Experimentation

Experimentation. 

A successful product has a full life span.  Its starts as a fledgling idea, grows to take its first steps, matures over time to its full potential, and then twilights with a good end.

In many cases a successful product is disruptive providing a differentiated customer experience.  At each stage reaching new heights meeting customer needs and expectations. 

Like any good adventure, a successful product has many obstacles and threats to overcome.   

Time is your biggest enemy.

• The time it takes to validate a product idea

• The time it takes to validate a particular product feature

• The time it takes to validate a particular product technology or approach 

• The time it takes to validate a customer opportunity

• The time it takes to validate a competitive threat

The quicker you can validate, or invalidate, a particular hypothesis the quicker you can take that learning and move forward.   Its amazing how time can work against you and kill a truly disruptive product idea (epic failures).

Creating a culture of experimentation is the best way to overcome this enemy.   

An experiment bounds the time and resources you are willing to validate or invalidate a particular hypothesis.  An experiment has a well defined set of outcomes and path for reaching those outcomes.   An experiment is usually the brain child a highly motivated person or small group of people.

Experiment Makeup

• Hypothesis

• ....

Types of Experiments

• Product Idea Experiment

• Product Feature Experiment

• Product Architecture Principle Experiment

• Product Technology Experiment

• Product Competitor Experiment

Product Feature Experiment

• Capability Description

• AB Testing

Product Technology Experiment

• Architectural Principles

• Ways to accelerate validation

• Design

• Prototype

Product Competitor Threat Experiment

• Differentiated Idea Hypothesis

• Customer Traction

• ...