Startup Science 2017 ④

Startup Science ④
"Making a successful startup is an Art.
Making a startup that doesn’t fail is a Science.”
Created by
Masa Tadokoro

Agenda
① Idea Verification : What is a good start-up idea?
② Customer-problem Fit： Does the issue really exist?
③ Problem-solution Fit:
④ Product-Market Fit:
Do you provide an appropriate
solution to the issue?
Copyright 2017 Masayuki Tadokoro All rights reserved
Does the market for the solution
exist?

By interviewing potential users, you
have confirmed the painful issue
really exists.

In problem-solution-fit phase,
you will verify solutions that you
will potentially provide for the
issue.

①
②
High quality
idea
Low quality
idea
Quality of issue
Quality of
solution
High
HighLow
Low
The focus of
Problem-
Solution Fit

Analysis if the provided solution is valuable
to customers

Problem-solution fit
Figure out how
customers want to
solve the issue
Product
Interview
Build a
prototype
based on the
blueprint
Conduct interview
with users who
have experienced
the prototype
3-1 3-2 3-3
Build
Prototype
Create UX
Blueprint
Forming
team
Fix core team
members

Create a blueprint of solution
based on the issue
you’ve validated
in the previous step.

Confirm issue/pain
verified in the prior stage
Frustration is accumulates by bad wifi connectivity
in the airport and the convenience store

XXXXX
Tourists from English
speaking countries
inbounding to Japan
(heavy smartphone
users aged in their 20s
to 30s
Frustrated by
bad wifi
connectivity
during the
transit
Lean canvas of Anytime Online

Backlog In Process
Complet
ed
Validatio
n
Verified
customers’
pain
Backlog
feature
Solution
interview
Prototypin
g
Paper
prototypin
g
Tool
prototyping
Complet
ed issue
Prototype
interview/verifi
cation
Prototype Kanban Board
you post
verified
issues

Backlog In Process
Complet
ed
Validatio
n
Verified
customers’
pain
Backlog
feature
Solution
interview
Prototypin
g
Paper
prototypin
g
Tool
prototyping
Complet
ed issue
Prototype
interview/verifi
cation
Why use Prototype Kanban board?

Backlog In Process
Complet
ed
Validatio
n
Verified
customers’
pain
Backlog
feature
Solution
interview
Proto
typing
Paper
prototypin
g
Tool proto
typing
Comp
leted
issue
Prototype
interview/verifi
cation
Proto
type
plan①
Paper
proto
type①
Paper
proto
type②
Paper
proto
type③
Paper
proto
type④
Tool
proto
type①
Tool
proto
type②
Tool
proto
type③
Tool
proto
type③
Proto
type
plan②
①Visualize prototype processes envisions “learning” and validation processes
and vitalizes communication.

Backlog In Process
Complet
ed
Validatio
n
Verified
customers’
pain
Backlog
feature
Solution
interview
Proto
typing
Paper
proto
typing
Tool proto
typing
Complet
ed issue
Prototype
interview/verifi
cation
Prototy
pe
plan①
Paper
proto
type①
Paper
proto
type②
Paper
proto
type③
Paper
proto
type④
Tool
prototyp
e①
Tool
proto
type②
Tool
proto
type③
Tool
proto
type③
Proto
type
plan②
②Secure the process where getting customer feedback in
appropriate timing.
Feedback from
customers
Feedback from
customers

Backlog In Process
Complet
ed
Validatio
n
Verified
customers’
pain
Backlog
feature
Solution
interview
Proto
typing
Paper
prototypin
g
Tool proto
typing
Comp
leted
issue
Prototype
interview/verifi
cation
Proto
type
plan①
Paper
proto
type①
Paper
prototyp
e②
Paper
prototyp
e③
Paper
prototyp
e④
Tool
proto
type①
Tool
proto
type②
Tool
proto
type③
Tool
proto
type③
Proto
type
plan②
③Bottle-neck of the process is envisaged and resources
allocated easily.
Paper
prototype is
bottle-neck

To solve the issues, think of;
“How do I provide value suggestions?”
”How do I provide solutions?”

Value
Suggestion/Soluti
on
The service provides fast wifi
for customers if they see ads
Solution to solve the
issues
Customer can add wifi
data volume any where
any time
How to suggest value
to solve the issues

Value Suggestion
Value suggestion is to show its benefits when
using a product based on where customers
stand.

A product's effect to provide a value
suggestion solving customer's pain.
A solution is composed of several
features to realize the effect.
Solution

Tourists from
English speaking
countries
inbounding to Japan
(smartphone heavy
user aged at 20s to
30s
Frustrated by
bad wifi
connectivity
during the
transit
課題”を
持っているか？から始める
Verify if the solution can provide
value suggestion
Purchase data volume by
credit card
Customers can
add data volume
any where any
time
Add data volume by
watching ads
Add data volume by
answering
questionnaires

Brainstorming to find potential features
that a solution is composed of.

The service to provide
fast wifi if custom ers
watch ads
List up potential
features to
compose
a solution
A feature to provide
10MB data volume to
customers if they
watch an ad.
A feature that allows
customers to use 20
MB data volume if
they download
a certain app.
A feature to let
customers purchase
data volume ( by
credit card ).
A feature to allow
Customers to share
data volume.
A feature to give 5MB
data volume if they
answer questionnaires.
A feature to let
customers add data
volume for a fee
(through Paypal)
A feature of which
limitation is up to 1
week
A feature with
which customers
can check current
data volume.
A feature to give
5MB data volume if
they post on
Facebook
Customers can add wifi data
volume any where any time
Solution
Value
Suggestion

Backlog In Process
Complet
ed
Validatio
n
Verified
customers’
pain
Backlog
feature
Solution
interview
Prototypin
g
Paper
prototypin
g
Tool
prototyping
Complet
ed issue
Prototype
interview/verifi
cation
Prototype Kanban board
Solution
Potential
features

Set up a solution interview to verify the
customer story, “will the solution truly provide
effects (values) to customers?”

v
They could not
imagine what a car was like
since they’d only
ridden horses

Nevertheless,
you should ask
what is a “magic lamp”
for customers.
❓

- Steve Jobs

1 If you have a magic lamp that can do anything you want to do,
how would you have [issue or operation] it completed?
2 Have found a solution which is close to the [magic lamp]?
3 Why don’t the customers use the solution?
4 How much time/effort can you save when you use the magic lamp?
5 What is the budget you can get for the magic lamp product?
(Ask yourself)
Do you have a clear product image so that customer will be
impressed and start using the product?
Closing comment: When the prototype of the magic lamp is built,
can we meet up again?
？
Question list for a solution (Magic Lamp）interview.

Typical reactions by potential future customers.
"It would be really helpful
if we had the [magic lamp solution]"
"If I had [magics lamp solution],
I would use it this way."
"I would like to have the solution immediately!"

• How does the customer describe the [magic lamp]?
Is the [magic lamp] technically feasible?
• Are there any barriers for the customer to purchase or use
the product if the [magic lamp] could be built?
• Could the user use the [magic lamp] in an everyday
context?
• If the customer might not buy the [magic lamp], what would
be the reason[s]?
Checkpoints for a Solution Interview

Prioritize order among
features based on the solution interview and
extract the essential features.

fast wifi if custom ers
watch ads
10MB data volume to
customers if they
watch an ad.
customers to use 20
MB data volume if
they download
a certain app.
A feature to let
customers purchase
data volume ( by
credit card ).
A feature to allow
Customers to share
data volume.
data volume if they
A feature to let
customers add data
volume for a fee
(through Paypal)
A feature of which
week
A feature with
which customers
can check current
data volume.
A feature to give
5MB data volume if
they post on
Facebook
volume any where any timeSolution
Value
Suggestion

Essential Features
Better Features
Unnecessary Features
fast wifi if customers
watch ads
Solution
Value Suggestion
Place priority order
10MB data volume to
customers if they
watch an ad.
A feature to give
5MB data volume if
they post on
Facebook
A feature to let
customers purchase
data volume ( by
credit card ).
A feature with
which customers
can check current
data volume.
customers to use 20
MB data volume if
they download
a certain app.
data volume if they
A feature of which
week
A feature to allow
Customers to share
data volume.
A feature to let
customers add data
volume for a fee
(through Paypal)

Backlog In Process
Complet
ed
Validatio
n
Verified
customers’
pain
Backlog
feature
Solution
interview
Prototypin
g
Paper
prototypin
g
Tool
prototyping
Complet
ed issue
Prototype
interview/verifi
cation
Features
needed for
prototyping Prioritize order among
features based on
the solution interview and extract
essential features

Write down new essential features
found during the solution interview.

Essential Features
Better Features
Unnecessary Features
fast wifi if customers
watch ads
Solution
Value Suggestion
10MB data volume to
customers if they
watch an ad.
A feature to give
5MB data volume if
they post on
Facebook
A feature to let
customers
purchase
data volume ( by
credit card ).
A feature with
which customers
can check current
data volume.
customers to use 20
MB data volume if
they download
a certain app.
data volume if they
A feature of which
week
A feature to allow
Customers to share
data volume.
A feature to let
customers add data
volume for a fee
(through Paypal)
A feature
logging into
Facebook
A feature able to
log in by e-mail
A feature add
data volume
for a
fee(Paypal)
Write down new
essential features
found during the
solution interview

Backlog In Process
Complet
ed
Validatio
n
Verified
customers’
pain
Backlog
feature
Solution
interview
Prototypin
g
Paper
prototypin
g
Tool
prototyping
Complet
ed issue
Prototype
interview/verifi
cation
Features
needed for
prototyping
Write down essential
features found during
the solution interview

Continue to brush up the
solution idea by conducting
solution
interviews until absolutely
convinced.

Create a UX blueprint based on the
features you have extracted.

Create an elevator pitch of the
prototype.

This product is different from ＜the most influential alternative＞
which is equipped with ＜determinative differentiated feature＞
＜critical benefits, the reason why it’s equivalent to the cost> for customers
The product named ＜Name of Product＞ is to provide
We’d like to satisfy <Targeted Customers> who own ＜issue/needs＞
Elevator pitch format

Elevator pitch format
We’d like to satisfy Tourists inbound to Japan who own needs to use
smartphone anywhere anytime
The product named Anywhere Online pro is to provide
a service that lets customers acess fast free wifi if they watch
ads or fill in marketing questionnaires for customers
This product is different from convenience store wifi, station wifi,
hotel wifi because it has features that customers can connect to
wifi anywhere anytime.

The reason to make elevator pitch①：
Clarify the idea
Making an elevator pitch
helps you get rid of vagueness.
Your team needs to answer
the hard question
of whom the product is for.

In making an elevator pitch,
your team can seriously
think of what product
they serve, the reason why they
provide it and, to begin with, the
reason customers pay for it.
The reason to make elevator pitch②：Direct
team’s consciousness toward customers.

The reason to make an elevator pitch③：Get at
the heart of the matter
Not touching on
any unrelated subjects,
the elevator pitch
directly gets to the
heart of the matter
like a laser beam.

Writing a UX blueprint should be
done from both the customer's and
provider's viewpoint.

Backlog In Process
Complet
ed
Validatio
n
Verified
customers’
pain
Backlog
feature
Solution
interview
Proto
typing
Paper
proto
typing
Tool proto
typing
Complet
ed issue
Prototype
interview/verifi
cation
Proto
type
plan
Creating prototype
plans based on
extracted features

UX blueprint making phase①
Conduct grouping listed features and contents
customers to
add data
volume for a fee
( credit card )
A feature to allow
customers to check
current
data volume
A feature to
be able to
sign up to
Facebook.
A feature that
allows you to
sign up by e-mail
A feature that
allows customers
to add
data volume for a fee
( Paypal )
Sign upData volume
Top Up
Purchase of
data volume
Data volume
Dashboard
A feature to
provide 10MB
data volume to
customers if they
watch a 15
-second movie ad.
A feature to give
5MB data
volume if they
post on
Facebook

UX blueprint making phase②
structure grouped features
from customer viewpoint
Sign up
Data volume top up
Purchase of
data volume
Data volume
DashboardFrustrated by bad wifi
connectivity during the trip
Catherin (25 yrs old)
Tourist Inbound to Japan
Nationality: Australia
Personality: Heavy
smartphone user
A feature to
be able to
sign up to
Facebook.
A feature that
allows you to
sign up by e-mail
A feature to allow
customers to check
current
data volume
A feature that
allows customers to add
( Paypal )
customers to
add data
volume for a fee
( credit card )
A feature to
provide 10MB
data volume to
customers if they
watch a 15
-second movie ad.
A feature to give
5MB data
volume if they
post on
Facebook

UX blueprint making phase③
Show implemented features & contents on each screen
Sign up
Data volume
top up
Purchase of
data volume
Data volume
Dashboard
Sign up
Sign up with
Facebook
account
Sign up with e-
mail address
Purchase
Screen
Card Number
MM/YY
Buy
Available
Data Volume
Usage
XX MB
available
Watch Ad
Post on
Facebook
A feature to
be able to
sign up to
Facebook.
A feature that
allows you to
sign up by e-mail
A feature that
allows customers to add
( Paypal )
customers to
add data
volume for a fee
( credit card )
A feature to allow
customers to check
current
data volume
A feature to
provide 10MB
data volume to
customers if they
watch a 15
-second movie ad.
A feature to give
5MB data
volume if they
post on
Facebook

Sign up Top Page
Available
data volume
Watch Ad
Post on
Facebook
Purchase data
volume
Ad
Post on Facebook
Post
xxxxxxx
xxxxxxx
Sign up with
Facebook
account
Data volume
usage
XX MB
available
Return to Top
Purchase Screen
Card number
MM/YY
buy
Return to Top
Thank you for
purchasing!
Personality: Heavy
smartphone user
Frustrated by bad wifi
UX blueprint making phase④
Apply structured features into
screen transition
Watching 15 seconds ad gives
customers 10MB data volume
Check
the data
usage
availability
Post on Facebook gives 5MB data
volume to customers
Purchase
data volume
by credit card

Sign up Top Page
Available
data volume
Watch Ad
Post on
Facebook
Purchase data
volume
Ad
Post on Facebook
Post
xxxxxxx
xxxxxxx
Sign up with
Facebook
account
Data volume
usage
XX MB
available
Return to Top
Purchase Screen
Card number
MM/YY
buy
Return to Top
Thank you for
purchasing!
Personality: Heavy
smartphone user
UX blueprint making phase⑤
Check the vertical linkage needed
to be tested
Vertical linkage needed to
be tested: UX in which
issues are solved

Sign up Top Page
Available
data volume
Watch Ad
Post on
Facebook
Purchase data
volume
Ad
Post on Facebook
Post
xxxxxxx
xxxxxxx
Sign up with
Facebook
account
Data volume
usage
XX MB
available
Return to Top
Purchase Screen
Card number
MM/YY
buy
Return to Top
Thank you for
purchasing!
UX blueprint making phase⑤
Check the vertical linkage needed
to be tested
Vertical linkage needed to
be tested: UX in which
issues are solved
Personality: Heavy
smartphone user

Sign up Top Page
Available
data volume
Watch Ad
Post on
Facebook
Purchase data
volume
Ad
Post on Facebook
Post
xxxxxxx
xxxxxxx
Sign up with
Facebook
account
Data volume
usage
XX MB
available
Return to Top
Purchase Screen
Card number
MM/YY
buy
Return to Top
Thank you for
purchasing!
UX blueprint making phase⑥
Confirm UX horizontal expansion
Users can expand
horizontally
from Top page
Personality: Heavy
smartphone user

UX blueprint making phase⑦
Assume UX before, after, and while using
- throughout the whole experience.
What is the experience and
Expectation of the user
before using the customer
solution?
How does the customer
live with the solution in his/her life cycle?
Personality: Heavy smartphone
user
What
experience will
the customer
get after using
customer
solution?

Why does the assumed solution target
not only UX in use, before
, after, but also throughout
the whole experience?
To provide customers
a product with context.

The paradigm shift from
"producing products"
to "producing a user experience"
You can't provide any value
unless you provide a user
experience in context.

http://thebridge.jp/2015/08/design-your-own-jewerly-with-monomy

Launch the
app
Open
your brand!
Now, make
an original
accessary
Put the parts
together
http://www.monomy.co

Catch an
image of it
being worn
Confirm to
start selling
products
Post on SNS
to share the
tips
Post on
instagram

Monomy provides not only "products",
accessories but also a "story" = "user
experience" in which customers share
tips of accessories designed by them on
SNS to bought and sold together with their
friends.

A fancy person XX,
I’m following on
Instagram is recently
posting products
designed via a
service, Monomy
I try as he/she does I’m concerned to
how my products
are reacted on
instagram
It's fun and it doesn't take up any storage and I can
render for free anytime. I want to gain design skills while
I produce several accessories that sell well
Story
StoryStory

Facebook has stuck to privacy
setting since day one
- Mark Zuckerburg
CEO of Facebook

I want to make sure
of privacy settings
which can confirm
to whom we are
posting and what
will be shown before
posting.
I feel safe posting on Facebook because of its privacy settings which
can be customized in detail. I'll use it all the time.
I'd be happy if
there is
feedback
from people my
post targets
Superior UX accumulation
occurs fixation of
customers

Problem-Solution Fit
Figure out how
customers want to
solve the issue
Product
Interview
Build a
prototype
based on the
blueprint
Conduct interview
with users who
have experienced
the prototype
3-1 3-2 3-3
Build
Prototype
Create UX
Blueprint
Forming
team
Fix core team
members

Implement the prototype
based on the UX blueprint.

Sharing the ideas of the product while making the prototype
with designers, engineers, persons in charge of business
operations ( and potential customers if possible ) allow them
to
realize the product together intimately.
There won't be any realization gap among
designers and engineers anymore.
The reason to make prototype ①
Shapes a figure of the product.

The reason to make prototype ②
Extraction/confirmation of customers’ unseen facts and
needs.
Involving customers in building
the prototype allows you to extract
the unseen needs of customers.

The reason to make prototype ③
Time in between feedback shortened
to verify various patterns in the product.
You can get feedback instantly and
render the adjustment to hasten the
process.

"It's ok to let the company order ‘customer' work".
"It's ok to only rely on the layout made by the ‘project manager'
and front lines".
"It's ok to just follow the layout of ‘designers'".
"It's ok to implement by just following the layout of
‘engineers'".
These ideas will disappear.
*Everyone can work at the same time hands on and enjoy the
process
The reason to make prototype④
Raise ownership/motivation of members.

Fidelity (Accuracy in detail)
Paper-
prototype Wireframe
Low High
Interactive Mock up
SpeedFast Slow
Tool prototype

Paper-prototype Wireframe Coded MVP
Low High
Fidelity（Accuracy in detail）

Fidelity (Accuracy in details)
Paper-
prototype Wireframe
Low High
Interactive Mock up
SpeedFast Slow
Tool prototype
Begin with
paper
prototype

Notes for a Paper Prototype
・Create several paper prototypes
based on an idea
→ Compare them after getting customer feedback
・Balance speed with accuracy
・Need a certain number members to check them.
Share them with all the members

Sign up Top Page
Available
data volume
Watch Ad
Post on
Facebook
Purchase data
volume
Ad
Post on Facebook
Post
xxxxxxx
xxxxxxx
Sign up with
Facebook
account
Data volume
usage
XX MB
available
Return to Top
Purchase Screen
Card number
MM/YY
buy
Return to Top
Thank you for
purchasing!
Personality: Heavy
smartphone user
UX blueprint making phase④
Apply structured features into
screen transition

Ad
Create
paper prototypes
Create a paper prototype
using post-it
duplicating the user flow of
the product
Top Page
Available
data volume
Watch Ad
Post on
Facebook
Purchase data
volume
Post on Facebook
Post
xxxxxxx
xxxxxxx
Data volume
usage
XX MB
available
Return to Top
Purchase Screen
Card number
MM/YY
buy
Return to Top
Thank you for
purchasing!
Sign up
Sign up with
Facebook
account

Utilize post-it and white board and share them in a
team to make paper prototypes
Team
Paper prototype①

Team
Paper prototype②
Utilize post-it and white board and share them in a
team to make paper prototypes

Backlog In Process
Complet
ed
Validatio
n
Verified
customers’
pain
Backlog
feature
Solution
interview
Proto
typing
Paper
proto
typing
Tool proto
typing
Complet
ed issue
Prototype
interview/verifi
cation
Proto
type
plan
Paper
proto
type①
Paper
proto
type②
Paper
proto
type③
Paper
proto
type④
Create 3-4 plans
if possible

Backlog In Process
Complet
ed
Validatio
n
Verified
customers’
pain
Backlog
feature
Solution
interview
Proto
typing
Paper
proto
typing
Tool proto
typing
Complet
ed issue
Prototype
interview/verifi
cation
Proto
type
plan
Paper
proto
type①
Paper
proto
type②
Paper
prototyp
e③
Paper
prototyp
e④
Take notice that
you can’t correct feedback
from customers without
tool prototypes.

Fidelity (Accuracy in details)
Paper-
prototype Wireframe
Low High
Interactive Mock up
SpeedFast Slow
Tool prototype
Implement a
prototype
with a tool

T
You can create interactions that are
scenarios, to build an ordered screen
flow, to scope an area customers tap on.
Prototyping with a Tool

Create prototype
with Balsamiq
Tool prototype①

Prepare at least
2 prototypes
Tool prototype②

Opening
screen
Welcome
screen
Tutorial
movie
Menu
screen
Tool prototype flow of Anywhere Online.

Menu screen
Watch ad Confirmation
Post on Facebook Confirmation
Questionnaires Confirmation

Usage confirmation Confirm of activation
Choosing plans Card info Thank you screen

Products should be able to
be used immediately
without a manual. Is the
product understandable and from the next
time, they are used smoothly?
Point in tool prototyping①
Does it operate intuitively?

・Is the design so understandable that
users can easily find needed
content?
・ Are frequently used manipulation
items, tips, and contents located in
areas that can be reached effortlessly?
*Frequently used functions and tips
that are hard to reach is out of the question
Point in tool prototyping ②
Clarify an order of functions?

Point in tool prototyping③
Are the design and the interactive coherent?
・Does the interaction in the product design,
conform to a certain rule?
・Is each interaction moving smoothly?
・Does the product's interaction react
consecutively in real time?

Point in tool prototyping④
Is reversibility secured?
・Can the product be used in reverse?
・Can customers move back to a previous
page or main page and cancel any operation?

Repetitive motions
can be duplicated.
Real operation of
the product
can be verified.
In digital form can be jointly
managed.
Advantages of tool
prototyping.
Disadvantages of tool
prototyping.
All members can't join in.
Less flexibility than paper
prototyping.
Cost is higher.

Backlog In Process
Comp
leted
Valida
tion
Verified
customers’
pain
Backlog
feature
Solution
interview
Proto
typing
Paper
proto
typing
Tool proto
typing
Complet
ed issue
Prototype
interview/verifi
cation
Proto
type
plan
Paper
proto
type①
Paper
proto
type②
Paper
proto
type③
Paper
proto
type④
Tool
proto
type①
Tool
proto
type②
Tool
proto
type③
Tool
proto
type④
Conduct tool prototyping
without paper prototyping
will be less convincing to
your team members

Backlog In Process
Complet
ed
Validatio
n
Verified
customers’
pain
Backlog
feature
Solution
interview
Proto
typing
Paper
proto
typing
Tool proto
typing
Comp
leted
issue
Prototype
interview/verifi
cation
Proto
type
plan
Paper
prototyp
e①
Paper
prototyp
e②
Paper
proto
type③
Paper
proto
type④
Tool
proto
type①
Tool
prototyp
e②
Tool
proto
type③
Tool
proto
type④
Move
completed tool
prototype to
“Completed”

Tools for
Prototyping

Balsamiq:
You can build wireframes
with this web app.

Drag & Drop
You can create page
intuitively using
drag & drop

By using an application called POP,
you can convert paper prototypes
into clickable wireframes.

You can create a moving wireframe
by using Pratt

Several months → Several days
If you start coding, it would take months;
but a prototype can be created within several days

The most precious
resource for a start-up is time.
Start-up teams who learn the most
before burning all the resources
will eventually win.
- Ash Maurya

Get out of
the building with a prototype
and talk to users!

Why are customer interviews
so important?

Product
Market-Fit
Risk
（= Risk not to
create needed
products）
Time
PMF risk rises
without customer
feedback
Reduce the risk that you could produce unneeded
products for which you have consumed a lot of resources/time.
PMF risk is limited with
customer feedback
High
Low

Time
High
Low
x
Hard to adjust a plan
After consuming
much time (= resources)
Product
Market-Fit
Risk
（= Risk not to
create needed
products）

Backlog In Process
Complet
ed
Validatio
n
Verified
customers’
pain
Backlog
feature
Solution
interview
Prototypin
g
Paper
prototypin
g
Tool
prototyping
Complet
ed issue
Prototype
interview/verifi
cation
Prototy
pe
plan
Paper
prototyp
e①
Paper
prototyp
e②
Paper
prototyp
e③
Paper
prototyp
e④
Tool
proto
type①
Tool
prototyp
e②
Tool
prototyp
e③
Tool
prototyp
e③
Start interviewing
after prototyping is completed

Setup
Product Interviews

Request interviews with
the people who were
interviewed during
the problem interview
( qualified as early adopters ).

Personality: Heavy
smartphone user
Check the
context

Affirm the vertical
linkagethat needs
to be tested
The area to be tested: UX
where the solution is
solved last
Personality: Heavy
smartphone user

Facilitators need to dig out what users think by
asking the questions below:
What do you think it is for?
What are you trying to do now?
How do you interpret the words XXX?
What do you think button XXX does?
What do you do next with it?
Does it move when pushing button XXX as you
expected?
If it's not as you expected, how did you expect the
function to work?

Opening
screen
Welcome
screen
Tutorial
movie
Menu
screen
”Think of what
you are doing
【issue】
in【situation】
”With signing up,
screen like this
appears,”
”Next, screen like this
appears,
what do you do?

Watch Ad Obtain
Confirmation
”Here, what
do you to tackle
the issue?”
Use
confirmation
Start
confirmation
Menu
screen
”Next, this
screen appears.
What do you do?”
”This screen
appears
on the next
screen.
What would you
do?
As a result, this
screen appears.
Do you think the
issue is complete?
”As a result, here
appears this screen.
Do you think the issue
is complete?

Shut-up and Listen to the customer!
Listening to the customer is key.

Checkpoints in the Product Interview
・” Is there any react showing “I need this right now?”*
・ Did the interviewee have any issues bothering them using
the product?
・ Is MVP made clearer which helps customers solve each
issue?

5 interviews gives clearer ideas for problem finding
８０％
５
http://www.nngroup.com/articles/why-you-only-need-to-test-with-5-users/

Backlog In Process
Complet
ed
Validatio
n
Verified
customers’
pain
Backlog
feature
Solution
interview
Proto
typing
Paper
proto
typing
Tool proto
typing
Comp
leted
issue
Prototype
interview/verifi
cation
Proto
type
plan
Paper
proto
type①
Paper
proto
type②
Paper
proto
type③
Paper
proto
type④
Tool
proto
type①
Tool
proto
type②
Tool
proto
type③
Tool
proto
type③
Get at least 2
prototype interviews

Backlog In Process
Comp
leted
Validatio
n
Verified
customers’
pain
Backlog
feature
Solution
interview
Proto
typing
Paper
proto
typing
Tool proto
typing
Complet
ed issue
Prototype
interview/verifi
cation
Prototy
pe
plan
Paper
prototyp
e①
Paper
prototyp
e②
Paper
prototyp
e③
Paper
prototyp
e④
Tool
proto
type①
Tool
proto
type②
Tool
prototyp
e③
Tool
prototyp
e③
Put new features into
Backlog found during the
interviews

Customers don’t
need this feature!
Personality: Heavy
smartphone user

A start-up needs to learn not only successful
cases but also failure cases.
In case customers say ”We don’t need this
feature”, analyze the reason.

If customer feedback is “denying your
assumed hypothesis” or
“making your ears tingle”,
that is critically important.

Customer
community
Company
Feedback for developer
Intimate with
interviewee customers
during this stage.
Customers
Executive
Developer Person in
charge

Ending of Problem-Solution
・Verified the existence of painful issues
・Found solutions for unentangling the issue and protect
MVP
・Clarified tips of customers who may use the solutions
with Persona, customer stories and so on.

①
②
High quality
idea
Low quality
idea
Quality of issue
Quality of
solution
High
HighLow
Low
Focus of
Problem-
Solution Fit

Tourists from
English speaking
countries
inbounding to Japan
(smartphone heavy
user aged at 20s to
30s
Frustrated by
bad wifi
connectivity
during the transit
課題”を
持っているか？から始める
Verify if the solution can provide
value suggestions
Purchase data volume by
credit card
Customers can add
data volume any
where any time
Add data volume by
watching ads
Add data volume by
answering
questionnaires

Problem-solution fit
Figure out how
customers want to
solve the issue
Product
Interview
Build a
prototype
based on the
blueprint
Conduct interview
with users who
have experienced
the prototype
3-1 3-2 3-3
Build
Prototype
Create UX
Blueprint
In case the solution doesn’t work on the
issue, go back to the solution blue print

Backlog In Process
Comp
leted
Valida
tion
Verified
customers’
pain
Backlog
feature
Solution
interview
Proto
typing
Paper
proto
typing
Tool proto
typing
Comp
leted
issue
Prototype
interview/verifi
cation
Proto
type
plan
Paper
proto
type①
Paper
proto
type②
Paper
proto
type③
Paper
proto
type④
Tool
proto
type①
Tool
proto
type②
Tool
proto
type③
Go through the iteration
process until the solutions
provide value suggestions

Let prototyping go on fast
iteration

Prototype1 Prototype2 Prototype3 Prototype4
Brush up prototyping and UX hypothesis to
make the quality of solution better
Customer feedback Customer feedback Customer feedback
UX hypothesis
ver1
UX hypothesis
ver2
UX hypothesis
ver3
UX hypothesis
ver4

・As of prototyping, you may only conduct
qualitative analysis.
・Analysis of prototype doesn’t mean analysis of
the whole business model.
Polish it up some how,
move to the next stage (making of MVP)
As of prototyping, Don’t polish it up too
much, though

”Too much analysis and
preparation is no good,
but none of them makes you fail”
-Eric Ries
“The Lean Start-Up”

Forming a Team
At this stage, you might start talking with real
customers and prototyping
You might realize who in the team are truly
committed to the project

Viewpoint from
finance
Viewpoint from
customers
Viewpoint from
operations
Viewpoint
from HR
Ideation
Customer/
Problem fit
Problem/
solution fit
Product/
market fit
Growth
Ideation/
Brush up the
hypothesis
Side project to
examine its
profitability
Verbalize
quality issue
・Investigate
issues
（Interview）
・Examine User
Story
Founder
Problem
Fit
・Unit economics
(LTV>CPA)
・Burn rate
Create the
prototype
(MVP)
Build a Co-
founders
team
カスタマーの課題を
解決する
ソリューションの
仮説を作れたか
・AARRR
（Focus on
Retention
Activation）
・Churn-rate
・AARRR
( Add Virality,
Acquisition as well)
・Run the community
・Define royal
customers with
NPS(CS) measurement
・MoM growth
(MRR)
・Break-even-
point
・Runway
・Customer
Development
・Build MVP with
Build-measure-
Learn
・Pivot
・Standarize operation
・Set up the system
where developing royal
customers
・UX improvement
・Growth hack
・Operation
specializing
・Hiring/Retention
・Data-driven/Agile
team
・Training
・Learning driven
team
・Management
team forming
・Burn rate
・Stock divide
Build
hypothesis
of customer
issue
Pre-seed round
Seed round
Series A
Examine if the
solution
hypothesis solves
the customer
issue
Form
co-founder team

専門性特化型
エンジニア
技術志向エンジニア
P/S
Fit
Fixing Co-
founder
members
Experiment/Bu
ild MVP
Pivot
Build products
Analytics
Management
Create
Ideation/
Plan A
C/P
Fit
Filtering
Co-founder
members
Ideation P/M
Fit
Team up
(10〜 members）
Growth
Co-founder
members +α
３-10 member
s
s
Start-up team in each stage
Start as a a
side project
UX
Design
Vision Selling
Pre-seed round
Seed round
Series ACopyright 2017 Masayuki Tadokoro All rights reserved
Growth

Form a Co-founder
Team

Why do you need
co-founder(s)?
❓

It’s because you can
speed up your business development.
It will take 3.6 times slower
if you do it by yourself

The most precious
resource for a startup is time.
Startup teams who learn the most
before burn all the resources,
will eventually win.
- Ash Maurya

You are more likely to fail
if you are a solo founder

Company Co-founders
Microsoft Bill Gates, Paul Allen
Apple Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, Ronald Wayne
Google Larry Page, Sergey Brin
Facebook
Mark Zuckerberg, Eduardo Servin
Dustin Moskovits etc
Airbnb Brian Chesky, Joe Gebbia
twitter Jack Dorsey Noah Glass, Biz Stone, Evan Williams
paypal Peter Theil, Max Levchin
DeNA Tomoko Namba、Nao Kawata、Masa Wataname
Gree Yoshikazu Tanaka, Kotaro Yamagishi、MasaFujimo
Cyber Agent Maoto Fujita、Yusuke Hidaka
Rakuten Hiroshi Mikitashi、Shinnosuke Honjo
Many of successful startup are
founded by multiple founders

With co-founders, you may attain
market information from various
aspects.
There are uncertainties in the start-
up market environment.

Human beings have
confirmation bias.
Exchanging tips and various perspectives among co-
founders give you an objective viewpoint to see where
you stand.

By using a framework like lean canvas,
you and your co-founder(s) can share individual perspectives from
which you can build a complete business model.
Team
Lean canvas of your business

Co-founder team should be
composed of a “Boke” and a
“Tsukkomi”
Intensive “Boke” ：
A person
who comes up crazy ideas
Accurate “Tsukkomi”：
A person who conducts
realistic execution and
thinks of realistic validation

You can help
each other, especially
during tough times.
Pivoting is actually
a near death experience.
You will be turned down
more than 95% of the time.
You will have to throw away
more than 90% of your code.

When you do a start-up,
you will keep getting rejected.
Jessica Livingston
Y Combinator Partner

Doing start up is like being
smushed face repeatedly
while working in a large
corporate is like receiving
torture.
-Paul Graham

You can accelerate your learning
by talking with co-founders on
what you have learned through
experiences.
ーBrian Chesky
Y Combinator lecturer

”Grit”より
Do you have Grit (an ability to
persuade something)?
Can you pursue
even after failing?

Being successful has nothing to do
with one's intelligence level.
A person who can preserve the most
can achieve greater than
a person who has higher intelligence.
- Angela Duckworth
“Grit – The Power of Passion and
Perseverance”

“Find someone like James
Bond; a person of action
with toughness and
tenaciousness”.
Sam Altman
President,
Y Combinator

Please write the ideal team
composition when you start a
startup with 3 co-founders.
Question
❓

Hacker
A hacker is a kind of developer
who can not only conduct coding
but also fast product development
and improvement.

Hustler
A hustler builds
human relationships all time.
He/She always sees to
customers, stakeholders,
and potential partners.
He/she is filled with passion
and has high-level
business perspectives.

Hipster
A hipster layouts
and implements UX/ UI
with excellent design.
Only functions can
make products
commodities so easily.

Strategist
A strategist finds
the key driver of a business
based on quantitative/qualitative data
from customers
and puts it into
a realistic strategy plan.

With a vision, he/she may draw
a roadmap of a business or a
product.
Visionary

Co-founders have highly professional
knowledge/experience in changing the market
environment?

Domain
Expertise
Industry
knowledge
Market
Knowledge
Good
idea
Bad
idea
Quality of issue
Quality of
solution
High
HighLow
Low
The quality of issue
depends on your expertise,
industry knowledge and
knowledge on how
the particular
market is evolving.

Set KPIs
Create
function plan
Layout Implement
Measure KPIs
Verify the strategy
/business model
Draw a roadmap
Set a vision
Layout UX design
Acquire
customers
Get customer feedback
Verify the roadmap
Set a strategy/
Analyze the business
Launch
Implement
UX design
Test
Verify the vision
Visionary
Strategiest
Hipster Hustler
Hacker
Roles in making a product in a ordinary company
Each
member has
distinguished
roles
Customers

Start-up in early stage shouldn’t allocate
distinguished roles to members.

Set KPIs
Create
function plan
Layout Implement
Measure KPIs
Set a roadmap
Set a vision
Acquire customers
Get customer feedback
Verify roadmap
Launch
Implement UX design
Test
Verify the vision
Visionary
Strategiest
Hipster Hustler
Hacker
Roles in Start-up business must be flexible
Customers
Put customer
interview onto
the heart of
the plan
Border of
roles
is flexible
Set a strategy/
Analyze the business
Verify the strategy
/business model
Layout UX design

Builds a cross-functional team
with a generalist in the center.
A generalist may conduct coding,
analysis and also examine a product.
The first 10 members of a start-up
in an early stage need to be generalists.

So take the co-founding process
seriously.

Co-founder
Pivotable
Unpivotable

The third reason start-ups fail is
forming the wrong team
https://www.cbinsights.com/blog/startup-failure-reasons-top/

Share the Same Vision

Have Complimentary Skills

The person you want to
avoid as a co-founder.
❓

A person who is afraid of
failure.

A person who never hacked.
(Obeys conventional methods and rules)
The person you want to avoid as co-founder

A person with an idea,
not a person of action.

A person that never succeeded.
(Even a small success gives you confidence)

Technology-phobia

A person who is not so
curious.

A person that is too optimistic.

A person with little flexibility.
（A person who cannot get over
confirmation bias or pivots）

A person without
domain expertise.

A person obsessed with
monetary incentives.

A person who seeks
a work-life balance.

資本政策
Convertible Note
Series A
Lock-up
Lock-up
A person showing off
start-up knowledge.

A person who has less
learning ability.

A person who is self-
centered.

A person emphasizing
entitlement/position.

If a team is fixed, let’s found a
company.

Startup Science 2017 ④

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