Previously…
I asked for your help to put into action a Cunning Plan
to create a COURSE in a LEAN way
That’s “Lean” as in “The Lean Start-up”
Today…
I’ll bring you up to date with developments.
Rather SURPRISING developments.
Oh.
And hang on to the end to grab your copy
of a brand new Cheat Sheet.
Can you guess what it’s about?
Welcome to Development That Pays
My name is Gary Straughan
If you do a Google image search for for “the Lean Startup”
you’ll find no shortage of pictures of
Eric Ries’ book, “The Lean Start Up”
And this: the Lean Start-up “Build-Measure-Learn” loop.
As tends to happen, there's been some Interpretation
Most versions emphasise the verbs - the doing words
One or two emphasise the nouns - the things
Some give them equal billing.
I'm going to use this version, with the emphasis where it should be
on the “doing words”: Build, Measure, Learn
If this model is new to you
take a moment to gauge your reaction to it
I know.
It’s stunning
earth-shattering.
Revolutionary.
A game-changer.
Oh.
That’s not what you’re thinking?
It was my first thought either
It’s no different to Plan, Do, Check, Act.
That I heard about…
30 years ago?
But - as is often the case - there is more to this model than meets the eye.
What if I told you that we’ve already fallen into TWO traps
that is this model was designed to help us to avoid.
Last time I gave you a terrifying insight into the workings of my mind.
The twin ideas of “Lean” and “developing some-kind-of a course”
that coalesced into the notion of developing some-kind-of-a course in a Lean fashion.
With your help.
The episode went out…
and your comments started to come in.
As I read them I got
concerned.
Many of the suggestions
- and by the way, they were GREAT suggestions that HAVE BEEN noted , stored, and will be
brought out again at the approate point
Many of the suggestions, were about the CONTENT of the course itself.
This is the first trap.
Now hear me clearly: I TOTALLY understand.
Because it’s EXACTLY what I would have done
It’s what we’re programmed to do.
Given an outline, we like to fill in the gaps.
More than “like”: compelled!
Did you just fill in a triangle?
One the of the Build Measure Learn images I found expresses this just about perfectly.
It’s spot on: “People love this part!”
There’s a STRONG drive to “get on and build it”.
It’s a very HUMAN drive.
It’s a drive that we would do well.. to RESIST.
“Hold on just one minute” I can hear you say
“It Is says Build Measure Learn.
And you’re giving us a hard time for wanting to build?
“What?
Are just going to magically Measure?”
“Why not cut out the middle man
and go straight to LEARN?!?“
You raise an excellent point.
As I’m sure you’ve noticed, the flow here is in a clockwise direction.
Of course it is.
It would be weird if it wasn’t.
Anyway.
It’s a flow of doing
A flow of action.
What’s clear if you read the book
is that there’s also an anti-clockwise flow.
“counter-clockwise” if you prefer
It’s a flow that you’ll struggle to find in a Google Image search
Although I did find one eventually.
Check this out:
Assumption, Metric, Experiment.
Notice that it’s a flow of “thinking” rather than a “doing”.
A flow that comes - just case it’s not 100% obvious
- before the “doing”
The hidden anti-clockwise / counter-clockwise flow is, in my opinion,
the key that unlocks the power of the Build Measure Learn model.
Rather than speaking in the abstract, let’s apply if directly to our project -
the "5-Day Mini-course”.
What’s the assumption?
I guess it’s that people, will, you know.. like it.
"That weak-assed story is the best you can come up with?"
He’s right.
This is no time for woolly thinking.
Okay.
How about:
ASSUMPTION: “The 5 Day Mini-course will help to grow my audience”
Hmm… okay.
Not sure that’s specific enough… but let’s see where it leads us.
What’s the metric?
YouTube viewers?
YouTube subscribers maybe?
I’d actually like to throw the net wider than YouTube.
How about email subscribers?
“The 5 Day Mini-course will result in more email opt-ins.”
And the metric is: email opt-ins.
All we need to do now is to come up with an EXPERIMENT
Which is where I fell into a second trap.
I tell you all about that next time
Don't leave empty handed.
I have a Cheat Sheet for you - a “Lean Startup” Cheat Sheet.
At the time of recording, it’s a bit
well, “lean”
(And not in a good way)
As with all of my cheat sheets, it will be upgraded over time
and you'll auto-magically get the new version.
Of course, if your watching this in the future.
it’s already awesome.
Either way, click the link in the description below, follow the instructions, and it’s
all yours.
Thanks for watching.
If you enjoyed this episode it would be amazing if you’d click to LIKE
And hit the logo to SUBSCRIBE for a new episode every Wednesday.
I look forward to seeing you next time.
Cheers for now.