrInc
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