Cutting the Fat

Figuring out what products people actually want. GO Agile Tour 2013

Transcript

1. CUTTING THE FAT
2. JEVIN MALTAIS Principle Consultant
3. We are the SWAT team of software development
4. Doctors Canada Post
5. BUILDING A BUSINESS IS RISKY Is this solution solving a real problem? Does the solution fix the problem? Will your customer pay for the solution? Will your customer use the solution? Is the price right? Will I be able to reach my target audience?
6. Right problem + right solution = ☺customer How to build a prototype for $0
7. Idea! Code it Pray for users $$$$$ “Build it and they will come” Write up a plan Find $$$ Hire people Optional ARGH! This sucks! No one shows
8. BUILD IT AND THEY WILL COME
9. There’s got to be a better way!
10. Tim Ferris Eric Ries
11. Idea! Understand the problem Understand the workflow “Customer Problem First” Code it A bunch of happy users Mockups Do it with 20+ potential customers
12. HERE’S THE SCENARIO: You have an idea (say a lead management tool for Mortgage Agents) You haven’t built anything yet Today, would you rather:
13. No feedback from the potential end-users Nothing
14. 20 mortgage agents who say: “cool idea”
15. 20 mortgage agents who say: “that’s exactly my problem, take my money”
16. WHICH WOULD YOU PREFER? Nothing
17. INTERVIEWING PEOPLE
18. Goal #1: Understand if our problem is valid
20. Let make it systematic and easy (easier!)
21. 1. FINDING PEOPLE TO INTERVIEW ... e.g. mortgage agents
22. How can we find these people? “Mortgage Agents Ottawa”
23. 2. CUSTOMER INTERVIEW LIST
24. 3. WARM THEM UP WITH AN EMAIL Subject: “Strange Question” Hi Jimmy, I found you on LinkedIn earlier today. I’m a software entrepreneur in Ottawa. I’d like to interview you to add to my market research of pains in the industry. In return I’ll give you all the findings from across the industry. Would you be up for a 25 minute phone chat Tuesday at 3pm? Cheers! Jevin Maltais http://www.linkedin.com/in/jevinmaltais Cell: 613-265-5389
25. 400 emails 30 interviews 7.5% conversion * Best were via introductions, or if I had someone in common via LinkedIn
26. 4. THE INTERVIEW Key tip: Come up with a script a ahead of time 1. Explain your honest goal: Hoping to understand the problems in the industry. 2. Ask how they spent the majority of their week 3. Ask them what problems they experience in that area 4. Ask about the problem you assume exists for your idea 5. Ask about their ideal workflow for that problem 6. Ask permission to get back to them with some mockups
27. 5. THE PROPOSAL • Write out a proposed workflow for yourself. • Do some mockups. • Email each person individually and get them to click through. • Ask them for feedback.
28. If it’s a problem they hate + solution that helps them =
29. WHY A MOCKUPS? Mockups Full Product vs
30. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyigiQFRHq8
32. MINIMUM VIABLE PRODUCT (MVP)
33. MINIMAL VIABLE PRODUCT “strategy used for fast and quantitative market testing of a product or product feature” -- Wikipedia
36. LET’S BUILD IT! Mortgage agents Problems: •Tracking people interested in mortgages •Following up with the client •Following up with the lenders (banks) she applied to •Following up with the lawyer •Know when to expect to get paid their commission
37. EX: MORTGAGE AGENT LEAD MANAGEMENT What am I trying to learn? Best workflow for mortgage agents Do it manually first! •Agents email you their leads •Manual email reminders •Track the status in an excel sheet •Follow up with the lender •Email the applicant as the “assistant” to the mortgage agent FREE No Development skills!
38. GREAT RESOURCES Building products Interviewing https://coldcallingbook.net/
39. NextLevelFreelance.com
40. WANT MORE? Ottawa workshop in January Bi-weekly newsletter on building products http://quickjack.ca/newsletter/ jevin@quickjack.ca