Do you want to accelerate your early design and development process? Is it tricky to identify the right early customers to test your ideas on? Would you like a roadmap for creating a stripped-down yet compelling MVP? Learn the key design hacks and powerful step-by-step system for accelerating early design, perfected by Amy Jo Kim, CEO of Shufflebrain. Startups, game companies and media giants have used her GettingToAlpha system to turn innovative ideas into breakthrough hits.

1.
WEBINAR
5 Powerful
Design Hacks
to build a
Better Product
in Less Time
Wanda Meloni
Exec. Director of the
Open Gaming Alliance
& Editor of the Gaming
Business Review.
Amy Jo Kim
CEO of Shufflebrain
a design studio focused
on smart games for a
connected world.

2.
WEBINAR
5 Powerful
Design Hacks
to build a
Better Product
in Less Time
Amy Jo Kim, Ph.D.
co-founder, Shufflebrain

3. Is this you?
• need to accelerate early design process
• tough to find the right early customers
• hard to make a stripped-down MVP

4. What You Will Learn
Actionable techniques for creating
a better product in less time

5. As a
child
I loved
to play

6. As a
child
I loved
to play
But I
didn’t
love to
compete

7. one night
on a beach
in Greece
my creativity
was re-ignighted

8. I found another way to play

9. I developed my coop design skills

10. then one day, I got THE CALL

11. we created a breakthrough hit

12. which led to more breakthrough hits

13. and design tips, tricks & shortcuts
Early Customer Funnel JTBD & Habit Stories Skill-Building Core Loop

14. Habits,
Culture &
Design Hacks

15. What I’ve learned
• Early product development is HARD
• It becomes faster & easier with the
right shortcuts & hacks
• 6 months of progress in 6 weeks

17. Amy Jo has a refined and
effective process for bringing
early product ideas to life.
Blair Ethington
VP Covet Fashion

18. RESULTS
connected with
aspirational market
evergreen hit with
millions of players

19. Amy Jo’s MVP methodology
is fantastic. The ROI you’ll see
is a no-brainer.
Ofer Leidner
President, Happify

20. RESULTS
iterated product with
customer insights
now market leader in
digital happiness

21. What if you could…
• Accelerate your early product development?

22. What if you could…
• Accelerate your early product development?
• Talk with EXACTLY the right customers early on?

23. What if you could…
• Accelerate your early product development?
• Talk with EXACTLY the right customers early on?
• Turn those insights into a simple yet compelling MVP*?
*Minimum Viable Product

24. What if you could…
• Accelerate your early product development?
• Talk with EXACTLY the right customers early on?
• Turn those insights into a simple yet compelling MVP*?
• Do all of this in just a few weeks?
*Minimum Viable Product

25. 5 Design Hacks
to super-charge your MVP

26. Small, high-learning experiments1
To increase your chances of
success, minimize time through
the Build-Measure-Learn cycle.
Eric Ries
Author, The Lean Startup

27. Ideas
Design
&
Build
Product
Measure
Data
Learn
Ask the hard,
important
questions
upfront

28. Will people
subscribe to a digital
service
that delivers
daily happiness
exercises?

29. Will fashion-loving,
young women play a
dress-up game with
real designer clothes?

30. MVP Canvas
Surface & test your high-risk assumptions

31. MVP Canvas
Surface & test your high-risk assumptions

32. Early Customer Funnel2
Early Adopters will put up with
cost & ridicule for innovations
that meet real needs.
Erika Hall
Author, Just Enough Research

33. Geoffrey Moore, 1992
To cross
the chasm…

34. Find & delight
a few passionate
early customers

35. Test & refine
your assumptions
Early Customer Funnel

36. Ask just a few
revealing questions
Daily Habits
Beliefs & Ideas
Unmet Needs

37. Early Customer Funnel

38. • 25 fashion-obsessed women 18-40
• both gamers & non-gamers
• existing player base + Craigslist ads
WHO

39. • 25 fashion-obsessed women 18-40
• both gamers & non-gamers
• existing player base + Craigslist ads
• 10 minute screening interviews
• 3-5 revealing questions
• best subjects become paid testers
WHO
WHAT

40. Fashion Browser
stay up-to-date on fashion trends
Co-Creator
shop & dress with a buddy
Armchair Stylist
tell other people how to dress
RESULTS
3 key
activity patterns

41. Customer Habit Stories3
The chains of habit are too
weak to be felt until they are
too strong to be broken.
Samuel Johnson
Author

42. Piggyback on
existing habits

43. • Identify relevant habits
• Match habit to unmet need
• Look for emotional &
situational triggers
Study their daily routines

44. Capture Habit-based Insights
When _________
I want to ______________
so I can _____________
trigger
activity + goal
outcome
Habit Stories

45. Fashion Browser
stay up-to-date on fashion trends
Co-Creator
shop & dress with a buddy
Armchair Stylist
tell other people how to dress

46. Fashion Browser
stay up-to-date on fashion trends
Co-Creator
shop & dress with a buddy
Armchair Stylist
tell other people how to dress

47. Fashion
Browser
Existing habit
“When I’m tired after a long day at work,
I want to flop on the couch and get the
escapist, immersive hit of flipping through
Vogue - but in a game.”

48. Fashion
Browser
Habit Story
When I
need to relax after a long day at work
Trigger

49. Fashion
Browser
Habit Story
When I
need to relax after a long day at work
I want to
see gorgeous, creative outfits – made
from the latest designer fashions
Activity
Trigger

50. Fashion
Browser
Habit Story
When I
need to relax after a long day at work
I want to
see gorgeous, creative outfits – made
from the latest designer fashions
So I can
stay on top of fashion trends in a fun,
relaxing & playful way
Activity
Outcome
Trigger

51. Skill-building Core Loop4
In a loop, you’re learning a
skill and updating your mental
model. That’s what leads to
player delight.
Dan Cook
Game Designer

52. Fake
landing page?

53. Fake
landing page?

54. Operant
Conditioning
AKA
Skinner Box?

55. Operant
Conditioning
AKA
Skinner Box?
X

56. Skill-building =
making customers
more awesome

57. Skill-building =
making customers
more awesome

58. Core Loop =
skill-building
habit loop
Skill-Building Core Loop

59. EscapeTime!
urge to dive into
an escapist world
Browse your
Style Feed
Rate/Comment
on Outfits
Earn $$, Dress for
Events, Collect
Ratings
Activity
Feedback &
Progress
Investment Path
Internal
Trigger

60. EscapeTime!
urge to dive into
an escapist world
Browse your
Style Feed
Rate/Comment
on Outfits
Earn $$, Dress for
Events, Collect
Ratings
Activity
Feedback &
Progress
Investment Path
When I
need to relax after a long
day at work
I want to
see gorgeous, creative
outfits – made from the
latest designer fashions
So I can
stay on top of fashion
trends in a fun, relaxing &
playful way
Urge or Need
Engaging Activity
Desired Outcome
Internal
Trigger

61. EscapeTime!
urge to dive into
an escapist world
Browse your
Style Feed
Rate/Comment
on Outfits
Earn $$, Dress for
Events, Collect
Ratings
Trigger
Activity
Engaging
activity
satisfies an
urge or need
Internal
Trigger

62. EscapeTime!
urge to dive into
an escapist world
Browse your
Style Feed
Rate/Comment
on Outfits
Earn $$, Dress for
Events, Collect
Ratings
Activity
Fashion
Browser
Internal
Trigger

63. Feedback &
progress
promote learning
& mastery
EscapeTime!
urge to dive into
an escapist world
Browse your
Style Feed
Rate/Comment
on Outfits
Earn $$, Dress for
Events, Collect
Ratings
Feedback &
Progress

64. EscapeTime!
urge to dive into
an escapist world
Browse your
Style Feed
Rate/Comment
on Outfits
Earn $$, Dress for
Events, Collect
Ratings
Feedback &
Progress
Armchair
Stylist

65. EscapeTime!
urge to dive into
an escapist world
Browse your
Style Feed
Rate/Comment
on Outfits
Earn $$, Dress for
Events, Collect
Ratings
Investment Path
Investment
& triggers
pull people back
Engaged
Trigger
Check your Stats

66. BreakTime!
urge for a quick
social “hit”
Read &
Respond to
Updates
Check
Notifications
& Stats
Collect faves,
RTs & followers
Check your Stats

67. BreakTime!
urge for a quick
social “hit”
Read &
Respond to
Updates
Check
Notifications
& Stats
Collect faves,
RTs & followers
Activity
TriggerEngaging
activity
satisfies an
urge or need
Internal
Trigger

68. Feedback
& progress
promote learning
& mastery
BreakTime!
urge for a quick
social “hit”
Read &
Respond to
Updates
Check
Notifications
& Stats
Collect faves,
RTs & followers
Feedback &
Progress

69. Investment
& triggers
pull people back
BreakTime!
urge for a quick
social “hit”
Read &
Respond to
Updates
Get
Notifications,
Check Stats
Activity
Investment Path
Engaged
Trigger
Check your Stats
Collect faves,
RTs & followers

70. PartyTime!
urge for a fun
social activity
Play a Song
Together
Get your Score,
Accolades, $$
get better, play
harder songs &
bigger venues
Core Loop
Feedback &
Progress
Investment Path
Activity
Internal
Trigger
Beat the Song
Engaged
Trigger

71. Lightweight weekly play-tests5
There is nothing quite so useless
as doing with great efficiency
something that should not be
done at all.
Peter Drucker
Author

72. The power of play-testing
• Find & leverage early customers

73. The power of play-testing
• Find & leverage early customers
• Source & test ideas quickly

74. The power of play-testing
• Find & leverage early customers
• Source & test ideas quickly
• Get high-value input for your MVP

75. Amy Jo helped us
create our MVP in
record time. An
invaluable investment
that’s still paying off.

76. CHALLENGE
build high-learning MVP
for digital community

77. SHORTCUTS
clarify product strategy
find the right customers
prototype & test MVP

78. RESULTS
launched Youtube MVP,
raised Series B,
built sharing platform

79. Small, high-learning experiments
Early Customer Funnel
Customer Habit Stories
Skill-building Core Loop
Lightweight weekly play-tests
1
2
3
4
5
5 Design Hacks to accelerate innovation

80. How can you benefit from these shortcuts?
Accelerate your design & development process
+
Identify & leverage the right early customers
+
Use game thinking to build a simple, compelling MVP

81. What We Do
accelerate your path to
product/market fit with
gaming smarts

82. 1. Plan
your experiment
2. Identify
the right customers
3. Distill
their habits & needs
4. Prototype
your Core Loop
5. Test
your prototype
6. Validate
your strategy &
design
Define & test your
key assumptions
MVP Canvas

83. 1. Plan
your experiment
2. Identify
the right customers
3. Distill
their habits & needs
4. Prototype
your Core Loop
5. Test
your prototype
6. Validate
your strategy &
design
Find EXACTLY the right
early customers
Early Customer Funnel

84. 1. Plan
your experiment
2. Identify
the right customers
3. Distill
their habits & needs
4. Prototype
your Core Loop
5. Test
your prototype
6. Validate
your strategy &
design
Distill key insights into
design-ready stories
Habit Stories

85. 1. Plan
your experiment
2. Identify
the right customers
3. Distill
their habits & needs
4. Prototype
your Core Loop
5. Test
your prototype
6. Validate
your strategy &
design
Prototype a simple yet
compelling Core Loop
Skill-Building Core Loop

86. 1. Plan
your experiment
2. Identify
the right customers
3. Distill
their habits & needs
4. Prototype
your Core Loop
5. Test
your prototype
6. Validate
your strategy &
design
Test your prototype
with early customers
3-Part MVP Test

87. 1. Plan
your experiment
2. Identify
the right customers
3. Distill
their habits & needs
4. Prototype
your Core Loop
5. Test
your prototype
6. Validate
your strategy &
design
Validate your strategy
& iterate your design
Alpha Product Brief

88. Let’s talk! • 15-30 minutes
• Review your project
• Provide feedback &
answer questions
• Together decide if our
programs are right for you

89. getting2alpha.com/apply
Let’s talk!