The document discusses the Lean Startup methodology for validating product ideas through quick, simple experiments. It describes the steps of defining a customer/problem hypothesis, planning a minimum viable product (MVP) to test the riskiest assumption, running an experiment, and learning from the results whether to pivot or persevere. An example case study is provided of founders testing the assumption that bootstrapped startups need reliable UX feedback by offering paid virtual feedback, which validated the problem and solution.

1. Grace Ng
Co-Founder
Javelin.com, creators of Lean Startup Machine
@uxceo
@nycuxpa
#ngnycuxpa
Validating Product Ideas
with Quick and Simple
Experiments
Friday, May 30, 14

2. What is
Lean Startup?
@uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
Friday, May 30, 14

3. Minimum Viable Product
Test your riskiest assumption
@uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
Friday, May 30, 14

4. EARLY ADOPTERS
@uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
Friday, May 30, 14

5. PIVOT
@uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
Friday, May 30, 14

6. Lean UX?
Lean Startup?
@uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
Friday, May 30, 14

7. Lean Startup
@uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
Friday, May 30, 14

8. Lean UX
@uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
Friday, May 30, 14

9. @uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
Friday, May 30, 14

10. “Tell me and I forget.
Show me and I remember.
Let me do and I understand.”
- Confucius
@uxceo
Friday, May 30, 14

11. @uxceo
Friday, May 30, 14

12. @uxceo
Let’s Do a Start Up.Let’s Do a Start Up.
Friday, May 30, 14

13. Great Idea!
Textual search is limiting.
How can I search a visual query?
@uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
Friday, May 30, 14

14. Textual search is limiting.
How can I search a visual query?
Textual search is limiting.
How can I search a visual query?
@uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
Friday, May 30, 14

15. Photo Q&A App
Friday, May 30, 14

16. Minimum Viable Product
Test your riskiest assumption
@uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
Friday, May 30, 14

17. Ask Question
Upload Photo
Riskiest Assumption:
Do people even have visual questions to post?
@uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
Friday, May 30, 14

18. What is this bird??
What kind of bird is this? (Is it even a bird??)
@uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
Friday, May 30, 14

19. What is this bird??
Riskiest Assumption:
Can someone can answer within given time?
@uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
Friday, May 30, 14

20. What is this bird??
What kind of bird is this? (Is it even a bird??)
@uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
Friday, May 30, 14

21. Will this scale? Can this be replicated?
@uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
Friday, May 30, 14

22. Wireframed...
@uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
Friday, May 30, 14

23. Designed...
@uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
Friday, May 30, 14

24. Launched...
@uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
Friday, May 30, 14

25. Oops.
@uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
Friday, May 30, 14

26. Exploration Interviews
@uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
Friday, May 30, 14

27. I don’t care...
@uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
Friday, May 30, 14

28. @uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
Friday, May 30, 14

29. $2 M
2 Years
@uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
Friday, May 30, 14

30. ~$20M
@uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
Friday, May 30, 14

31. Need Finding...
@uxceo
6 Months
@uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
Friday, May 30, 14

32. MEASURE
METRICS
LEARN
PIVOT/PERSEVERE
BUILD
EXPERIMENTHypothe
size
Test
Analyze
@uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
Friday, May 30, 14

33. Need Finding...
@uxceo
24 Hours
@uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
Friday, May 30, 14

34. ExperimentsStart here. Brainstorm with stickies, pull it over to the right to start your experiment.
Customer
Problem
Solution
Result &
Decision
Learning
Riskiest
Assumption
Method &
Success
Criterion
1 2 3 4 5
To form a Customer/Problem Hypothesis:
I believe my customer has a
problem achieving this goal.
To form your Assumptions:
hypothesis to be
true, assumption needs to
be true.
Determine how you will test it:
The least expensive way to
test my assumption is...
Time Limit: 5 Min
What is the problem? Phrase it from your customer’s perspective. Time Limit: 5 Min
Time Limit: 5 Min
List the assumptions that must hold true, for your hypothesis to be true. Time Limit: 10 Min
Need help? Use these sentences to help construct your experiment.
To form a Problem/Solution Hypothesis:
I believe this solution will result
in .
To identify your Riskiest Assumption:
The assumption with the least
amount of data, and core to the
viability of my hypothesis is...
Determine what success looks like:
I will run experiment with # of
customers and expect a strong
signal from # of customers.
Project Name: Team Leader Name:
GET OUT OF THE BUILDING!
© 2014 Javelin. You are free to use it and earn money with it as an entrepreneur, consultant, or executive, as long as you are not a software company (the latter need to license it from us).Download Experiment Board and watch case studies at www.javelin.com
Experiment BoardJavelin
@uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
Friday, May 30, 14

35. Step 1
@uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
Define Your Hypothesis
Friday, May 30, 14

36. Who is the
customer?
@uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
Define Your Customer
Must be specific to be easily testable!
Friday, May 30, 14

37. What is his/her
problem?
@uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
Define the Problem
Make it specific to the target customer
Friday, May 30, 14

38. @uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
Problem
INCORRECT:
“People are not recycling” is not a problem someone
has
CORRECT:
“Busy mother forgets the day of the week for collection”
“College student is confused how to sort plastics”
Two similar but different problems
Friday, May 30, 14

39. @uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
Solution
Do not define until the problem is
validated
Why? Because every problem
has multiple solutions
Friday, May 30, 14

40. ExperimentsStart here. Brainstorm with stickies, pull it over to the right to start your experiment.
Customer
Problem
Solution
Result &
Decision
Learning
Riskiest
Assumption
Method &
Success
Criterion
1 2 3 4 5
To form a Customer/Problem Hypothesis:
I believe my customer has a
problem achieving this goal.
To form your Assumptions:
hypothesis to be
true, assumption needs to
be true.
Determine how you will test it:
The least expensive way to
test my assumption is...
Time Limit: 5 Min
What is the problem? Phrase it from your customer’s perspective. Time Limit: 5 Min
Time Limit: 5 Min
List the assumptions that must hold true, for your hypothesis to be true. Time Limit: 10 Min
Need help? Use these sentences to help construct your experiment.
To form a Problem/Solution Hypothesis:
I believe this solution will result
in .
To identify your Riskiest Assumption:
The assumption with the least
amount of data, and core to the
viability of my hypothesis is...
Determine what success looks like:
I will run experiment with # of
customers and expect a strong
signal from # of customers.
Project Name: Team Leader Name:
GET OUT OF THE BUILDING!
© 2014 Javelin. You are free to use it and earn money with it as an entrepreneur, consultant, or executive, as long as you are not a software company (the latter need to license it from us).Download Experiment Board and watch case studies at www.javelin.com
Experiment BoardJavelin
@uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
Friday, May 30, 14

41. Step 2
@uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
Plan Your MVP
Friday, May 30, 14

42. @uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
What must we LEARN?
What are the Core Assumptions of
our business?
Assumption:
A behavior, mentality, or action that needs to
happen in order for hypothesis to be true.
Friday, May 30, 14

43. @uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
What must we LEARN?
Prioritize: Which Assumption is
the Riskiest?
The one that is most unknown,
and crucial to the business
Friday, May 30, 14

44. @uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
What do we BUILD to test?
1.Exploration -> understand problem
2.Pitch -> collect currency
3.Concierge -> deliver customer
expectation
(Methods increase in cost of testing)
Friday, May 30, 14

45. Ship MVP
@uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
Friday, May 30, 14

46. Minimum Viable Product
Test your riskiest assumption
@uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
Friday, May 30, 14

47. @uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
How to MEASURE success?
Decide on the weakest outcome
you will accept as validation
Called the Minimum Success
Criterion
Friday, May 30, 14

48. @uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
How to MEASURE success?
Time# People x
1. How big is the problem?
2. Revenue > Opportunity Cost
Salaryx
Friday, May 30, 14

49. Step 3
@uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
Run Your Experiment!
Friday, May 30, 14

50. EARLY ADOPTERS
@uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
Friday, May 30, 14

51. Step 4
@uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
What did you learn?
Friday, May 30, 14

52. Invalidated?
PIVOT!
@uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
Friday, May 30, 14

53. They did it.
@uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
Friday, May 30, 14

54. Validated?
PERSEVERE!
@uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
Friday, May 30, 14

55. Keep Testing
@uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
Friday, May 30, 14

56. Case Study
@uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
Friday, May 30, 14

57. Founders UX Help
@uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
Friday, May 30, 14

58. Experimentsxperiment.
Customer
Problem
Solution
Riskiest
Assumption
Success
Criterion
1 2 3 4 5
Time Limit: 5 Min
Time Limit: 5 Min
Time Limit: 5 Min
Time Limit: 10 Min
pothesis:
n will result
.
mption:
GET OUT OF THE BUILDING!
Boot-
strapped
startup
founders
Getting
UX
feedback
No
reliable
source
Interview:
6/10
@uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
Friday, May 30, 14

59. Exploration Interviews
@uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
Friday, May 30, 14

60. Solution
Result &
Decision
Learning
Riskiest
Assumption
Success
Criterion
Time Limit: 5 Min
Time Limit: 10 Min
pothesis:
n will result
.
mption:
the least
core to the
hesis is...
like:
with # of
ct a strong
omers.
GET OUT OF THE BUILDING!
No
reliable
source
Interview:
6/10
9/12
Persevere
Friends.
Classes.
Paid
UX designers
hourly for help
@uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
Friday, May 30, 14

61. Experimentsxperiment.
Customer
Problem
Solution
Riskiest
Assumption
Success
Criterion
1 2 3 4 5
Time Limit: 5 Min
Time Limit: 5 Min
Time Limit: 5 Min
Time Limit: 10 Min
pothesis:
n will result
.
mption:
GET OUT OF THE BUILDING!
Boot-
strapped
startup
founders
Getting
UX
feedback
No
reliable
source
Interview:
6/10
Boot-
strapped
startup
founders
Getting
UX
feedback
@uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
Friday, May 30, 14

62. Experimentsxperiment.
Customer
Problem
Solution
Riskiest
Assumption
Success
Criterion
1 2 3 4 5
Time Limit: 5 Min
Time Limit: 5 Min
Time Limit: 5 Min
Time Limit: 10 Min
pothesis:
n will result
.
mption:
GET OUT OF THE BUILDING!
Boot-
strapped
startup
founders
Getting
UX
feedback
No
reliable
source
Interview:
6/10
Boot-
strapped
startup
founders
Getting
UX
feedback
Virtual
UX
feedback
Pay for
virtual UX
feedback
Pitch:
8/10
@uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
Friday, May 30, 14

63. Pitch
@uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
Friday, May 30, 14

64. Solution
Result &
Decision
Learning
Riskiest
Assumption
Success
Criterion
Time Limit: 5 Min
Time Limit: 10 Min
pothesis:
n will result
.
mption:
the least
core to the
hesis is...
like:
with # of
ct a strong
omers.
GET OUT OF THE BUILDING!
No
reliable
source
Interview:
6/10
Pay for
virtual UX
feedback
Pitch:
8/10
10/10
Test
2nd side
of market
Don’t mind
virtual at all.
Price is cheap
9/12
Persevere
Friends.
Classes.
Paid
UX designers
for help
@uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
Friday, May 30, 14

65. Experimentsxperiment.
Customer
Problem
Solution
Riskiest
Assumption
Success
Criterion
1 2 3 4 5
Time Limit: 5 Min
Time Limit: 5 Min
Time Limit: 5 Min
Time Limit: 10 Min
pothesis:
n will result
.
mption:
GET OUT OF THE BUILDING!
Boot-
strapped
startup
founders
Getting
UX
feedback
No
reliable
source
Interview:
6/10
Boot-
strapped
startup
founders
Getting
UX
feedback
Virtual
UX
feedback
Pay for
virtual UX
feedback
Pitch:
8/10
UX
Designers
Getting
clients for
quick UX
consulting
@uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
Friday, May 30, 14

66. Experimentsxperiment.
Customer
Problem
Solution
Riskiest
Assumption
Success
Criterion
1 2 3 4 5
Time Limit: 5 Min
Time Limit: 5 Min
Time Limit: 5 Min
Time Limit: 10 Min
pothesis:
n will result
.
mption:
GET OUT OF THE BUILDING!
Boot-
strapped
startup
founders
Getting
UX
feedback
No
reliable
source
Interview:
6/10
Boot-
strapped
startup
founders
Getting
UX
feedback
Virtual
UX
feedback
Pay for
virtual UX
feedback
Pitch:
8/10
UX
Designers
Getting
clients for
quick UX
consulting
Virtual
UX
feedback
Will
consult
virtually
Pitch:
8/10
@uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
Friday, May 30, 14

67. Solution
Result &
Decision
Learning
Riskiest
Assumption
Success
Criterion
Time Limit: 5 Min
Time Limit: 10 Min
pothesis:
n will result
.
mption:
the least
core to the
hesis is...
like:
with # of
ct a strong
omers.
GET OUT OF THE BUILDING!
No
reliable
source
Interview:
6/10
Pay for
virtual UX
feedback
Pitch:
8/10
10/10
Test
2nd side
of market
Don’t mind
virtual at all.
Price is cheap
Will
consult
virtually
Pitch:
8/10
0/10
Pivot!
9/12
Persevere
Friends.
Classes.
Paid
UX designers
for help
@uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
Friday, May 30, 14

68. Solution
Result &
Decision
Learning
Riskiest
Assumption
Success
Criterion
Time Limit: 5 Min
Time Limit: 10 Min
pothesis:
n will result
.
mption:
the least
core to the
hesis is...
like:
with # of
ct a strong
omers.
GET OUT OF THE BUILDING!
No
reliable
source
Interview:
6/10
Pay for
virtual UX
feedback
Pitch:
8/10
10/10
Test
2nd side
of market
Don’t mind
virtual at all.
Price is cheap
Will
consult
virtually
Pitch:
8/10
0/10
Pivot!
No!
5 yrs exp.
Established
9/12
Persevere
Friends.
Classes.
Paid
UX designers
for help
@uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
Friday, May 30, 14

69. Experimentsxperiment.
Customer
Problem
Solution
Riskiest
Assumption
Success
Criterion
1 2 3 4 5
Time Limit: 5 Min
Time Limit: 5 Min
Time Limit: 5 Min
Time Limit: 10 Min
pothesis:
n will result
.
mption:
GET OUT OF THE BUILDING!
Boot-
strapped
startup
founders
Getting
UX
feedback
No
reliable
source
Interview:
6/10
Boot-
strapped
startup
founders
Getting
UX
feedback
Virtual
UX
feedback
Pay for
virtual UX
feedback
Pitch:
8/10
UX
Designers
Getting
clients for
quick UX
consulting
Virtual
UX
feedback
Will
consult
virtually
Pitch:
8/10
Recent
grad UX
designers
Getting
clients for
quick UX
consulting
@uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
Friday, May 30, 14

70. Experimentsxperiment.
Customer
Problem
Solution
Riskiest
Assumption
Success
Criterion
1 2 3 4 5
Time Limit: 5 Min
Time Limit: 5 Min
Time Limit: 5 Min
Time Limit: 10 Min
pothesis:
n will result
.
mption:
GET OUT OF THE BUILDING!
Boot-
strapped
startup
founders
Getting
UX
feedback
No
reliable
source
Interview:
6/10
Boot-
strapped
startup
founders
Getting
UX
feedback
Virtual
UX
feedback
Pay for
virtual UX
feedback
Pitch:
8/10
UX
Designers
Getting
clients for
quick UX
consulting
Virtual
UX
feedback
Will
consult
virtually
Pitch:
8/10
Recent
grad UX
designers
Getting
clients for
quick UX
consulting
Virtual
UX
feedback
Give quick
online
feedback
Pitch:
60%
@uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
Friday, May 30, 14

71. Pitch
@uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
Friday, May 30, 14

72. No Backend
@uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
Friday, May 30, 14

73. No Backend
@uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
Friday, May 30, 14

74. Experimentsxperiment.
Customer
Problem
Solution
Riskiest
Assumption
Success
Criterion
1 2 3 4 5
Time Limit: 5 Min
Time Limit: 5 Min
Time Limit: 5 Min
Time Limit: 10 Min
pothesis:
n will result
.
mption:
GET OUT OF THE BUILDING!
Boot-
strapped
startup
founders
Getting
UX
feedback
No
reliable
source
Interview:
6/10
Boot-
strapped
startup
founders
Getting
UX
feedback
Virtual
UX
feedback
Pay for
virtual UX
feedback
Pitch:
8/10
UX
Designers
Getting
clients for
quick UX
consulting
Virtual
UX
feedback
Will
consult
virtually
Pitch:
8/10
Recent
grad UX
designers
Getting
clients for
quick UX
consulting
Virtual
UX
feedback
Give quick
online
feedback
Pitch:
60%
Online
platform is
sufficient
Concierge:
60%
satisfied
Boot-
strapped
startup
founders
Getting
UX
feedback
Virtual
UX
feedback
@uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
Friday, May 30, 14

75. Concierge
Customer Submits Request
UX Designer gets
email and submits
feedback
@uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
Friday, May 30, 14

76. Manually
Customer Submits Request
UX Designer gets
email and submits
feedback
@uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
Friday, May 30, 14

77. High PainLow Pain
Low Frequency
High Frequency
Focus
@uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
Friday, May 30, 14

78. @uxceo
Manually
@uxceo
Friday, May 30, 14

79. MVUX
@uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
Friday, May 30, 14

80. Experimentation
Idea
Exploration
Pitch
Concierge
Prototype
Friday, May 30, 14

81. 1. http://leanstartupmachine.com
2. http://leanenterprisebook.com
3. http://javelin.com
@uxceo @nycuxpa #ngnycuxpa
Resources
ExperimentsStart here. Brainstorm with stickies, pull it over to the right to start your experiment.
Customer
Problem
Solution
Result &
Decision
Learning
Riskiest
Assumption
Method &
Success
Criterion
1 2 3 4 5
To form a Customer/Problem Hypothesis:
I believe my customer has a
problem achieving this goal.
To form your Assumptions:
hypothesis to be
true, assumption needs to
be true.
Determine how you will test it:
The least expensive way to
test my assumption is...
Time Limit: 5 Min
What is the problem? Phrase it from your customer’s perspective. Time Limit: 5 Min
Time Limit: 5 Min
List the assumptions that must hold true, for your hypothesis to be true. Time Limit: 10 Min
Need help? Use these sentences to help construct your experiment.
To form a Problem/Solution Hypothesis:
I believe this solution will result
in .
To identify your Riskiest Assumption:
The assumption with the least
amount of data, and core to the
viability of my hypothesis is...
Determine what success looks like:
I will run experiment with # of
customers and expect a strong
signal from # of customers.
Project Name: Team Leader Name:
GET OUT OF THE BUILDING!
© 2014 Javelin. You are free to use it and earn money with it as an entrepreneur, consultant, or executive, as long as you are not a software company (the latter need to license it from us).Download Experiment Board and watch case studies at www.javelin.com
Experiment BoardJavelin
Friday, May 30, 14