Human beings optimize what they measure. If you manage the wrong metric, you will fail to achieve your desired outcome. But It doesn’t have to be this way. The best skill startup investors have is choosing the right metric. They know that return on investment is years away, therefore they must have the ability to track progress toward the return. If we can’t measure money and we can’t measure team productivity, what’s left? In this highly actionable presentation, author and Startup founder Brant Cooper introduced the VALUE STREAM DISCOVERY TOOL, a step-by-step process for determining the right metrics to focus on. You’ll learn how to evaluate how customers behave throughout their journey, what tactics you might use to elicit that behavior, and how to measure their progress. Additionally, the framework can be used to measure the progress of virtually any internal project, including innovation programs themselves!

1. Photo by Gabriel Barletta on Unsplash
Disruption for All
Vanity vs Impact Metrics for Innovation Programs
By Brant Cooper

2. our organizational
systems and
structures are
based upon the
industrial age

3. we’re not in the
industrial age
anymore

4. where uncertainty is a sure thing
we’re in the middle of systematic disruption

5. KNOWN UNKNOWN
learnexecute
Measure outcomes Measure progress

6. Em
Understanding customers deeply;
their pains, passions and needs.
EMPATHY
Ex
Assumption busting through
testing behavior
EXPERIMENTS
Ev
Making decisions quickly informed
by insights and data
EVIDENCE
THE 5 ELEMENTS OF DISRUPTION POETRY
Eq
EQUILIBRIUM
Balance execute vs explore;
work, family, wellness and so on
Et
ETHICS
Doing the right thing; solving
problems; creating value

7. © Moves the Needle All rights reserved
eating your own dog food
• Develop empathy for colleagues, leaders, and
team members
• Run experiments to find where you can learn
how to inspire, motivate and drive impact
• Let evidence guide decisions
• Adopt agile mindset in every day work
• Prioritize with uncertainty in mind

8. © Moves the Needle All rights reserved
execution metrics*
• Strategic Objectives: High level statements
that outline exactly what you want to achieve
and by when
• KPI: A quantifiable measure used to evaluate
the success of an organization, employee, etc. in
meeting objectives for performance (OXFORD)
• OKR: Objectives and key results is a goal-
setting framework for defining and tracking
objectives and their outcomes (WIKIPEDIA)
*execution metrics measure the steps taken
and their results. We know (or hope) that
these lead to accomplishing the objectives.

9. © Moves the Needle All rights reserved
learning metrics*
• Strategic objectives can stay the same
• Requires understanding of known vs unknown
• Indicates progress of learning
*learning metrics measure the the behavior
change of stakeholders

10. innovat ion program me trics

11. PASSIONATESATISFIEDHOPEFULCONVINCEDTRUSTINGINTRIGUEDAWARE
VALUE STREAM DISCOVERY*
METRICS-DRIVEN
*Based on NYT BestSeller, The Lean Entrepreneur by Brant Cooper

12. © Moves the Needle All rights reserved
TASK: Brainstorm and identify all key Stakeholders
“MARKET SEGMENTS”
STAKEHOLDERS
Brainstorm all key Stakeholders
Who are the early adopters and supporters?
How does your work impact them?
How often do they interact with your “product”?

13. © Moves the Needle All rights reserved
What does she want/need/aspire to?
Where does she “hang out”?
CUSTOMER PROBLEM ZOOM
unique attributes
under extreme
pressure to
deliver
numbers
likes to code;
has
background
in tech
Influenced by
Kara Swisher
attends
innovation
conferences
constantly
reading
leadership
books
likes to attend
company
lunch and
learns
Carie Castle
behaviors
zoom-in
What’s her work like?
What’s her style?
Who influences her?
What’s a big unmet need?
What does she do?
Where does she “hang out”?
Picture
Name
Customer Problem statement
no time for
learning
mode
active on MS
Teams
professional,
veteran product
executive,
managing fortune
100 product
organization
wants to be
considered
“thought
leader"
c-suite
opportunity
boss doesn’t
“get it”
make world
a better place
goals
team too
slow
time, time,
time
What’s getting in her way from achieving her needs?
obstacles
time to test
ideas

14. PASSIONATE
VALUE STREAM DISCOVERY*
METRICS-DRIVEN PROGRESS
*Based on NYT BestSeller, The Lean Entrepreneur by Brant Cooper
SATISFIEDINTRIGUED

15. VALUE STREAM DISCOVERY
INTRIGUED
© Moves the Needle All rights reservedWhat defines an Intrigued stakeholder?
:
Intrigued State requires:
• What is your utility promise?
• State the underlying need you’re addressing for particular stakeholder
• Ex: Leader’s employees will discover customer insights
• What is the aspiration?
• What journey are you inviting your stakeholder on? What’s the impact to them of addressing their need?
• Ex: Leader will be recognized as “thought leader”
• What is the behavior that indicates stakeholder is intrigued?
• Ex: Requests more information on innovation program services
• Ex: signs up for zoom call to hear more about program
• How will you measure behavior?
• Ex: zoom sign ups

16. VALUE STREAM DISCOVERY
SATISFIED
© Moves the Needle All rights reservedWhat defines a Satisfied stakeholder?
:
Satisfied state requires:
• What must you provide to fulfill utility promise?
• Describe 3 specific “features” of your program that address the underlying need
• Ex: innovation sprints; ongoing coaching; impact reports
• What is the behavior that indicates stakeholder is satisfied?
• Ex: sends employees to 3 1-day workshops over 3 months
• Ex: employees attend coaching calls
• How will you measure behavior?
• Ex: # people/workshops/mo
• Ex: # coaching calls/week

17. VALUE STREAM DISCOVERY
PASSIONATE
© Moves the Needle All rights reservedWhat defines a PASSIONATE stakeholder?
:
Passionate state requires:
• What is the customer’s aspirational journey and how do you get them to join?
• Describe the journey you wish to take persona on and what you must provide
• Ex: Sponsor gets reputation as innovation thought leader preparing company for future
• What is the behavior that indicates stakeholder has joined the journey?
• Provides positive reviews
• Shares experience on internal systems
• Invites others
• How will you measure behavior?
• Ex: # of referrals
• Ex: # of unique shoutouts

18. being agile

19. © Moves the Needle All rights reserved
STRATEGIC PRIORITIES
KNOWN VS UNKNOWN
High Impact
Lower Impact
Lower confidence
Higher confidence
Confidence
• Do we understand the stakeholder?
• Do we understand the need?
• Do we understand the desired
outcome?
• Do we have the right capabilities?
• Access to the right resources?
Impact
• Does it align with company objectives?
• Is benefit near term?
• Is it positive financially?
• Is it positive on other strategic levers?

20. Sales Funnel
• Endorsements
• Pricing
• Objections
Marketing Funnel
• Market segments
• Acquisition channels
• Messaging
• Content delivery
PASSIONATESATISFIEDHOPEFULCONVINCEDTRUSTINGINTRIGUEDAWARE
VALUE STREAM DISCOVERY*
METRICS-DRIVEN
“Brand”
• Customer relationship
• Customer aspiration
• Corporate values
Product Adoption
• “Whole” product
• Distribution
• Promise fulfillment
*Based on NYT BestSeller, The Lean Entrepreneur by Brant Cooper

21. MISSION-BASED STRUCTURE
VALUE STREAM INNOVATION
PASSIONATESATISFIEDHOPEFULCONVINCEDTRUSTINGINTRIGUEDAWARE
MARKETING SALES
PRODUCT
MANAGEMENT
ENGINEERING
CUSTOMER
SUPPORT
TEAM 1
I
O
Team 1 Mission = increase in avg daily engagement/user
{
MISSION

22. MANAGING EQUILIBRIUM
SPRINT EXECUTION & SEARCH
The Sprint
Impact
Efficiency
Known
Knowns
Known
Unknowns
Unknown
Unknowns

23. team
team
team
team
team
team of teams builds
context

25. THANK YOU!
www.MovesTheNeedle.com
brant@movestheneedle.com
tools: startupbluebook.com