Friday, May 10, 2013

Leveraging the "Lean Start-up" methodology for adaptable new product development

Faced with constant disruptions, now more than ever companies need to employ effective innovation processes to remain competitive. Harvard Business Review May 2013 - Why the Lean Start-up Changes Everything by Steve Blank looks at how we can apply the "lean start-up" methodology used by many young tech ventures for a more nimble process:

  “Lean Start-up” favors: 

  • Experimentation to elaborate planning
  • Customer feedback over intuition
  • Iterative design over traditional “big design up front” development 

Break with conventional wisdom - writing an upfront plan based on the initial series of untested hypothesizes is a waste of time - in the word of boxer Mike Tyson, “Everybody has a plan until you get punched in the mouth”.

Agile development: a "Get out of the building" approach

  • Don't develop in 'stealth mode' instead test hypotheses early and frequently 
  • Customer insights drive small adjustments or 'iterations'
  • If the customer feedback reveals that you've got it wrong - 'pivot' to new hypotheses 

What do you think about this borrowed approach?




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