article thumbnail

Speed up or slow down? (for Harvard Business Review)

Startup Lessons Learned

Defective prototype code was as often thrown out (because customers didnt want it) as it was fixed (when customers did). Hence, cutting corners often paid huge dividends. Defective prototype code was as often thrown out (because customers didnt want it) as it was fixed (when customers did).

article thumbnail

Don’t Underestimate the Undergraduates

Steve Blank

I think you will see the work of some talented and determined entrepreneurs who have honed their customer discovery and customer development skills to an impressive level. Align and train mentors to embrace customer development. If you do, my bet is on these talented, motivated and well-prepared undergraduates.

Lean 282
Insiders

Sign Up for our Newsletter

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

article thumbnail

Lessons Learned: The one line split-test, or how to A/B all the time

Startup Lessons Learned

Thats when this approach can pay huge dividends. I had the opportunity to pioneer this approach to funnel analysis at IMVU, where it became a core part of our customer development process. To promote this metrics discipline, we would present the full funnel to our board (and advisers) at the end of every development cycle.

article thumbnail

Lessons Learned: Work in small batches

Startup Lessons Learned

These changes pay increasing dividends, because each improvement now direclty frees up somebody in QA at the same time as reducing the total time of the certification step. The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Customer Development ► June (3) What is a startup? No departments The Five Whys for Startups (for Harvard Business R.

article thumbnail

If I Told You I'd Have to Kill You: The Story Behind “The Secret.

Steve Blank

And you’d like me to do my talk on Customer Development and startups?” “No, we’re the other CIA.” Paradoxically, firms in financial trouble, stalked by competitors and creditors, will often issue dividends or increase dividends in order to signal financial health to the market.

article thumbnail

Lessons Learned: Inc Magazine on Minimum Viable Product (and a.

Startup Lessons Learned

The key ideas are customer development , the pivot , MVP, and root cause analysis. Being systematic about these hypotheses is what customer development is all about. This is the ultimate startup discipline, the hardest to master, and the one that pays biggest dividends. Why didn’t we learn more?

article thumbnail

How to conduct a Five Whys root cause analysis

Startup Lessons Learned

Luckily, in most prevention situations, even the first few steps in prevention can pay time-savings dividends quickly. The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Customer Development ► June (3) What is a startup? No departments The Five Whys for Startups (for Harvard Business R.