Solution Validation: Concierge MVP - presentation for Lean Startup Machine Amsterdam 2015. PS. if you find the "problem constellation" approach interesting - please email me at daria@ideahackers.nl, I'm preparing an article about it and your feedback is very welcome.

1. Why startups absolutely MUST fake it
till they make it

4. Feedback
Understand the existing experience
to design
solutions for improvement of people’s life

5. By now…
Problem validation
Identifying Early adopters
Finding Early adopters
Solution Validation

6. “ House renovation was a nightmare, the dust was everywhere.
It took a while to decide what and how I wanted to change in my
interior, but it took even longer to find professionals that were
available for work and could speak Dutch.”
So what’s the Problem?
Marion,
50 years old, happily married,
she has recently renovated their kitchen.

7. It’s never just one “problem”,
it’s a constellation of them.

8. The Constellation of Problems
is a summary of gaps & pains in current experience
Can’t communicate
Lack of trust
Lack of transparency
Too much hassle
Afraid to make a wrong choice

9. Focus on solving the most annoying problem
that occurs more frequently
to maximize interactions with your customer (and gain customer Trust).

10. Feedback
Core Value?
First learn what’s needed to make
your product a success

11. Feedback
Can you instead of providing the product
start from manual service?

13. Concierge method helps you to learn
HOW to solve customer’s problem

14. Start a product as a MANUAL service first

15. Feedback
In practice:
- charge a customer for manually performing
the service without any product development.
- you can offer your service on a website, but
all functions of the product are emulated
manually.

17. Feedback
Benefits of Concierge:
ü Collect invaluable data about what users want.
ü Learn about the operational side.
ü Highly personalized approach, that is more
likely to delight your customers.

18. Feedback
ü Highly personalized approach, that is more
likely to delight your customers.
And if it doesn’t then what are your chances
with the “cold” online product?

19. Goals:
ü Identify the core value;
ü Learn about HOW to deliver it to your customers;
ü Learn what users will pay for it.

20. Examples

21. Daily commuting together with customers to read them news out loud
and learn about their habits, preferences and overall experience.
News reading app

22. ü Matched customers with advisors & topical experts via video calling,
afterwards asking to tip the expert if they find advice useful.
ü Collected data on the most requested subjects, learned about
customer’s decision making process.
Personal Shopping advisor (pivot after concierge!)

23. ü Created personalized stories for kids together with their parents
by adding kid’s friends names and photos into the story.
ü Measured progress (unlocking story after story) and collected
feedback.

24. ü Talked to schools & parents. Arranged real life testing with kids.
ü Manually (via Skype) gave kids feedback on their reading skills,
cheering them up and helping to pronounce words correctly.
ü Learned which techniques work for kids to continue practicing
reading.

25. ü Went to Retailers (mainly supermarkets), offered help with Company
Assets Overview report. Collected feedback & currency.
ü Learned about typical mistakes and problems, decision making
process and potential gain creators.

27. ü Tested hand-made solution with real firefighters.
ü Created a prototype and got 2 launching customers in
The Netherlands within a few days.

28. ü Tested the demand for Product Data consistency check throughout
multiple online retailer websites.
ü Manually delivered reports and collected currency.

29. Ask yourself:
• How can we reach our early adopters?
• Do they understand our Solution?
• Does the Solution that we have in mind
actually solve their problem?
• Will our Solution work in real life?
ü Test in context.

30. Requirements = Assumptions
We know = We Believe
Let’s build it = Let’s test it!

31. Goal is to learn, not to prove you are right.

32. Which tools to use to create prototypes?
Pop App
Proto.io
Marvel app
Adobe Muse
Pen & Paper
Powerpoint
Keynote
Axure
Invision

33. Which tools to use to create landing pages?
QuickMVP.com
Unbouncepages.com
Adobe Muse
Strikingly.com
Landerapp.com
Landingi.com
Launchrock.com

34. Images, videos & icons?
One source for all:
Allthefreestock.com

36. Daria Nepriakhina
@epicantus
daria@ideahackers.nl