TEACHING PROBLEMVALIDATION
TEACHINGENTREPRENEURSHIP.ORG
WHAT AREYOURPROBLEMS
WHAT AREYOURPROBLEMS TEACHING PROBLEMVALIDATION?
PLATFORMTOUR
DOAN WINKEL
John J. Kahl, Sr. Chair of Entrepreneurship
John Carroll University
JUSTIN WILCOX
Founder, Customer Development Labs
Author, FOCUS Framework
CUSTOMERS DON’T BUY
products
CUSTOMERS BUY SOLUTIONS TO
problems
Why Problem Validation?
Why Problem Validation?
WHAT AREYOURPROBLEMS TEACHING PROBLEMVALIDATION?
Problem Validation
1.Buy-In2.Hypothesizing3.Discovery4.ConfirmationP
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Our QuestionE
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SDo you want them for your class?
Problem Validation
1.Buy-In
PR
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Getting Buy-In
INVENTOR ENTREPRENEURVS.
Build things. Build thingspeople buy.
Getting Buy-In
INVENTOR ENTREPRENEURVS.
Getting Buy-In
INVENTOR ENTREPRENEURVS.
CUSTOMERS DON’T BUY
products
CUSTOMERS BUY SOLUTIONS TO
problems
Entrepreneurs Know
EX
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Problems. Not Products.
Origin Cases
EX
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ERead Origin Story
- Design Conference in SF
- No affordable hotels
- Rent 3 Airbeds (plus breakfast) $80/night
- Others wanted to use the site
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Problems. Not Products.
Origin Cases
Big companies, start small
...and solve real problems.
Problem Validation
1.Buy-In
PR
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M1.Buy-In2.Hypothesizing
PR
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MIdea Generation
Problem Generation
EX
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EHypothesizing
HypothesizingE
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Problem Generation
Problem ValidationP
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1.Buy-In2.Hypothesizing1.Buy-In2.Hypothesizing3.Discovery
DiscoveryP
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Interviews1. Who to Ask2. How to Ask3. What to Ask
1. Who to Ask
Who to Interview
Early Adopters
People seeking a solution to the problem
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Your Early Adopters
Discovery
Design Conference Attendees
“I can’t find a hotel room for < $200”
“I can’t find a hotel room for < $200”
Searches for hostels
Asks about room share on forum
Asks a friend about a place to stay
Tries couchsurfing
Stays far away and rents a car
Looks up rooms on craigslist
Asks about good hostels on Facebook
Asks about room share on forum
Posts on Couchsurfing for a room
Asks a question on TripAdvisor
Posts on craigslist about a room share
DiscoveryP
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Interviews1. Who to Ask2. How to Ask3. What to Ask
1. Who to Ask
Problem ValidationP
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1.Buy-In2.Hypothesizing3.Discovery
1.Buy-In2.Hypothesizing3.Discovery4.Confirmation
ConfirmationP
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Problem isn’t validateduntil customers “pay” to solve it
ConfirmationP
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Currency Test1. Marketing Channel2. MVP3. Success MetricsE
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Currency Test Template
Confirmation
Design conference forums
Website to rent airbeds out in our apartment during design conference.
$80/night. Includes breakfast.
7/1/2017 7/15/2017
Revenue
$500
$200
Rent whole house
Raise price
Pivot to DevelopersEX
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Problem ValidationP
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1.Buy-In2.Hypothesizing3.Discovery4.ConfirmationE
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Our QuestionE
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Do you want them for your class?
4 OF 35$99/
student
TEACHING PROBLEMVALIDATION
TEACHINGENTREPRENEURSHIP.ORG