Product development process for Technological Start-ups
1st step to bring your idea closer to reality
@buihaian
Who am I?
• Bui Hai An, Andy
• Co-founder & Connector at Silicon Straits Saigon
• Building Products and Developing People.
A Product Development Lab
We build products (MVP, Prototype) for our clients and ourselves for both web and mobile apps.
1+ year - 20 client products & 12 internal products
You have a cool idea. Great!
!
!
!
Now what’s next?
Let’s check!
• Who is your customer?
• Who is your consumer (user)?
• How does your product make their life better?
• What is the most important key feature that make your product stand out?
• Is there a similar product out there?
If you are still unsure,
step back and think hard about it!
Let’s create some User Stories!
User Stories
User stories are short, simple descriptions of a feature told from the perspective of the person who desires the new capability, usually a user or customer of the system.
Source: http://www.mountaingoatsoftware.com/agile/user-stories
User Stories
As a <type of user>, I want <some goal> so that <some reason>.
Example• As a student, I want to find my grades online so that I
don’t have to wait until the next day to know whether I passed.
• As a book shopper, I want to read reviews of a selected book to help me decide whether to buy it.
• As a job seeker, I want to search for a job, so I can advance my career.
• As a reader, I want to easily jump to bookmark a paragraph while reading, so I can refer back later.
Why User Stories?
• Break down your product into smaller parts.
• Understand clearly each of your features.
• Describe how your product will work in the voice of the users, instead of a big broad idea.
• Prioritise your features. Not all features are needed to be build immediately.
Using Sticky note (Post-it)
Using Trello
Rules
• As simple as possible. (for dummy)
• Break it down.
• Who - What - How - Why
Working with User Stories
• Discuss hard and well on each Story.
• Prioritise! Sort them, rank them.
• Arrange into To-Do, Doing, Done.
• Best use with Trello (has comments, attachment).
Let’s talk MVP
Minimum Viable Product
"The minimum viable product is that version of a new product which allows a team to collect the maximum amount of validated learning about customers with the least effort.”
Source: http://www.startuplessonslearned.com/2009/08/minimum-viable-product-guide.html
- Eric Rise
What is even before the MVP?
Wireframe
• A wireframe is a visual guide that portrays how a page or screen of a application or system may look.
• Can be very “sketchy” or a very polished looking.
• Can be a few important pages/screen, or almost everything.
The structure of a page or screen
The layout of content
Functionality available
Calls to action
User interface elements
Graphic design touches
How it gonna works
Source: http://www.infragistics.com/community/blogs/gradientgirl/archive/2013/09/10/what-is-a-wireframe-and-why-are-they-useful.aspx
Why wire-framing?
• To quickly get ideas down on paper for soliciting feedback.
• To communicate the specification of a system or website to team-member, advisor, investor and customers.
• To see limitation of your ideas.
It’s ‘a picture paints a thousand words’.
Quick learning guide
• http://webdesign.tutsplus.com/articles/a-beginners-guide-to-wireframing--webdesign-7399
• http://wireframes.tumblr.com/
• http://www.infoq.com/articles/wireframes-start-development-projects
Tools• Balsamiq (trial 7 days) - desktop app
http://balsamiq.com/download/
• UX Pin (trial 30 days) - online web-basedhttp://uxpin.com/
• MockingBird (Free plan for 10 pages) - online web-based https://gomockingbird.com/
• Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator
• Pen & Paper!
Tools Demonstration
Choose your approach
• Wireframe will help you to decide the “Technology Stack”, or what will make of your product.
• Technology Stack can be changed later. MVP may need a different approach.
• Now decide your approach: pre-built tool, in-house, outsource, … each come with trade-offs.
Technical Challenges
• What are they?
• Be honest. Face them.
• Is any one of them a deal-breaker?
Asking for help
• Seek for advisor/mentor.
• Consult early.
• Don’t hide, don’t lie.
Create User Stories
Plan your MVP
Wire-framing
Start building your MVP
Know why you build
Know how you build
Know what you build
The fun begins!
Feedback
Feedback
Feedback
Product Development Rules• There’s always a Product Owner.
• Communication is the most important.
• Release early, release often.
• Focus on learning. Always be testing.
• Customers are your best friends (trust them), especially the first few and the most annoying one.
• Studying your competitor is a great way to learn too.
Source: http://market-by-numbers.com/2010/02/complementary-iteration-loops-product-and-customer-development/
Thank You!
