This document contains notes from a presentation by Julee Everett on product discovery and validation. Some key points include:
- Products must solve problems for customers and validate value through measurable outcomes.
- Vision, Value, and Validation are important frameworks, where vision is what is wanted, value is the outcomes created, and validation measures those outcomes.
- Discovery starts by understanding customer problems and values through techniques like interviews, prototypes, and experiments rather than inside-out product development.
- Experiments like Wizard of Oz testing, paper prototypes, landing pages, and working prototypes can test assumptions with users before significant effort is spent.
- Opportunity Solution Trees can help frame problems, generate ideas, and define outcomes to focus product
2. Julee Everett
Innovation & agility coach
• Agile coaching and training
• Innovation games
• Ideation labs
• Product and portfolio coaching
• Professional Scrum Trainer (PST)
Collaborator, Lean Agile Marketing
Founder, Tampa Product Owner User Group
Founder, Gulf Coast ProductCamp
Tampa Bay Agile Coach of the Year 2017
Conference Speaker and public workshops
http://NorthStarProductLabs.com
2
3. minutes
3
Product Definition
5
Product noun
prod·uct | ˈprä-(ˌ)dəkt
1) : something produced
2) : something (such as a service) that is marketed or
sold as a commodity
Create a definition for ‘product’
-- merriam-webster.com
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4. minutes
4
Product Definition
5
Product noun
prod·uct | ˈprä-(ˌ)dəkt
1) : something produced
2) : something (such as a service) that is marketed or
sold as a commodity
-- merriam-webster.com
(1): something produced
(2): something (such as a service) that is
marketed or sold as a commodity
Products must solve a problem
for a customer.
5. Product Mindset
• Build to need
• Feature development is a
measurement of user
engagement
• Minimize time to value
• Prioritize growth of business
over product perfection
• Excel at change
• Budget for ongoing investment,
not time
9. Vision, Value, Validation
VISION
What do we want?
VALUE
What value are we
creating?
What outcomes
indicate we are
succeeding?
VALIDATION
How will we measure
valuable outcomes?
How will we validate
our assumptions about
value?
Reference:
Stacey Ackerman
10. 10
Expressing customer outcomes through values
B2C Values
Social Impact Elements:
Self-Transcendence.
Examples: Toms, 40 Ocean, Rothy’s
Life-Changing Elements:
Self-Actualization, Motivation,
Hope, Heirloom, Affiliation and
Bonding. Examples: affiliation -
Boston Red Sox, motivation - Fitbit
Emotional Elements:
Wellness, Therapeutic, Rewards,
Attractiveness. Example: Rewards -
Starwood Rewards
Functional Elements:
Saves time, makes money, saves
money, simplifies, organizes
B2B Values
Inspirational: Purpose, Vision, Hope, Social Responsibility
Individual Value:
Career – Network expansion, marketability, reputational assurance
Personal – design & aesthetics, growth & development, fun & perks
Ease of Doing Business Value:
Productivity – time savings, reduced effort, information.
Access – availability, variety, configurability
Relationship – responsiveness, expertise, cultural fit
Operational – organization, simplification, integration
Strategic – risk reduction, reach, flexibility
Functional Value:
Economic – improved top line, cost reduction
Performance – product quality, scalability, innovation
Table Stakes – Meeting specifications, acceptable
price, regulatory compliance, ethical standards
12. Validate: Start outside in, not inside out
Discovery
PROBLEM FIT
Delivery
PRODUCT FIT
Dual-Track Agile
by Marty Cagan
Are we building
the right thing?
Are we
building the
thing right?
13. Vision, Value, Validation
Value is what your customer is willing to pay for.
Value is only an assumption until validated by the market.
An outcome is a measurable change in human behavior
that creates value.
14. Discovery is the
new knowing
Evidence-based medicine
Evidence-based management
Why not evidence-based discovery?
@Julee_NorthStar
15. Experiment with Wizard of Oz
16
Wizard of Oz: Mimic system responses with fake
functions that appear to be computer-driven, when
they are actually human-controlled.
Use when testing assumptions about effects and
interactions of complex systems. Slow, but effective in
building complex models. Speech interfaces, A/R, Zappos
16. Experiment with paper prototypes
17
Paper Prototype: Use for digital products like mobile
apps, websites, and web services, as well as other
screen-based products or experiences
Use in early stages of digital products to test assumptions
like flow/number of steps. Sketch screens, or draw and cut
out parts of a user interface (a text field or dropdown.)
17. Experiment with a physical prototype
18
Physical Model: Evolve an intangible idea or sketch, into
a physical, three-dimensional plane. Spark discussions
about form and features.
Use when the end result is a physical product; use a wide
range of materials to build mock-ups for testing -- rough
materials, such as paper, cardboard, clay, or foam.
18. Experiment with a landing page
19
Landing page: Tests the perfect combination of
headlines, copy, offers, calls to action and images.
Use to test assumptions about user behavior in order to
increase conversion rate. Test one element at a time; use
A/B Testing software.
19. Experiment with working prototypes
20
Working Prototype: Not bug-free, not sustainable or
scalable.
Beta video: Waiting list grew from 5,000 to 75,000
overnight
Drobox video: Raised $48,000,000 with Explainer video
21. minutes
Product Discovery
15
Frame the problem
Break confirmation bias
Create more ideas
Define outcomes
Opportunity Solution Tree
A simple visualization exercise to
expand on ideas and frame the
problem.
29. increased curb appeal
landscaped
yard
potted treespergola
lower utilities
Increase value
of house
solar panels
2 potted Fox Tree Palms create shade
on the patio 60% of daylight from
June - September
Targeted Outcome
Opportunity
Idea/Solution
Experiments
30. Class project
minutes
31
5
What is the smallest
possible experiment
that you can run to
gain confidence
about your major
assumptions?
We believe that
____________________
To verify that, we will
___________________________________
___________________________________
And measure ____________________
We are right if
___________________________________
___________________________________
value
experiment
prove major assumption
31. Avoid: Ideas with no problem to solve
Prevent scurvy
applesgrapefruitoranges
Cross the
Atlantic
Safely navigate
Targeted Outcome
Opportunity
Idea/Solution
32.
33. When we visualize our thinking, we can examine it
and others can critique it.
34. @Julee_NorthStar
Supercharge your product engine…
Products must solve a problem for the customer
Value can be defined in multiple ways
Building any product without evidence of value is waste
When we visualize our thinking, others can critique it