Validated Learning is the core of the Lean Startup philosophy and it tells us to run low-cost experiments to validate our product ideas. The Experiment Canvas is a one-page simple tool that guides you through the process from articulating the problem (the market opportunity), identifying risks & uncertainties, and selecting the most appropriate experiments to address the biggest risks. Participants will learn about a variety of techniques for running low-cost product experiments to measure gauge the market and ultimately to build the Right Thing.

1. VALIDATE IT
BEFORE YOU
BUILD IT!
THE EXPERIMENT CANVAS

2. BRAD SWANSON
Build and Elevate
• Software delivery &
strategy consulting
• CI/CD & Docker
training
2
brad@kelsus.com
@bradswanson
bradswanson

3. “I MIGHT BE WRONG”
• Think of a product or a feature you built that
failed: it didn’t do what your users needed, or
didn’t attract & retain enough customers.
• What assumptions were made that turned out to
be wrong?
3

4. LOVE THE
PROBLEM,
NOT THE
SOLUTION.
4

5. EXPERIMENT CANVAS: PRODUCT EXAMPLE
5
4. Uncertainties / Risks
(re: value / market, business viability,
usability, technical feasibility)
• Many merchants will
offer deep discounts on
last-minute inventory
• Consumers will buy last-
minute deals from app
Which is riskiest / least certain?
• Merchants – deep discounts
1. Problem/Opportunity
• Small merchants can’t
easily sell perishable (last
minute) inventory (e.g.
event tickets)
Existing solutions/ alternatives?
• Online & email marketing
• Storefront banners
5. Experiments
• Survey Chamber of
Commerce members
• Facebook page for local
merchants to offer last-
minute deals
Lowest cost viable experiment?
(survey, lo-fi mock, hi-fi mock, fake door,
explainer video, concierge, prototype, A/B
test, crowd funding)
6. Success Criteria
• 10+ deals offered/week
• Avg discount 40%+
• 1000+ likes in 1 month
• 100+ purchases month 1
What does success look like?
(Objective / quantifiable)
2. Customer segments
• Small brick-n-mortar
merchants
• Bargain hunters
Early adopters?
• Small town merchants
catering to locals
3. Possible Solution
• Mobile app marketing
last-minute deals
What makes it costly?
• Large scope, multiple
platforms to support
Inspired in part by the Lean Canvas from Ash Maurya

6. EXPERIMENT CANVAS: FEATURE EXAMPLE
6
4. Uncertainties / Risks
(re: value / market, business viability,
usability, technical feasibility)
• Customers don’t trust a
startup app to store their
credit card info securely
Which is riskiest / least certain?
1. Problem/Opportunity
• Customers can save their
credit card info to more
easily make future
purchases
Existing solutions/ alternatives?
• Enter card info every
time
5. Experiments
• Market research
• Pop-up asking if
customer wants to store
card info
• Implement the feature!
Lowest cost viable experiment?
(survey, lo-fi mock, hi-fi mock, fake door,
explainer video, concierge, prototype, A/B
test, crowd funding)
6. Success Criteria
• > 25% of customers
select ‘Yes’ in first month
What does success look like?
(Objective / quantifiable)
2. Customer segments
• Repeat customers
• Security-conscious
consumers
Early adopters?
• Tech-savvy users
familiar with ecommerce
payment services
3. Possible Solution
• Use Stripe (payment
processor) to securely
store customer credit card
info
What makes it costly?
• Requires switching
payment platforms
Inspired in part by the Lean Canvas from Ash Maurya

7. EXPERIMENT CANVAS
7
4. Uncertainties / Risks
(re: value / market, business viability,
usability, technical feasibility)
Which is riskiest / least certain?
1. Problem/Opportunity
Existing solutions or
alternatives?
5. Experiments
(survey, mockup, fake door, explainer
video, defer automation, A/B test,
crowd funding, use existing platform)
Lowest cost viable experiment?
6. Success Criteria
What does success look like?
(Objective / quantifiable)
2. Customer segments
Early adopters?
3. Possible Solution
What makes it costly?
Inspired in part by the Lean Canvas from Ash Maurya

8. EXPERIMENTS / MVP
• Market research / surveys (?)
• Explainer Video
• Crowd Funding experiment (e.g. Kickstarter, Indiegogo)
• Fake door: ‘Coming soon’ web page with sign-up form
• ‘The man behind the curtain’ - defer automation (opaquely)
• Concierge MVP – defer automation (transparently)
• Paper prototype
• Clickable mock / wireframe
• A/B test
• Minimal Viable Feature (MVF) – simplest thing possible
• Use an existing platform, e.g. Facebook, Wordpress
• 3D printed prototype
8

9. 9
CROWD FUNDING

10. VIDEOMVP
10

11. ‘COMING SOON’ – WHO WANTS
IT?
11
http://www.freedownloadbest.com/best-coming-soon-templates/

12. CONCIERGE MVP
12
https://www.flickr.com/photos/alan-light/

13. MAN BEHIND THE CURTAIN
13
https://www.flickr.com/photos/thelampnyc/

14. PAPERPROTOTYPE
14

15. 15
CLICKABLE MOCK WITH INVISION

16. MOBILEAPP
PROTOTYPE:NO
CODING
16

17. HI-FIMOCKUPW/SKETCH
17

18. YOUR TURN TO CANVAS
• Form groups of 3-6 people.
• Select a realistic product idea of your choice
• Create your canvas. Briefly #1-3; focus on #4-6
Stumped for a product idea? Try one of these.
18
Problem / Opportunity Possible solution
It’s hard to track what I eat every day
to monitor my nutrition.
Chatbot to record what I eat; instant
feedback on nutrition.
There isn’t a good social network
only for pet lovers.
‘Instagram for pets’
Backpacks are bulky and
cumbersome.
Lightweight stowable pack that fits in
a pocket or purse
Tools are expensive and I need them
rarely
‘AirBnB for tools’

19. 19
Weak tech practices lead to
firefighting.
Firefighting kills innovation.
Software craftsmanship & CI/CD
with Docker are the cure.
Kelsus will show you how.

20. THANK YOU!
20
brad@kelsus.com
@bradswanson
bradswanson
www.slideshare.net/bradswanson