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I'm following the lean startup/customer development process (particularly Ash Maurya's 'Running Lean' book) and I have been implementing tasks in parallel rather than in a queue. At the moment, I am feeling a bit lost. Within the model of a lean startup, is there a set of questions I can ask myself that will help me get back on track and more focused?

As an example, can I do something like:

  • Have I reached product-market fit? (no)
  • Have I protoypted a business model canvas? (yes)
  • Have I conducted problem interviews with my target customer segment? (no)
  • etc.

Basically, I feel like I put too many pots on the stove at once and now I don't know which one I should be focusing on. Is there some type of decision tree that could help me get back on track and focus on what I need to at the right time and avoid wasteful actions?

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2 Answers

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Sounds a bit chaotic. Maybe you should focus a little bit to get back on track.

The best way to that is to do what it looks like you have already done, make a list.

Next, focus on getting your Minimum Viable Product (MVP) either defined or done. Anything else, at this point, is a waste of time. You need to get your idea to a point where you can start asking customers what they like and don't like.

Without your MVP done, the rest is academic. Just focus on that and everything else will fall into place. Even if you don't know which way to go or need feedback on a feature, make a guess and move on.

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Get the Entrepreneur's Guide to Customer Development @ www.CustDev.com. Same philosophy as Ash but more of a 50,000 foot level view with clear steps. Worth a look.

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