1. October 2013
Strategies for building
successful products
#Tech4Africa
@annua

2. Product Development
Launch
ConceptConcept
Product
dev
Alpha/Beta
Test

3. Problems...
• Where are the customers?
• Focus on the first customer ship date
• Emphasis on execution instead of learning and discovery
“The customer is the most important
part of the production line” - Deming

4. Definition of a Startup
“A startup is a human institution designed to create a new
product or service under conditions of extreme
uncertainty.” Eric Ries

5. Startup is Not a Smaller Version of a Large Company
Improve Invent
New
Experiment
Pivot
Learn
Search
Existing
Forecasts + Plan
Execution

6. Run Experiments
• A true experiment starts with a scientific method
•Begin with a clear hypothesis
•Test predictions empirically
Goal - Discover how to build a sustainable business
?

7. Think Big, start small

8. Build, Measure, Learn loop
Measure
ProductData
Build
Ideas
Learn
Minimize the
total time
through the
loop

9. Minimum Viable Product (MVP)
“The MVP is that version of the product that enables a full turn
of the Build-Measure-Learn loop with minimum amount of effort
and least amount of development time” - Eric Ries
Goal - Test fundamental business hypotheses

10. Dropbox’s MVP
Dropbox’s MVP : A
video
Beta waiting list jumps
from 5000 to 75 000 in
one day

11. So...
• Favour experimentation over elaborate plans
• Emphasis on speed and nimbleness when moving
through Build-Measure-Learn loop
• Assemble an MVP and elicit customer feedback

12. Learn more
• The Lean Startup - Eric Ries
• The four steps to epiphany - Steve Blank
• Thank you to @cynthiaaug