The lean start up versus the big angry giant has always been
a debate over the years. It would seem as if however that the trend has been
moving towards the more, agile plans as opposed to the big and bulky. Back to
the beginnings of man, technology would only develop and double in potential
every hundred or so years. Today, it seems as if its been growing
exponentially. Steve Blank introduces three key principles that new teams and
new businesses needed to take note of: the first principle is to build
hypothesis, the second principle is to test the hypothesis, and the third
principle is to build iteratively. (Blank, 2013)
I will tie these three principles and parallel them with Ries’ build-measure-learn
(RBML) wheel as introduced by McKeown. (McKeown, 2014)
The first
principle is to build a hypothesis. This is where you need to figure out what
it is you need to learn and figure out how it is you create value for the customer.
In RBML, this is the learning stage, which leads up to the measure stage. (McKeown, 2014) Just like any business plan, you
have to start somewhere. This is where the hypothesis comes in.
The second
principle is to test the hypothesis. This is where you “go out and ask
potential users, purchases, and partners for feedback on all elements of the
business model, including product features, pricing, distribution channels, and
affordable customer acquisition strategies.” (Blank, 2013)
This closely ties in with RBML’s measure portion of the wheel. (McKeown, 2014) The idea is to figure out by
asking the customers directly if you will be building something viable towards
their needs. If there is a disconnect then go back to the first principle and
develop a new hypothesis. Otherwise, start building it!
The third
principle is to build iteratively. It is said “agile development eliminates
wasted time and resources by developing the product iteratively and
incrementally. It’s the process by which startups create the minimum viable
products they test.” (Blank, 2013)
This is where the build section of the RBML wheel comes in, where you build
that minimum viable product and then gets the feedback necessary to build upon
that product. This way time isn’t wasted on building what the customer doesn’t
want. Then when this is complete, start the entire process over again!
The three
main principles covered by Blank are: first to build a hypothesis, second to
test the hypothesis, and third to build iteratively. This is closely tied with
Ries’ build-measure-learn wheel and in fact rather compliments one another. By
being agile, companies and teams will better be able to adapt and maneuver the
market without the major risks of creating a master five-year plan. My
listening and working with the customer, you better ensure the success of your
idea and your product.
References
Blank, S.
(2013). Why the Lean Start-Up Changes Everything. Harvard Business REview
, 63-72.
McKeown, M. (2014). The Innovation Book. London:
Pearson.
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