How do you test your riskiest assumptions with customers?

Lanzar un proyecto comienza con definir claramente tu área de actuación. Luego, es crucial salir a la calle y generar conversaciones para identificar el problema que estás resolviendo y entender los desafíos que enfrentan tus posibles usuarios a diario. Tras unas 10 conversaciones, empezarás a detectar patrones que te permitirán formular hipótesis. Estas hipótesis servirán como base para lanzar una primera serie de soluciones, que deberás validar nuevamente.

Not including customers before planning an idea is a mistake. They are the ones with the problems, not you. Problem solving comes later.

Often, the best hypotheses put your unique value proposition front and center. It's often not interesting or powerful enough just to consider a generalized problem and solution (which is a common mistake). Instead, focus on what makes your idea and approach different and uniquely suited to address your customers' concern. In the above example, it's not clear how the personalized app uniquely addresses the convenience and health needs of busy professionals. For example, I'd highlight how the app may use AI to scan online menus select options to address health needs of these customers. This both highlights the special power of our solution approach and lays the foundation for a great product testing strategy.

In Step 2, focus on identifying and understanding your customer segments. Segment your potential customers using criteria such as demographics, behaviors, needs, goals, or pain points. For instance, you might categorize them by occupation, location, dietary preferences, or budget. The objective is to pinpoint the most relevant and reachable segments that are most likely to benefit from your solution, allowing you to tailor your approach and maximize impact.

Typically if you want to test with potential customers, it's best to pay them for their time. Find someone willing to give you real, gritty feedback, but also ensure they are 100% a relevant customer. Don't just interview one though, do at least ten and evaluate the data you get back.

In my experience, the key here is to look for "Customer Pull" rather than "Founder Push". There are lots of ways of politely saying things that are not validating. Instead, look for clear signals that the customer is genuinely interested, this could include: - Asking questions about how the solution could work - Asking about the costs - Being open to follow-ups - Being open to refer your to peers - Being open to signing a letter of intent to buy These questions can be seeded in at the interview stage but provide much more robust data at the analysis stage.