How do you validate your assumptions and hypotheses when using customer-centric innovation methods?

??Defining assumptions and hypotheses is vital for focused innovation. Without clarity, validation efforts become scattered and ineffective. ??Structured Approach Using tools like Lean Canvas or Value Proposition Canvas helps articulate assumptions, ensuring alignment with customer needs and business goals. ??Focused Hypotheses Prioritizing assumptions by impact and risk provides a strategic framework, guiding targeted experiments that yield actionable insights. ??Clear Definitions Explicitly defining what’s being tested streamlines validation, reducing ambiguity and enabling precise, data-driven decision-making. ?? Well-structured assumptions are the foundation of customer-centric innovation, driving meaningful validation and progress.

At the Microsoft Garage Vancouver, we start by figuring out what we think we know. What are our beliefs about our customers? What problems do we think they have? What’s our big idea for solving them? Tools like the Lean Canvas and Value Proposition Canvas help us put these thoughts in order. But the key is to keep things simple—clear assumptions, easy-to-test ideas. Once we have those, we can test them fast and learn fast. It’s all about cutting through the noise, focusing on what really matters, and moving forward with confidence. That’s how we drive innovation, growth, and visibility here.

Inova??o centrada no cliente é mais do que uma tendência; é um processo estruturado. Defina suas suposi??es com clareza para conduzir uma inova??o mais precisa e alinhada com as reais necessidades dos clientes. As startups nos ensinam, a importancia do Lean Canvas para definir suas suposi??es antes de desenvolver um novo produto. Ao validar cada ponto com feedback contínuo dos clientes, n?o apenas evitam possíveis falhas, mas também criam um produto altamente adaptado às expectativas do mercado.

Begin by identifying key assumptions about your customer segments, value propositions, channels, customer relationships, revenue streams, key resources, key activities, key partnerships, and cost structure. For example, you might assume that a particular customer segment prefers online shopping, or that a certain value proposition will be highly appealing to them. Next, formulate these assumptions as testable hypotheses. For instance, "70% of our target customer segment will prefer to shop for our product online rather than in physical stores."

Building assumptions to at least 3 levels of definition will encourage you to think deeper into both your assumptions as you develop your innovative idea and create a baseline for defining and launching MVPs for experimentation to validate those assumptions or answer questions. A very simple starting point is to identify your assumptions in these four areas: a) who the customers of your solution are b) what their fundamental problem is c) what would solve their problem, and d) what they would be willing to sacrifice to get a solution to their problem.

I believe three are the metrics to focus on to prioritize assumptions and hypotheses: Impact - how significantly does it affect success? Feasibility -how quickly and easily can it be tested? And Risk - or the potential consequences if it’s wrong. Address high-impact, feasible, and high-risk assumptions first to drive innovation efficiently and mitigate risks early!

When prioritizing your assumptions and hypothesis, ask yourself what would change if the assumption was wrong. If you could easily adapt with your available resources, those assumptions would be lower in priority. If you would have to radically change your solution approach, or change to a completely different business model, then rank those assumptions higher.

Priorize e escolha uma hipótese e trabalhe essa hipótese até ela se provar certa ou errada. Só ent?o siga para uma hipótese seguinte, que já será muito mais assertiva do que foi a primeira.

Na minha experiência, uma boa prática é focar inicialmente nas suposi??es mais críticas e incertas. Validar essas suposi??es prioritariamente permite mitigar riscos significativos e direcionar melhor os recursos, aumentando a eficácia dos métodos de inova??o centrados no cliente.

Hypotheses should be prioritised based on 1) desirability, 2) Feasibility and 3) Viability. I like to use the tool of assumptions mapping and placing the assumptions on a 2x2 matrix focusing on the level of known evidence and the importance to the business idea.

3 Most Important Considerations that Rookies Always Miss. #1: Experiments are not Pilots. (Pilots are for planes!). Keep them small, measurable and focus on specific attributes or assumptions. If your experiment is testing the entire concept versus aspects of the concept, you're going down the wrong path. #2: Experimentation is often about behavior. Tap into your behavioral science roots or network and think about what behaviors are you trying to prompt or simulate. Learning is often rooted in evaluating behaviors and actions and not stated intent. #3: Test vs. Control: It's not enough to run an experiment. Find a way to have a control so you can compare. Otherwise, you have a result that may lack comparativeness and context.

In customer-centric innovation, painted door tests are a game-changer. We use them to validate market assumptions, pre-market. This method provides direct insights with minimal resource investment. Clarity and adaptability are key. Whether testing a feature or exploring customer behavior, each experiment is tailored for specific insights. Qualitative methods like interviews complement these tests. Flexibility in responding to feedback is crucial. Early insights can significantly shift your direction, saving time and resources. Always set clear success criteria for each test, like engagement levels or feedback themes, to keep focus and make informed decisions. The aim is to learn and adapt quickly, not just to validate assumptions.

Na inova??o, a arte está em projetar experimentos assertivos. Escolha métodos que sejam qualitativos ou quantitativos, para coletar dados valiosos que impulsionar?o sua valida??o e refinamento. Uma startup de logística, adotou uma abordagem abrangente, utilizando uma combina??o de testes A/B e entrevistas de usabilidade para validar suas suposi??es sobre a interface de usuário. Essa estratégia n?o apenas ofereceu insights cruciais, mas também refinou significativamente o design do produto antes do lan?amento, resultando em uma aceita??o positiva pelos usuários.

Experiments don't have to be complex. They could be as simple as alternative designs rated by the customer. But be careful. The customer's time is important. Don't waste it on worthless things.

Develop experiments and tests that are specifically designed to validate each prioritized assumption or hypothesis. These experiments should be structured to generate actionable insights and mitigate risks effectively. Consider using a variety of methods, such as surveys, interviews, prototypes, A/B testing, or pilot studies, depending on the nature of the assumption being tested.

Validate with Confidence: Run Tests, Analyze Results, Refine Ideas Assumptions and hypotheses trembling? Fear not! Use these test-driving tips to validate with confidence: Rigorous Execution: Follow your plan like a GPS, avoiding bias and wobbly data. Remember, ethics are the fuel for trust. Data Detective: Collect evidence diligently, analyzing it with the right tools. Let the numbers paint a clear picture. Success Scanner: Compare results to your pre-defined criteria. Did your assumptions hit the bullseye, or need a course correction? Learning Legacy: Document your findings, share your story. Let your team and stakeholders be your co-pilots on the innovation journey. Testing is a dialogue, not a monologue.

In the realm of customer-centric innovation, I've found that blending qualitative and quantitative methods in experiments yields the most insightful results. Painted door tests are a go-to for initial interest gauging, and qualitative learning comes from analyzing user interactions and feedback. Quantitative data gives us the 'what', but it's the follow-up interviews and surveys that uncover the 'why'. Communication of these findings is crucial. It's not just about data; it's about storytelling - conveying what we've learned in a way that's actionable and easily digestible for the team and stakeholders. This process is key to developing products that truly resonate with users, steering away from assumptions and towards user acceptance.

Na jornada da inova??o, a execu??o é vital. Execute e analise os resultados detalhadamente, e comunique de forma transparente para transformar dados em insights valiosos. Empresas bem sucedidas implementam testes de usabilidade seguindo um protocolo rigoroso. A análise criteriosa dos resultados valida suas hipóteses, mas também identifica oportunidades de melhoria. Essa abordagem iterativa permite lan?ar uma vers?o final do produto altamente refinada, atendendo integralmente às expectativas dos clientes.

Al exponer nuestra solución aprendemos la realidad de nuestra propuesta de valor. Aprendemos de nuestros éxitos y fracasos, y descubrimos nuevas realidades que estaban ocultas para nosotros hasta ese momento. Mejorar y evolucionar es consecuencia de aprender. Para obtener buenos aprendizajes, es clave establecer procesos de conscientes y formales para validar nuestra hipótesis, como por ejemplo: Método Científico, Lean Startup, Agile, Design Thinking, etc.

As innovation facilitator of 100+ projects, I advise you to EXPERIMENT BY PRETOTYPING, like TESLA… FAKE IT BEFORE YOU MAKE IT ???. Pretotyping is a technique for testing - and validating ideas quickly and cheap, founded by Savoia. It involves creating a simplified version of a product or service to collect user feedback and understand market demand. It’s a non-working prototype. Pretotyping reduces the risk of failure by assessing market response early in the development process. A famous pretotyping story is how Tesla ‘faked’ their first electrical car, the Roadster, using a so-called ‘glider’ of a Lotus Elise to confront their potential customers with a ‘real car’, leading to 250+ launching customers who paid $ 5000,- in advance.

- Gather data through market research to validate your assumptions about customer needs, preferences, and behaviors. - Involve customers in the innovation process early and often to validate assumptions and hypotheses. Seek feedback at various stages of development, from initial concept ideation to prototype testing and iteration, to ensure that the solution aligns with customer needs and expectations. - Conduct pilot tests or field trials of the solution in real-world scenarios to validate assumptions and hypotheses in a practical setting. - Ensure that assumptions and hypotheses are validated across diverse customer segments to account for variations in needs, preferences, and behaviors.

Drawing inspiration from a compelling example I came across in a business innovation book, a startup aimed to revolutionize the local food delivery market. Initially, they assumed that speed was the primary concern for their customers. However, through customer interviews and surveys, they discovered that while speed was important, reliability and the quality of food upon arrival held more significance for customers. To validate these new insights, they conducted A/B testing on their platform, offering options for faster delivery versus quality-focused delivery. The results overwhelmingly favored quality and reliability over speed.

Tome cuidado para n?o queimar os testes de uma maneira que n?o reflita o que seria na realidade. Muita gente tem o concieto de MVP errado e entra com testes que n?o resolvem as dores reais do projeto ou solu??o. é preciso ter a consciencia de que um teste bem feito leva tempo, e precisa respeitar o que o projeto precisa responder.

“Había una vez… Una empresa identificó que las personas mayores al enfrentar un problema de salud llamaban a sus hijos, quienes posteriormente se encargaban de contactar con el médico. Esto se percibió como una oportunidad de negocio: Desarrollar una solución que conectara de forma fácil y directa a las personas mayores con su médico. Tras el lanzamiento, la solución fracasó. ?El motivo? Para la gente mayor, tener una necesidad médica era la 'excusa perfecta' para hablar con sus hijos y no sentirse solos. Finalmente, la empresa con estos aprendizajes reorientó su solución.”

Iterative refinement: Validation is not a one-time event but an ongoing process. Continuously gather feedback, iterate on your assumptions and hypotheses, and refine your solutions based on new insights. Cross-functional collaboration: Involve stakeholders from diverse backgrounds, including marketing, product development, and customer service, in the validation process. Their perspectives can provide valuable insights and ensure buy-in for the resulting solutions. Ethical considerations: Ensure that your experiments and tests are conducted ethically, respecting the rights and privacy of participants. Transparency and informed consent are essential principles to uphold throughout the validation process.