How to run Experiments for Problem Solution Fit
Quickly probe your startup’s ‘solution space’ with mini propositions
After the initial Idea Validation phase it is time to move on to finding Problem-Solution Fit. This is a crucial stage. And to get a good result, you’ll need to let go of your initial ideas about a possible solution, which can be hard.
Just as in the Idea Validation stage, don’t go into this trying to prove you’re right about your pet solution. It’s not about being right. It’s not about building the solution that’s in your mind. It’s about connecting the problem you discovered with a solution that resonates with the people that experience the problem and need it solved. And the solution they resonate with may be very different from what you (from your own limited perspective) had in mind.
It’s not about being right. It’s about connecting the problem with a solution that resonates with people.
To make sure you have the best possible shot at coming up with a solution people will love, you need to cast a wide net. You’re trying to find the parts of ’solution space’ that have the best results. To do that, you’ll need to go through a process, poking around in the ’solution space’, testing your results with people, and then narrowing the space.
Step 1. Ideate candidate solutions
The goal is to end up with 5–10 ‘mini propositions’ that are all totally different. These will be your ‘probes’ into different parts of the solution space. Try to come up with a diverse array of ways to solve (parts) of the problem for people.
A fun and quick way to get a ton of ideas for solutions is to use the Wall of Ideas exercise. That will easily leave you with a 100+ ideas to pick from. Of course, 100+ is way too much to test. You’ll need to cluster your wall of ideas together and find 5–10 ’themes’. For each theme, pick a label.
Each mini-proposition is a rough draft of a real value proposition. Make sure each mini proposition is different. For each mini proposition, come up with a unique:
- value proposition (what is it that you sell)
- channel (how it reaches your customer)
- revenue model (how they pay)
- customer relationship (why they will stay with you)
- customer segment or niche (be specific!)
- delivery mechanism (how your product delivers value)
- technology (how it works behind the scenes)
A few example mini propositions for a cybersecurity proposition:
- An ‘alarm button’ that you can push when you think you’ve been hacked, where you pay by subscription.
- A certification that you can get after your systems have been tested, which you can use to lower your insurance premiums as a partner deal.
- An ‘A-Team’ that comes to the rescue to help fix the damage when your systems are compromised, membership plus a number of ‘free responses’.
- Education events with inspiring speakers, with ticket sales and paid webinars.
- A dashboard app notifying you of threats, freemium.
It is okay that you can shoot holes in each of these mini propositions and that they may not be viable business ideas in themselves. It’s okay even if the combination of ingredients that make up the proposition doesn’t make total sense.
It’s not about picking any of these mini propositions as your solution.
The point is that you can make these 5–10 approaches in a few hours, and then you can go out and test them with real people. And they will tell you which parts they love about these mini propositions, and what they don’t understand or dislike.
Flesh out the mini propositions a little, so you can explain what they are about. Make sure to answer the following questions:
- What is it?
- Who is it for?
- Why do you need it?
- When can you use it?
- How will it solve the problem?
- (What does it cost?)
Next, run a small experiment. Write down a list of ~5 things you want to know, and go talk to people. Present the mini-proposition as an honest solution to their problem, and count the number of people that are enthusiastic about this particular solution.
It’s okay to show them two or three of the mini propositions in succession, and great if they are able to compare them and give their preference. You want to get an idea of what resonates with them.
Instead of testing and incrementally adjusting on one single proposition you now have information about a large area of the solution space, including areas you didn’t consider before. Maybe some of those areas are super interesting. And if it is the case that your original ‘pet solution’ is indeed the one that seems most viable, all the better! At least now you’re sure, all at the cost of a few days work. Force yourself to look at the problem from new angles.
Besides the ‘popularity contest’, most of the information you get out of these results will be qualitative and very much open to interpretation. Try to write down only what it is that people say and leave interpretation and drawing conclusions for later. Making sense of the results is best done together with the team.
Step 2. Mashup!
After getting feedback on the mini propositions with a decent amount of people, it’s time to mix it up.
Look at the parts of the mini propositions that were the most well-received, and try to mash them up into three to five new mini propositions. They could open up new, unexplored parts of the search space that you feel are interesting in the light of the feedback you received, or they could be zooming in on specific aspects that you want to know more about. Again, make them as diverse as possible.
Note that these new mini propositions are again not the solution you’ll be looking for in the end! They are another set of ‘probes’ into the solution space that will give you more information.
With the new mini propositions, do another round of customer interviews. Try to drill a bit deeper into if and how these solutions might solve the problem they are experiencing.
Step 3. Back to a single solution.
Based on the results of steps 1 and 2, piece together your first draft of a real solution.
Don’t work on it too long, don’t overthink it: it should still be a sketch. Go over the feedback and try to answer the questions people have. Create a one-page paper prototype or mockup of what the result could look like. Try to make it look appealing.
Maybe it will take you a few iterations, but in the end your candidate solution should resonate way more with the target audience than any of the mini propositions! If that is not the case, then you need to figure out why that is, and go back to fix it.
Step 4. The Experiment
If your audience really seems to like your solution candidate, you should be able to get a high percentage of them to prefer it — not only to the mini propositions, but also to any solutions they have been using already. These other solutions could be workarounds, but also competing products. Your solution must be preferable. Use the Experiment Canvas to map out your experiment, and try to run it with a larger group of people.
Example Risky Assumption: We can come up with a solution people prefer (and love)
Example Hypothesis: More than 70% of 50+ people we interview prefers our solution over alternatives.
Example Method: Paper prototype or mockup + interview. Ask people to leave their email addresses to stay in touch when they prefer the alternative. Count the email addresses. Ask them to name any friends or colleagues that should also learn about this new product. Alternatively, use a Landing Page and do it online.
If this hypothesis is validated, you’re on to something. And as an extra, you’ve also started to grow a list of fans that you can build on in the future!
Looking for experiments for product market fit? Read on!
🚀 Keep experimenting!
Experiment Cookbook
If you want to learn more about designing and running experiments for Product Market Fit, Idea Validation, or Problem Solution Fit, check out the online course ‘Experiment Cookbook’! 9 Modules complete with 25 detailed ready-to-run experiment recipes.
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