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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).

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

Startup Lessons Learned

In my experience, the majority of changes we made to products have no effect at all on customer behavior. Thats when this approach can pay huge dividends. The report is set up to show you what happened to customers who registered in that period (a so-called cohort analysis ). First of all, why split-test?

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Don’t Underestimate the Undergraduates

Steve Blank

The first month of customer discovery for most of their initiatives relied too much on conversations within the Princeton University community itself (fellow students, faculty and admin). Align and train mentors to embrace customer development. If you do, my bet is on these talented, motivated and well-prepared undergraduates.

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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.

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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.

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

Startup Lessons Learned

Unfortunately, after months or even years of development, many companies discover that customers arent willing to buy their new wares. Thats why some entrepreneurs are trying another approach to product launches: marketing a product online before spending much on research and development or inventory.

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How to conduct a Five Whys root cause analysis

Startup Lessons Learned

When customers are affected, try to have someone who experienced the customer problem first-hand, like the customer service rep who took the calls from angry customers. Luckily, in most prevention situations, even the first few steps in prevention can pay time-savings dividends quickly.