Comments on: 3 Rules for Building Features in a Lean Startup http://www.ashmaurya.com/2010/04/3-rules-for-building-features-in-a-lean-startup/ Practice Trumps Theory Thu, 02 Feb 2012 08:55:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Its hard to stay single-minded on your offering « Web. Startups. Lifehttp://www.ashmaurya.com/2010/04/3-rules-for-building-features-in-a-lean-startup/comment-page-1/#comment-1656 Its hard to stay single-minded on your offering « Web. Startups. Life Fri, 04 Nov 2011 05:52:04 +0000 http://www.ashmaurya.com/?p=906#comment-1656 [...] is very important to stay focused and keep looking for market for your product. Don’t be a feature pusher. We are currently going through this phase of learning ‘how to listen to customers’. We [...] [...] is very important to stay focused and keep looking for market for your product. Don’t be a feature pusher. We are currently going through this phase of learning ‘how to listen to customers’. We [...]

]]> By: How We Build Featureshttp://www.ashmaurya.com/2010/04/3-rules-for-building-features-in-a-lean-startup/comment-page-1/#comment-1464 How We Build Features Tue, 26 Jul 2011 02:57:21 +0000 http://www.ashmaurya.com/?p=906#comment-1464 [...] features in practice is still quite hard. I wrote a post on a similar topic a year ago titled: “3 Rules for Building Features” which represented some early thoughts on how to do [...] [...] features in practice is still quite hard. I wrote a post on a similar topic a year ago titled: “3 Rules for Building Features” which represented some early thoughts on how to do [...]

]]> By: Antique shophttp://www.ashmaurya.com/2010/04/3-rules-for-building-features-in-a-lean-startup/comment-page-1/#comment-1140 Antique shop Wed, 06 Oct 2010 17:49:00 +0000 http://www.ashmaurya.com/?p=906#comment-1140 ciao!, it's sometimes tough to know whether it's failing because of a misalignment with user needs or a sheer inability to function or integrate properly with the rest of the user experience. ciao!,
it’s sometimes tough to know whether it’s failing because of a misalignment with user needs or a sheer inability to function or integrate properly with the rest of the user experience.

]]> By: Ash Mauryahttp://www.ashmaurya.com/2010/04/3-rules-for-building-features-in-a-lean-startup/comment-page-1/#comment-791 Ash Maurya Fri, 16 Apr 2010 08:20:14 +0000 http://www.ashmaurya.com/?p=906#comment-791 On the contrary, I'm always looking for blog post ideas so thanks. <br>I think it would make for a good post :-) On the contrary, I'm always looking for blog post ideas so thanks.
I think it would make for a good post :-)

]]> By: alexandermimranhttp://www.ashmaurya.com/2010/04/3-rules-for-building-features-in-a-lean-startup/comment-page-1/#comment-790 alexandermimran Thu, 15 Apr 2010 20:14:58 +0000 http://www.ashmaurya.com/?p=906#comment-790 Ha - sorry, I didn't mean to demand blog posts from you! Thanks so much though. Looking forward to learning more about your feature integration and decision process. 37signals does a great job of this: <a href="http://37signals.com/designexplore/" rel="nofollow">http://37signals.com/designexplore/</a> Ha – sorry, I didn't mean to demand blog posts from you! Thanks so much though. Looking forward to learning more about your feature integration and decision process. 37signals does a great job of this: http://37signals.com/designexplore/

]]> By: Ash Mauryahttp://www.ashmaurya.com/2010/04/3-rules-for-building-features-in-a-lean-startup/comment-page-1/#comment-789 Ash Maurya Thu, 15 Apr 2010 20:04:38 +0000 http://www.ashmaurya.com/?p=906#comment-789 Sure thing. Sure thing.

]]> By: alexandermimranhttp://www.ashmaurya.com/2010/04/3-rules-for-building-features-in-a-lean-startup/comment-page-1/#comment-788 alexandermimran Thu, 15 Apr 2010 19:38:55 +0000 http://www.ashmaurya.com/?p=906#comment-788 Cool... Sounds like an interesting process! Would love to hear more--Maybe in a future post? Cool… Sounds like an interesting process! Would love to hear more–Maybe in a future post?

]]> By: Ash Mauryahttp://www.ashmaurya.com/2010/04/3-rules-for-building-features-in-a-lean-startup/comment-page-1/#comment-787 Ash Maurya Thu, 15 Apr 2010 19:20:56 +0000 http://www.ashmaurya.com/?p=906#comment-787 Alex - <br><br>Good point. I do use usability testing at various stages of the process including the initial customer discovery interviews as well as whenever I demo the product. The interface is the first thing I build (usually in HTML/CSS) and I spend a lot of time figuring out where and how to integrate it into the product. Once I've got it in, I'll demo it to some friendly's either as an upcoming feature or mock it up and show it to new customers as part of the product in a product presentation demo. <br><br>It's only after this early feedback, that I'll code up the full feature. Alex –

Good point. I do use usability testing at various stages of the process including the initial customer discovery interviews as well as whenever I demo the product. The interface is the first thing I build (usually in HTML/CSS) and I spend a lot of time figuring out where and how to integrate it into the product. Once I've got it in, I'll demo it to some friendly's either as an upcoming feature or mock it up and show it to new customers as part of the product in a product presentation demo.

It's only after this early feedback, that I'll code up the full feature.

]]> By: Ash Mauryahttp://www.ashmaurya.com/2010/04/3-rules-for-building-features-in-a-lean-startup/comment-page-1/#comment-785 Ash Maurya Thu, 15 Apr 2010 19:13:02 +0000 http://www.ashmaurya.com/?p=906#comment-785 Giff - <br><br>I agree on both points.<br><br>A couple of points on #1:<br><br>- I do leave open 80% on improving existing features. This can include things like usability, sign-up flow improvements, and even sub-features that supplement the original feature set if needed. But I do try and keep within the original top 3 problems (unique value proposition) unless they fail validation with customers. Then it's time to diagnose why and maybe revisit customer discovery. My definition of feature lines up more closely with the top 3 problems determined during customer discover and there isn't always a 1:1 relation between them i.e. how you solve a problem can vary a lot and it's fine to iterate on that as long as you aren't changing the underlying problem you set out to solve.<br><br>- There is the additional 20% for new features which can be used to test the "grey" areas you talk about. But again they are not a pass for deviating too far from the original UVP you've already established unless you can prove it isn't working and why.<br><br>On #2, I do draw a distinction between "what customers want" and "what they say they want". There is a big difference and it's your job to distill that difference into the product. Giff –

I agree on both points.

A couple of points on #1:

- I do leave open 80% on improving existing features. This can include things like usability, sign-up flow improvements, and even sub-features that supplement the original feature set if needed. But I do try and keep within the original top 3 problems (unique value proposition) unless they fail validation with customers. Then it's time to diagnose why and maybe revisit customer discovery. My definition of feature lines up more closely with the top 3 problems determined during customer discover and there isn't always a 1:1 relation between them i.e. how you solve a problem can vary a lot and it's fine to iterate on that as long as you aren't changing the underlying problem you set out to solve.

- There is the additional 20% for new features which can be used to test the “grey” areas you talk about. But again they are not a pass for deviating too far from the original UVP you've already established unless you can prove it isn't working and why.

On #2, I do draw a distinction between “what customers want” and “what they say they want”. There is a big difference and it's your job to distill that difference into the product.

]]> By: giffchttp://www.ashmaurya.com/2010/04/3-rules-for-building-features-in-a-lean-startup/comment-page-1/#comment-784 giffc Thu, 15 Apr 2010 17:53:52 +0000 http://www.ashmaurya.com/?p=906#comment-784 thought I'd pipe in with two comments, Ash:<br>1. "don’t push any new features until you’ve validated the MVP" -- I basically agree with this, although in the case when you are still figuring out what MVP really looks like (emphasis on the viable), this gets grey. Viable might be changing what you have. It might mean adding something crucial that is missing. Judgement call.<br><br>2. "Passion around a vision is good.<br>Passion around building what customers want is better."<br><br>Not sure how I feel about the way you wrote that particular soundbite given how easily people misunderstand. You shouldn't necessarily build what customers ask for, but rather what you think is the best way to solve their problems. i.e. vision meets customer wants. Again, judgement calls, and very intertwined. thought I'd pipe in with two comments, Ash:
1. “don’t push any new features until you’ve validated the MVP” — I basically agree with this, although in the case when you are still figuring out what MVP really looks like (emphasis on the viable), this gets grey. Viable might be changing what you have. It might mean adding something crucial that is missing. Judgement call.

2. “Passion around a vision is good.
Passion around building what customers want is better.”

Not sure how I feel about the way you wrote that particular soundbite given how easily people misunderstand. You shouldn't necessarily build what customers ask for, but rather what you think is the best way to solve their problems. i.e. vision meets customer wants. Again, judgement calls, and very intertwined.

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