1. Güimar Vaca Sittic
Nafees Nuruddin
Dave T.
Sarah Neal Simpson
Justin Osterman
+2569
Syllabus Overview
How This Class Works
This is a project-based class. You’ll work collaboratively with other
students to complete your project at your own pace. Along the way,
you’ll have project milestones, weekly resources, and office hours to help
you with your project.
Weekly Resources
Every Monday morning, you’ll receive a weekly email with resources,
readings and questions to guide you through your project.
Collaborative Learning

2. Use the Discussions tab to ask questions, share resources, and get
feedback on your projects. You can also host or join a Local Workshop in
your city to meet with other students in person.
Office Hours
Your teacher will host online Office Hours where they’ll answer questions,
give feedback, and guide you to ace your projects.
Schedule
Pre-Class
?
Question
Should your idea be built?
Discuss this question →
Resources
Here are a couple videos to get you excited up about being crazy
enough to think that you can change the world.
Watch Entrepreneurs Can Change the World (2 minutes)
Read “The Lean Startup Methodology” by Eric Ries
Read “The 10 Mistakes I've Made” by Tara Hunt
Week 1: MVP and Communicating Your Idea
?
Question
How would you explain your idea in 1 sentence?
Discuss this question →
Resources
Read “Minimum Viable Product: A Guide” by Eric Ries
Read “Pitching Hacks” chapter on High-Concept Pitches (pg 31 -
40)

3. 40)
Read “How to Launch Your Startup Idea for less than $5,000”
by Michael Karnjanaprakorn
Online Office Hours
Project Kickoff
Mon, Aug 20th, 2012
8:00 pm – 9:00 pm EDT
Add to Cal
Live Stream
Watch here →
Week 2: Conducting Customer Interviews
?
Question
Why won't your idea work?
Discuss this question →
Resources
Read “Vision-Driven Startup” by Alexa Andrzejewski
Read “To Get To The Root Of A Hard Problem, Just Ask “Why”
Five Times” by Eric Ries
Read “Talk to your users before writing code” by Luke Sleeman
Project Milestone
Submit first draft of MVP
Due Date:
Thu, Aug 30th, 2012
8:30 pm
Add to Cal

4. Post to The Classroom
Submit your project →
Week 3: Defining your MVP
?
Question
What's the least amount of work you can do to validate your idea?
Discuss this question →
Resources
Read “10 examples of minimum viable products” by Venture
Hacks
Read “How DropBox Started As A Minimal Viable Product” by
TechCrunch
Read “Minimum Desirable Product” by Andrew Chen
Online Office Hours
Feedback and Q&A
Tue, Sep 4th, 2012
7:00 pm – 7:45 pm EDT
Add to Cal
Live Stream
Watch here →
In-Person Workshop
Meet locally to give feedback on your MVPs
Sep 4th — Sep 6th, 2012
Local — in your city.
Find a workshop →

5. Find a workshop →
Week 4: Creating an Action Plan
?
Question
How will you get your first 10 customers?
Discuss this question →
Resources
Read “Action Method: Keeping Projects Alive” by Scott Belsky
Read “Minimum Viable Personality” by Fred Wilson
Read “How To Get Your First 1,000 Users” by Vinicius Vacanti
Project Milestone
Submit Final Draft of MVP
Due Date:
Thu, Sep 13th, 2012
8:30 pm
Add to Cal
Post to The Classroom
Submit your project →
Week 5: Class Wrap-Up
Online Office Hours
Feedback and Q&A
Mon, Sep 17th, 2012
8:00 pm – 9:00 pm EDT
Add to Cal
Live Stream

6. Watch here →
Project
Define Your Minimum Viable Product (MVP)
We’ll work collaboratively to help one another clearly define an MVP for your
startup idea - identifying and plugging any holes. Each student will determine
their MVP and create an actionable plan to iterate as fast and cheaply as
possible to reach product/market fit. Your project will revolve around:
1. Writing a clear and short description of your idea.
2. Conducting customer interviews.
3. Defining your MVP and creating an action plan to reach your first 100
customers.
You’ll leave this class with a finalized Minimum Viable Product and the skills to
define a great MVP for any future venture.
Download the Project Brief (.pdf)
Project Milestones
30
Submit first draft of MVP
Due Date: Thu, Aug 30th by 8pm EDT
13
Submit Final Draft of MVP
Due Date: Thu, Sep 13th by 8pm EDT
Important Links
Hybrid Overview
Hybrid FAQ
Workshop Guidelines

7. Upcoming Workshops
New York Change
Open Workshops1Create a New Workshop
Join
Workshop - Poznań, NY
Mon, Aug 20th, 2012
6:00 pm - 7:30 pm
Zoo Co-working
Zwierzyniecka 20
Poznań, NY
View Map
Open Open Open Open Open
Full Workshops3
Workshop Full
Workshop Full
Workshop Full
Can't make any of these? Create a New Workshop
How Workshops Work
1. Free to attend, can happen anywhere. Your favorite coffee shop is
ideal but feel free to get creative!
2. Attend at least one workshop during this class. Meet in person with
other students about project feedback, ideas, and questions.
3. Facilitate an in-person workshop in your city.
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