Eric Ries

The Lean Startup

1. IDEA 1

   Startups work under extreme uncertainty

   Ries defines a startup as an organisation creating a new product under extreme uncertainty. Traditional business plans often fail in such conditions, so startups need a method for learning quickly what customers actually want.

2. IDEA 2

   Build, measure, learn

   Ries describes a loop: build a small product, measure how customers respond and learn from the results. Moving through this loop quickly reduces wasted effort. Each round gives real information from real people, so a team learns what works without spending years on a guess.

3. IDEA 3

   Start with a minimum product

   Ries recommends a minimum viable product, the simplest version that lets you test a key idea with real customers. It saves time and money. The goal is not a perfect product but a quick way to find out whether people truly want what you plan to make.

All 8 ideas from The Lean Startup →