Based on learning from three lean startups that I co-founded.

1. Creating Products The
Lean Way
Based on learnings from three Lean Startups
Volker Gersabeck
@thinkingUX

2. 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.”

3. 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.”

4. Crewmeister - Online Time Tracking for Small Businesses
“It took us less than eight months to get from
idea to first paying SaaS customer.”

5. Startups often try to build a
highway

6. And get stuck with a semi
finished road

7. Lean Startup means to start
with a green field first

8. Then to see where people
walk and paths are forming

9. Identify obstacles and
remove them

10. Finally, pave the paths step
by step

11. Until you have a proper road

12. 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

13. MVP
Learn
Adapt

14. What Lean Startups
usually do
• Product Vision
• MVP Development
• Go Live
• Learn and Adapt

15. … 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

16. Your Project never starts
with a green field

17. 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)

18. Write down your product
vision as a team exercise

19. Not only observe your field
but have a look beyond

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

21. Path is customer journey

22. Path is customer journey
Divide path into parts that
can be tested in isolation

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

24. 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

25. Thank you!
Volker Gersabeck
@thinkingUX
User Experience, Product Strategy, Startups
I’m looking for
new projects!