How do you use lean startup for customer discovery?

1 Define your hypotheses

The first step is to define your hypotheses, or the assumptions you have about your business idea. You need to identify who your target customers are, what problem they have, how they currently solve it, and how your product can offer a better solution. You also need to define your value proposition, or the unique benefits and features of your product that make it attractive to customers. You can use tools like the Lean Canvas or the Value Proposition Canvas to help you structure your hypotheses.

2 Plan your experiments

The next step is to plan your experiments, or the ways you will test your hypotheses with real or potential customers. You need to decide what type of data you want to collect, how you will measure it, and how you will analyze it. You also need to define your criteria for success, or the minimum level of evidence you need to validate or invalidate your hypotheses. You can use tools like the Experiment Board or the Test Card to help you design your experiments.

3 Conduct your interviews

The third step is to conduct your interviews, or the conversations you will have with customers to learn about their needs, pains, and behaviors. You need to find and recruit customers who match your target profile, prepare your interview questions, and conduct your interviews in a respectful and empathetic way. You also need to record and document your interviews, and avoid leading or biased questions. You can use tools like the Customer Interview Script or the Customer Discovery Checklist to help you conduct your interviews.

4 Analyze your results

The fourth step is to analyze your results, or the insights you will gain from your interviews and experiments. You need to review and synthesize your data, look for patterns and trends, and compare your results with your hypotheses. You also need to identify your key learnings, or the most important and actionable findings that will inform your next steps. You can use tools like the Insight Statement or the Learning Card to help you analyze your results.