Lean Startup Overview

Thoughts about Lean Startup

• Basically: identify the right product for the right customer
• “Lean” term stolen from “Lean Manufacturing” (Toyota et al)
• Some key characteristics:
  • Small Batches vs. Large Batches
  • Minimize WIP
  • Changes in plan are expected and embraced
  • “Pull” vs. Push
  • Small self-managed teams
  • Don’t try to plan everything from day one
  • Instead, Iterate, iterate, iterate!
• Agile Software Development (next term :)
  • Also based on the same principles
  • And with the same objectives
• Lean Startup
  • Yes, just another buzzword
  • Some might say “there’s nothing new under the sun”
  • Realize there are several ‘methodologies’ that people push
  • The underlying principles are similar
• My own experience with the idea of Lean Startup
  • Where did it come from
  • Is it just Eric Ries self promotion?
  • Why do I think it’s a good approach
  • “Scientific method?”
• Some ideas that we’ll explore more in the next few weeks
  • Validated Learning
  • Build/Measure/Learn
  • Hypotheses and assumptions
  • Minimum Viable Product
  • Customer Development
  • Pivoting
  • Metrics and real-world data
    • Innovation accounting