Creating Products The Lean Way

Based on learnings from three Lean Startups

Volker Gersabeck @thinkingUX

Pidoco - Online Wireframing Software

“We shipped a new version of our product every three weeks, starting in 2009. That’s two

years before the book “Lean Startup” was published.”

UXcampEurope - Barcamp for UX people

“After nine months of bootstrapping in our spare time we were able to gather 300 UX enthusiasts and 20 sponsors for the first

UXcamp in Berlin in 2009.”

Crewmeister - Online Time Tracking for Small Businesses

“It took us less than eight months to get from idea to first paying SaaS customer.”

Startups often try to build a highway

And get stuck with a semi finished road

Lean Startup means to start with a green field first

Then to see where people walk and paths are forming

Identify obstacles and remove them

Finally, pave the paths step by step

Until you have a proper road

Goals of Lean Startup

• Open your gates (go live) as early as possible

• The product that you offer when going live should be the Minimum Viable Product (MVP)

• Not to mix with minimum product!

• Then learn and improve your product

MVP

Learn

Adapt

What Lean Startups usually do

• Product Vision

• MVP Development

• Go Live

• Learn and Adapt

… and usually don’t do• Product Vision

• Validate product vision with user research

• Get more insights from target groups

• Try different concepts for the MVP

• MVP Development

• Go Live

• Learn and Adapt

Your Project never starts with a green field

A Mud Hole is not a good MVP

• There has to be one strong reason to walk your field:

• it’s more comfortable to walk (better usability)

• it’s a shortcut / saves time (save money)

• there is a nice viewpoint with a great sight (wow)

Write down your product vision as a team exercise

Not only observe your field but have a look beyond

Have in mind that people can do lots of things while walking

Path is customer journey

Path is customer journey

Divide path into parts that can be tested in isolation

If the path is muddy in the beginning, nobody will see how great it is at the end

Conclusion• Validate your product vision through user research

• Have a strong reason to use your MVP

• Understand the usage context

• Prototype and test the most critical part of the customer journey first

• Improve the start of the customer journey first

Thank you!

Volker Gersabeck @thinkingUX

User Experience, Product Strategy, Startups

I’m looking for new projects!