Validate your next product idea in a jiffy

Step by step tips to validate your product ideas quickly

Serin Paul
Jul 30, 2017 · 3 min read

UNDERSTAND

Goal:

Understand who the target audience is. Come to a common understanding of the goal and business opportunity .

Activities:

  1. Define who the users are
  2. Define the problem
  3. Create a glossary of context-specific terms so everyone’s clear on language.
  4. Define the Value Proposition (why will people pay for or find useful?)
  5. Review and discuss any existing related research
  6. Discuss and review the competitive landscape
  7. Review any related, aspirational design examples
  8. Discuss the differentiator(s) required to make this product unique?
  9. Capture any key notes as well as any assumptions/unknowns so they can be addressed and referred back to.
  10. Create a Problem Statement.
  11. Identify and schedule potential candidates for user testing once the flow is ready

DIVERGE

Goal:

The purpose of these activities will be to generate insights and churn out possible solutions to address the Problem Statement.

Why:

This phase allows the team to get some hands on experience with ideation and envisioning the same with constraints.

  • Rapid iterative sketching
  • User flow & Storyboarding
  • Repeat

DECIDE

Goal:

Define the product and decide what to test and prototype.

Why:

Narrowing down the design to the most viable solution and understanding where the team still has questions defines what to validate.

Activities:

  • Gather a list of the most viable features based on the mind maps, user flow and storyboards created.
  • Identify conflicts
  • Eliminate solutions that can’t be pursued
  • Hone the list down to a minimal viable product
  • List out assumptions
  • Identify how each assumption will be tested
  • Create a prototype storyboard and mind map to define what needs to be prototyped

PROTOTYPE

Goal:

Build a prototype (wireframe) to test with existing or potential users.

Why:

Prototyping is a low cost and rapid way of gaining insights about what the product needs to be. It provides a way to work with the best ideas from the previous phases in a real and tangible way. The end results will help the team understand what is working and what is not. These insights inform the team so they can confidently invest time and effort on a more solid implementation.

Activities:

  • Prototype creation ( we will be using www.moqups.com)
  • Run it with a closed group , understand feedback and reiterate wherever needed.

VALIDATE and LEARN

Goal:

Get the design in front of existing or potential users to identify what’s working as intended and what isn’t. Identify what requires deeper thought and attention.

Why:

Your target audience is ultimately who you want your product to be useful and valuable for. Their insights will provide the context to truly understand what is working or not. This will also identify what requires deeper thought and attention.

  • Debrief with the team of the day’s testing sessions.
  • Reiterate the flow wherever needed

Learning Curve of my life

Thoughts on my journey with People,Business and Technology

Serin Paul

Written by

Product Manager, foodie and a always curious guy | Entrepreneur | Ex-Zomato

Learning Curve of my life

Thoughts on my journey with People,Business and Technology

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