Presentation by James Birchler of IMVU at Startup Lessons Learned 2011 on May 23, 2011 in San Francisco.

1. Learning from
experiments
at IMVU James Birchler (@JamesBirchler)
Engineering Director, IMVU
SLLCONF, San Francisco, MAY 23, 2011

2. $
IMVU Revenue Growth
Qtr Q1'06 Q2'06 Q3'06 Q4'06 Q1'07 Q2'07 Q3'07 Q4'07 Q1'08 Q2'08 Q3'08 Q4'08 Q1'09 Q2'09 Q3'09 Q4'09

3. $
IMVU Revenue Growth
Qtr Q1'06 Q2'06 Q3'06 Q4'06 Q1'07 Q2'07 Q3'07 Q4'07 Q1'08 Q2'08 Q3'08 Q4'08 Q1'09 Q2'09 Q3'09 Q4'09

4. Ask Question
Got
Do Research
Hypothesis
Science?
Test
Analyze Data
Conclusion
Report Results

5. Question
Results Research
Scientific
Conclusion
Method Hypothesis
Analyze
Data Test

7. Question
Results Research
Scientific #leanstartup
Conclusion
Method Hypothesis
Analyze
Data Test

8. Question
Results Research
Quack.
Scientific #leanstartup
Conclusion
Method Hypothesis
Analyze
Data Test An Alleged “duck”

9. Experimentation
IS GOOD

10. RIGHT?

12. Culture

13. @copernicus

14. @copernicus
#inquisition

15. @copernicus

16. @Giordano_Bruno

17. @Giordano_Bruno

18. @Galileo

19. @Galileo

22. @Jamesbirchler

23. Okay, I’ll run an
Okay, I’ll run an
Okay, I’ll run an experiment! Okay, I’ll run
experiment! Okay, I’ll run an
experiment! experiment
experiment!
Okay, I’ll run an
experiment!
Let’s make that
Okay, I’ll run an
easy to do! Okay, I’ll run an
experiment!
Prove your idea experiment!
is the best!

24. Keep it
simple

25. if( setup_experiment(...) == "control" ) {
// do it the old way
} else {
// do it the new way
Simple
To code
}

26. Simple
To manage

27. Simple
To share

28. embrace
failure

31. Freedom
to
Experiment

32. What could possibly go wrong?

33. simple
to
Screw up

35. X
X

46. Recap…

47. We’re Hiring!
www.imvu.com/jobs

48. credits Thanks