Giff Constable presents a methodology for adopting a lean product process in organizations. The process involves: 1. Forming small, cross-functional teams tasked with improving key performance indicators. 2. Developing hypotheses about potential product features to test before heavy investment rather than focusing on delivering features. 3. Implementing an agile process where features start as minimum viable experiments and iterate based on testing with customers.

1. @giffconstable
giff@proof-nyc.com
Bringing a Lean Product
Process to Your Organization
Lean.
Prac*cal.
Innova*on.
Lean Product Process, Northeast PHP 2012

2. @giffconstable
Who am I? giff@proof-nyc.com
§ Giff Constable
§ skillset generalist,
early-stage specialist
§ 6 startups
§ co-founder, Proof
§ co-organizer Lean
Startup Meetup NYC
Lean Product Process, Northeast PHP 2012

3. How about you?
Lean Product Process, Northeast PHP 2012

4. 10 Characteristics of a Lean
Product Organization
1. You are composed of small, goal-driven, cross-
functional teams
2. Each team is tasked with improving a critical
business metric (KPI)
3. Features begin as hypotheses to be tested
before heavy investment
4. Features come not just with acceptance criteria
but success criteria
5. A feature starts as a minimum valuable feature,
and then iterates
Lean Product Process, Northeast PHP 2012

5. 10 Characteristics of a Lean
Product Organization
6. Proof carries more weight than opinion
7. The team talks to real customers on a regular
basis. Including in-person.
8. The team works in agile sprints, with close
collaboration across all roles
9. The team communicates regularly with the rest of
the organization, and is transparent about
priorities and work-in-process
10. Each team has regular checkpoints where you
decide to stop, change, or double-down on
pursuing the KPI
Lean Product Process, Northeast PHP 2012

6. If you’re not there yet,
where to start?
Lean Product Process, Northeast PHP 2012

7. Pre-requisites
§ Strong leader with vision and faith in lean
techniques
§ Cross-functional teams focused on solving
problems, not shipping deliverables
Lean Product Process, Northeast PHP 2012

8. Example Team
§ Team lead / product owner
§ dedicated UX designer
§ 2-4 developers
§ visual designer
Lean Product Process, Northeast PHP 2012

9. Step 1: KPI Prioritization
1
hour
brainstorm
Lean Product Process, Northeast PHP 2012

10. Lean Product Process, Northeast PHP 2012

11. This is not a democracy
Nor is it dictating details
Lean Product Process, Northeast PHP 2012

12. Step 2: Hypothesis Creation
1
hour
brainstorm
Lean Product Process, Northeast PHP 2012

13. Lean Product Process, Northeast PHP 2012

14. Step 3: Weighting
30
minutes
Lean Product Process, Northeast PHP 2012

15. Weight
Small,
Med,
Large
Feature / Expected Effort Risk
Hypothesis
Benefit
Involved
Level
Lean Product Process, Northeast PHP 2012

16. Step 4: Experiment Design
What
are
the
simplest
things
we
can
do
to
prove
value
and
probe
risks?
Lean Product Process, Northeast PHP 2012

17. Step 5: Backlog Creation
Experiment
comes
before
the
feature
Lean Product Process, Northeast PHP 2012

18. Step 6: Execution
Success
is
a
win,
but
so
is
spoFng
a
dead-­‐end
early!
Lean Product Process, Northeast PHP 2012

19. “How do we know when it’s
done should become how do
we know when it’s good.”
Lane Halley
Lean Product Process, Northeast PHP 2012

20. The UX Challenge
§ supporting the current sprint
§ prepping for the next spring
§ engaging in longer-term research and
planning
ALL IN THE SAME WEEK
Lean Product Process, Northeast PHP 2012

21. Team Tip: Externalize
• Your
KPI,
current
and
target
• Work
in
progress
• Progress
made
Lean Product Process, Northeast PHP 2012

22. Step 7: Regular Checkpoints
• Stop,
Change,
Con*nue
• Frequency
can
differ
per
team
Lean Product Process, Northeast PHP 2012

23. In Summary
§ Break down silos
§ Prioritize
§ Hypothesize
§ Experiment
§ Execute
§ Review
§ Rinse & repeat
Lean Product Process, Northeast PHP 2012

24. Questions?
giff@proof-­‐nyc.com
@giffconstable
www.proof-­‐nyc.com
Lean Product Process, Northeast PHP 2012