Valida tu idea en Startup Weekend

1. MVPs and prototyping
Wilhelm Lappe

2. ValidationandMVPs
STARTUP… STARTUP… STARTUP…
STARTUP… STARTUP… STARTUP…
STARTUP… STARTUP… STARTUP…

3. ValidationandMVPs
Interviews

4. ValidationandMVPs interviews
get out of the building
the value of direct contact
feeling, improvise, non verbal communication
interact with humans

5. ValidationandMVPs interviews
interviews vs surveys
qualitative vs quantitative. What/how vs how many
we don’t need a statistical truth
on-line is dangerous

6. ValidationandMVPs what kind of people
You should interview your potential
customers and/or users
Your friend’s opinion doesn’t matter
Your grandma will always love the product

7. ValidationandMVPs finding people to interview
networking: 1st degree Linkedin contacts, your contact list
marketing actions: twitter/facebook followers,
landing page subscribers,…
cold calling: not the best way but…
if you can’t find people to have a coffee, how
do you want to get customers?

8. ValidationandMVPs finding people to interview
when you have 1-5 people it’s easier
ask for new introductions
people know similar people and usually they are
open to do an introduction

9. ValidationandMVPs interviews: tips
many people are not familiar with interviews
explain what you want to do: clarify you’re not
selling anything
try to add some value to them: I’ll tell you the results, I’ll
invite you to be a first user…
maybe you’re asking for a favor: invite to coffee

10. ValidationandMVPs interviews: tips
brief, ask for 20 min. It’s a coffee break
move to the place of the interviewee
maybe visiting your coworking is cool: use it
don’t pay for the interview: it affects the answers
and the profile

11. ValidationandMVPs bad and good questions
What do you like? : cinema, theater….
What did you do yesterday? watched tv and ate
burgers
Ask about behaviors, not about ideas
People lie, at least they idealize themselves

12. ValidationandMVPs don’t be a seller
an interview is subjective by itself: try to avoid it
you’re not selling: get feedback
speak less, listen most of the time
taking notes is ok, writing everything is annoying
people don’t like to be recorded

13. ValidationandMVPs cultural issues
answers are different depending on the country: read
between the lines
Germans give honest feedback: and it hurts
Spaniards always agree with you (despite thinking
you’re crazy)
understand: yes, yes, YES, YES!!!!

14. ValidationandMVPs do it with a scientific method
setup fail/success criteria beforehand
fill the template for every single interview
that’s critical to understand different customer
segment criteria
analyze the data you get, not your feelings

15. ValidationandMVPs it’s not terrible
This is the first time talking with your customers,
or at least with customers in this country
It’s demanding, and breaking the ice is difficult,
more speaking another language
But at the end it’s a very rewarding
experience

16. ValidationandMVPs
Interviews: problem interview

17. ValidationandMVPs problem interview
check the problem
• Talk about the problems: 3 problems – 1 story
• Rank the problem: troubles and pains
• pain level: must, nice, don’t need
• current alternatives
• New problems???

18. ValidationandMVPs problem interview: results
what must you have?
an identified early adopter: demographics
a worthy problem to be solved: must-have
how that’s solved now

19. ValidationandMVPs
Interviews: solution interview

20. ValidationandMVPs solution interview
check the problem and customer
show the solution: what do you have
discover the price: not easy

21. ValidationandMVPs solution interview: steps
demo: this is the key
show a solution for each problem
wait for questions
screenshots: which ones do you like, which ones
to remove
did you miss something?

22. ValidationandMVPs solution interview: steps
price: “is art”
would you like to use for free
tell the price
go top to bottom, something painful but
only a little
summarize : would you like to use the
beta, ask for more contacts?

23. ValidationandMVPs solution interview: results
what must you have?
an identified early adopter: demographics
a worthy problem to be solved: must-have
minimum features to solve it
a price the customer would like to/can pay
a business opportunity

24. ValidationandMVPs
MVPs

25. ValidationandMVPs Main objective: learning
MVP: Minimum Viable Product
• Is one, probably the most critical step in Lean Startup
Methodology.
• It’s needed to check the validations and the
interaction between customers and users.
• It’s essential to understand the ‘Product-Market Fit.’

26. ValidationandMVPs MVP: techniques
MVP: Minimum Viable Product
An MVP is really an experiment, something that allows
us to learn something.
It can be divided into three categories.
• Experiments
• Minimum Selling Point (MSP)
• First Version of the Product

27. ValidationandMVPs MVP: techniques
MVP: Minimum Viable Product
An MVP should contain the VALUE PROPOSITION
of the final product or service
If not, we are not validating our project.

28. ValidationandMVPs MVP: techniques
Experiments

29. ValidationandMVPs MVP: techniques
Experiments
It’s the first approach to interact with users or customers.
• Measure the real reaction of the customers
• Get their feedback
• Check to see how much they will pay for the product
• Challenge us to attract the first customers
“But we are always selling the promises of the product,
not the product itself”

30. ValidationandMVPs MVP: techniques
Experiments, The Main Objective: Learn
We can do it only with an experiment, typically they
are…
• Landing Pages
• Fake Products
• Non-Functional Versions of Hardware/Software
• Mockups

31. ValidationandMVPs MVP: techniques
Experiments, Landing Pages
• They are a “Smoke” Product
• Use SEM and spend 5-10€ per day to attract traffic
• Create A/B tests
“B2C is better than B2B”

32. ValidationandMVPs MVP: techniques
Experiments, Landing Pages

33. ValidationandMVPs MVP: techniques
Experiments
Using Competitors Products

34. ValidationandMVPs MVP: techniques
Minimum selling point

35. ValidationandMVPs MVP: techniques
Minimum Selling Point
The first time you are asking for money in a ‘systematic
way.’
• Show the complete value proposition/features of new
product
• The challenge of attracting customers in recurrent way
• Start understanding marketing operations and costs
“Sometimes we are selling a product, sometimes a
promise.”

36. ValidationandMVPs MVP: techniques
Minimum Selling Point, examples
• A Crowdfunding Campaign
• A Pre-Sales Site
• E-Commerce Site
• A PPT and a Contract (Close to a B2B Deal)
“All in all, the product is not ready. Sometimes the
customer knows this, sometimes they don’t.”

37. ValidationandMVPs MVP: techniques
Minimum Selling Point
Crowdfunding or Pre-Sales are great, because people speak with
money!

38. ValidationandMVPs MVP: techniques
Minimum Selling Point
Pre-Sales: Your website as crowdfunding…

39. ValidationandMVPs MVP: techniques
Minimum Selling Point
Prototype Apps with Coupons: A Big Leap of Faith

40. ValidationandMVPs MVP: techniques
Minimum Selling Point, Why People Will
Pay?
Creating a need:
Limited Editions
(also present in
crowdfunding)

41. ValidationandMVPs MVP: techniques
Minimum Selling Point, Why People Will
Pay?
It’s also a limited
edition…

42. ValidationandMVPs MVP: techniques
Experiment / Minimum Selling Point
Customised
products:
(fake)

43. ValidationandMVPs MVP: techniques
First Version of the product

44. ValidationandMVPs MVP: techniques
First Version of the Product: MVP’s
• The first simple, ugly, and shameful version of the
product.
• An e-commerce or Mechanical Turk approach
• It’s possible to understand the behavior of the user
• We understand the first metrics of our product, Future
versions will improve.
“The key is to do something very simple. If you
complicate it, the product is not an MVP.”

45. ValidationandMVPs MVP: techniques
First Version of the Product
Do something manually before creating
the technology
• E-Concierge: people know it’s
manual, but you’re learning.
• Mechanical Turk: people
don’t realize it’s manual,
but it’s difficult to be real-time.

46. ValidationandMVPs
Real Cases and examples

47. ValidationandMVPs

48. ValidationandMVPs Main objective: learning
App For Teaching Math
Let’s think in an app to teach math to kids from 8 to 12
years old…
• Experiments: Sell competitor Apps, Show it, Learn what people
like or not, Solution Interviews can help with translation
• Minimum selling point: Create a landing page, sell coupons,
Charge for the first ones
• First version of the product: First version of the App, Only
Android, IOS or Web, Include first lessons and features

49. ValidationandMVPs Main objective: learning
Taxi App
Similar context to Uber or MyTaxi
• Experiment: Launch a landing page where customers can
order a taxi. You have a spreadsheet and 1 hour to manually
call a taxi
• Minimum Selling Point: Test your fee by talking to drivers or
using Paypal (manually).
• First Version Product: Automate some emails and processes
using something like Zapier….or add more people

50. ValidationandMVPs Main objective: learning
Smart Jewel www.zerojewels.com
A Jewelry line focused on providing a gift for special
moments…its pricing ranges from 100-200 euros
• Experiment: Ranges from design forms, pendant/earrings, materials,
textures, and colors
• Minimum Selling Point: A pre-sale with the date of launch and pictures
of the prototypes. The website will not work without a physical product
• First Version Product: A few jewels come in different colors/materials:
the packaging and digital experience is all included in the MVP

51. ValidationandMVPs Main objective: learning
Smart Jewel www.zerojewels.com

52. ValidationandMVPs Main objective: learning
Hardware product
• Experiments: Find perfect size/design, present the
potential customer different renders/non-functional
versions, Test functionalities with working product
• Minimum selling point: A web page where you can pre-
order, and pay for the product, Crowdfunding included,
create a prototype, video, or features list
• First version of the product: Create the real product. Maybe
10-100 units, Validate everything before you manufacture it

53. ValidationandMVPs Main objective: learning
Hardware Product, Real Case: Miito
A sustainable alternative to the electric kettle…

54. ValidationandMVPs Main objective: learning
SOUNDBRENNER Experiment
Prototyping Hardware: Functional vs Design

55. ValidationandMVPs Main objective: learning
SOUNDBRENNER Minimum Selling Point

56. ValidationandMVPs
Why is it So Complicated?

57. ValidationandMVPs Main objective: learning
MVP: Fears
It’s simple but entrepreneurs create their
own barriers:
• It’s crappy
• It’ll damage the brand prestige
• The users can’t tell us what they want

58. ValidationandMVPs Main objective: learning
MVP: Challenges
It’s easier in digital than in real life and in services than in
products
• How to prototype restaurants or shops: pop-up stores,
corners…
• When your value is based on design and quality
• Hardware: prototyping vs manufacturing
• B2B: not many chances to fail

59. ValidationandMVPs
Conclusions

60. ValidationandMVPs Main objective: learning
Conclusions
There is not a single answer or path to go through
• It depends on the product/service and value proposition
• It’s simple to do the first experiments and the minimum selling point
• We will learn a lot, sometimes painful, about how to create and sell
the real product
• We know what we are trying to learn and what are the risks
associated

61. ValidationandMVPs Main objective: learning
“I hope it will help entrepreneurs to do more
MVPs, something that many times they find
scary.”

62. ValidationandMVPs
Wilhelm Lappe @wlappe
www.emprelab.com - @emprelab
info@emprelab.com
Wilhelm Lappe
Thanks!