The 7 Habits of Breakthrough
Innovators Amy Jo Kim, Ph.D. co-founder, shufflebrain.com #Getting2Alpha

What
we’ll
cover
Introduction

What we’ll cover Introduction 7
Habits of Breakthrough Innovators

What we’ll cover Introduction 7
Habits of Breakthrough Innovators 3 Smart Shortcuts to get you started

Introduction A hunch is creativity
trying to tell you something. Frank Capra Filmmaker

You’ve come up with a
great idea

How do you know if
it’s the right one?

Amy Jo Kim, Ph.D. Co-Founder
& Creative Director shufflebrain.com Creator & Head Coach getting2alpha.com

We partner with great teams
to create smart games for a connected world

What can we learn from
breakthrough innovations?

Can we validate product ideas
better, smarter, faster?

7 Habits of Breakthrough Innovators
You can use an eraser on the drafting table – or a sledgehammer on the construction site Frank Lloyd Wright Architect

Habit 1 Think like a
scientist

Run small, high-learning MVP experiments
To increase your chances of success, minimize time through the Build-Measure-Learn cycle. Eric Ries Author, The Lean Startup

Ask the hard, important questions
upfront Ideas Design & Build Product Measure Data Learn

What keeps people engaged in
a virtual dollhouse simulation?

What social systems can build
trust in an online marketplace?

Can non-musicians play plastic instruments
& feel like a band making music?

Will fashion-loving, young women play
a dress-up game with real designer clothes?

Will people subscribe to a
digital service that delivers daily happiness exercises?

Habit 2 Laser-focus on Early
Adopters

Find & delight your early
adopters FIRST Early adopters will put up with cost & ridicule for innovations that meet real needs. Erika Hall Author, Just Enough Research

Crossing the Chasm Geoffrey Moore,
1992

Innovation Diffusion Theory Everett Rogers,
1961

Harvest ideas & feedback for
key systems

Cultivate
relationships with
content creators

Learn the habits
of SuperFans

Habit 3 Learn about customers’
needs & habits

Piggyback on existing habits “The
chains of habit are too weak to be felt until they are too strong to be broken.” Samuel Johnson Author

Conduct field interviews with Early
Adopters

speed interviews quickly surface patterns
& insights

Habit 4 Create a culture
of iterative testing

Test early, test often There
is nothing quite so useless as doing with great efficiency something that should not be done at all Peter Drucker Author

Make it a habit: Setup
a weekly playtest /interview

Evolve your testers start small
& focused then expand audience as product matures

Habit 5 Cultivate a customer
feedback community

Listen in as customers talk
with each other To listen fully means to pay close attention to what is being said beneath the words. Steven Covey Author

Create a private group for
Early Adopters

Offer new channels/groups for later
customers

Ideas Design & Build Product
Measure Data Learn Habit 6 Test & refine the Core Loop early

What is — and isn’t
— a Core Loop? In a loop, you’re learning a skill and updating your mental model. That’s what leads to player delight. Dan Cook Lead Game Designer, Spry Fox

Fake
landing page?

Fake
landing page?
X

Operant
Conditioning
AKA
Skinner Box?

Operant Conditioning AKA Skinner Box?
X

Skill-building = making customers more
awesome

Skill-building
habit loop

Engaging activity + internal urge
fuel the loop

Feedback
supports
learning &
mastery

Investment and triggers pull people
back

Clash of
Clans
Core Loop

urge for a fun social
activity Play a Song Together Get Score, Accolades, $$ Develop skill, play harder songs Core Loop

urge for a quick social
break Read & Respond to Updates Check Notifications & Stats Read & Respond to DMs Core Loop

Engaging
activities fuel
the loop

Feedback & progress light the
way

Triggers & investment pull customers
back

Habit 7 Create a path
to Mastery

Ralph Waldo Emerson Ideas Design
& Build Product Measure Data Learn “Every artist was first an amateur.”

Engage
customers with
progressive
skill-building

Empower enthusiasts with tools, access
& privileges

Test wireframes / mockups /
ideas with Early Adopters

Build aspirational
progression
systems

Surface &
empower
high-skill customers

Engage
enthusiasts with
in-world
powers

1. Think like a scientist
2. Laser-focus on Early Adopters 3. Learn about customers’ needs & habits 4. Create a culture of iterative testing 5. Cultivate a customer feedback community 6. Test & refine the Core Loop early 7. Co-create a path to Mastery 7 Habits of Breakthrough Innovators

3 Smart Shortcuts that turbo-charge
your path to product/market fit You’ve got to jump off cliffs all the time and build your wings on the way down. Ray Bradbury Author

Shortcut 1
The MVP Canvas

Clarify your product strategy

Identify strengths, values & success
metrics

Prioritize your highest-risk assumptions

Shortcut 2
Early Adopter
Funnel

Interview 10-15 Early Adopters (5-10
min per interview)

Ask just a few revealing
questions Daily Habits Beliefs & Ideas Unmet Needs

Find enthusiastic early customers +
actionable insights

Shortcut 3
Habit Stories

Turn customer insights into design-ready
job stories When _________ I want to ______________ so I can _____________ trigger activity + goal outcome

Look for an Existing Habit
paired with an Unmet Need

Piggyback your Core Loop on
an existing (habit + need)

MVP Canvas BEFORE Young women
(18-30) who play mobile fashion games Aspirational dress-up in designer fashion PLUS celebrity stylist advice

MVP Canvas BEFORE Young women
(18-30) who play mobile fashion games Aspirational dress-up in designer fashion PLUS celebrity stylist advice F2P co-op game with real-world fashion content and hot trends Vogue alternative – stay up-to-date on fashion by playing – not just looking

MVP Canvas BEFORE Young women
(18-30) who play mobile fashion games Aspirational dress-up in designer fashion PLUS celebrity stylist advice F2P co-op game with real-world fashion content and hot trends Vogue alternative – stay up-to-date on fashion by playing – not just looking F2P game experience Existing, addressable audience for fashion games Like/Dislike metrics via interviews with hardcore fashion gamers

MVP Canvas BEFORE Young women
(18-30) who play mobile fashion games Aspirational dress-up in designer fashion PLUS celebrity stylist advice F2P co-op game with real-world fashion content and hot trends Vogue alternative – stay up-to-date on fashion by playing – not just looking F2P game experience Existing, addressable audience for fashion games Like/Dislike metrics via interviews with hardcore fashion gamers Young women want a mobile game based on real-world fashion PLUS access to a celebrity stylist

Early Adopter Funnel: How we
did it • 15 young women 18-40 who play mobile fashion games • Recruited from existing player base & Craigslist ads WHO

• 15 young women 18-40
who play mobile fashion games • Recruited from existing player base & Craigslist ads WHO WHAT • Spend 5-10 minutes answering 3-5 questions • The best interview subjects became paid testers Early Adopter Funnel: How we did it

• 15 young women 18-40
who play mobile fashion games • Recruited from existing player base & Craigslist ads WHO WHAT WHEN & WHERE • Spend 5-10 minutes answering 3-5 questions • The best interview subjects became paid testers • Over a period of 2 weeks • Via telephone or Skype Early Adopter Funnel: How we did it

Key Results: 3 Activity Patterns
Fashion Browser Want to immerse themselves in a beautiful aspirational world that keeps them up-to-date on fashion trends. Co-Creator Want to “do fashion” with a buddy – a friend or relative they can dress with, shop with, and borrow from. Armchair Stylist Love telling other people how to dress – they want to role-play a celebrity stylist, and get credit for their fashion sense.

“When I’m tired after a
long day at work, I want to flop on the couch and get the escapist, immersive hit of flipping through Vogue - but in a game.” Fashion Browser Early Adopter Quote

Fashion Browser Habit Story When
I need to relax after a long day at work I want to see gorgeous, creative outfits – made from the latest designer fashions So I can stay on top of fashion trends in a fun and playful way

Co-Creator Early Adopter Quote “Patti
told me to put these shoes and belt together. I would never think of that, but it TOTALLY works. She lives across the country, but I want her fashion advice all the time.”

Co-Creator Habit Story When I
need to dress up for an important event I want to raid my friend’s closet and get her feedback on my outfit So I can have her accessorize my look and help me feel confident – just like in real-life :-)

Armchair Stylist Early Adopter Quote
“I LOVE the idea of a game that lets me rate my friends’ outfits and tell them how to dress better – that’s what I do in real life before every party :-)”

Armchair Stylist Habit Story When
I give fashion feedback to others I want to Know that my feedback had an effect So I can Feel happier because I’m helping others be more fashionable

MVP Canvas AFTER Young women
(18-30) who play mobile fashion games F2P co-op game with real-world fashion content and hot trends Vogue alternative – stay up-to-date on fashion by playing – not just looking F2P game experience Existing, addressable audience for fashion games Like/Dislike metrics via interviews with hardcore fashion gamers Young women want a mobile game based on real-world fashion PLUS access to a celebrity stylist Skews older – women 18-45 like the game and older women spend more $ Aspirational dress-up in designer fashions PLUS advice from aspiring player- stylists

MVP Canvas AFTER Young women
(18-30) who play mobile fashion games F2P co-op game with real-world fashion content and hot trends Vogue alternative – stay up-to-date on fashion by playing – not just looking F2P game exp. Addressable audience for fashion games Young women want a mobile game based on real-world fashion PLUS access to a celebrity stylist Skews older – women 18-45 like the game and older women spend more $ Aspirational dress- up in designer fashions PLUS advice from aspiring player-stylists Like/Dislike metrics via interviews with hardcore fashion gamers

MVP Canvas AFTER Young women
(18-30) who play mobile fashion games F2P co-op game with real-world fashion content and hot trends Vogue alternative – stay up-to-date on fashion by playing – not just looking F2P game exp. Addressable audience for fashion games Young women want a mobile game based on real-world fashion PLUS access to a celebrity stylist Skews older – women 18-45 like the game and older women spend more $ Aspirational dress- up in designer fashions PLUS advice from aspiring player-stylists Like/Dislike metrics via interviews with hardcore fashion gamers And will spend $ on a game based on real-world fashion And up-and- coming stylists

Iterative lo-fi play-testing with the
right early adopters à Hit Game

Try these techniques for yourself
getting2alpha.com/shortcuts

Turbo-charge your path to product/market
fit getting2alpha.com Startup Teams Product Leaders Innovative Companies

Let’s stay in touch amyjokim@gmail.com
@amyjokim amyjokim.com