1.
Product development process
for Technological Start-ups
1st step to bring your idea closer to reality
@buihaian

2.
Who am I?
• Bui Hai An, Andy
• Co-founder & Connector at
Silicon Straits Saigon
• Building Products and
Developing People.

3.
A Product Development Lab
We build products (MVP, Prototype) for our clients and
ourselves for both web and mobile apps.
1+ year - 20 client products & 12 internal products

4.
You have a cool idea. Great!
!
!
!
Now what’s next?

5.
Let’s check!
• Who is your customer?
• Who is your consumer (user)?
• How does your product make their life better?
• What is the most important key feature that make
your product stand out?
• Is there a similar product out there?

6.
If you are still unsure,
step back and think hard about it!

7.
Let’s create some User Stories!

8.
User Stories
User stories are short, simple descriptions
of a feature told from the perspective of
the person who desires the new capability,
usually a user or customer of the system.
Source: http://www.mountaingoatsoftware.com/agile/user-stories

9.
User Stories
As a <type of user>, I want <some goal> so
that <some reason>.

10.
Example
• As a student, I want to find my grades online so that I
don’t have to wait until the next day to know whether I
passed.
• As a book shopper, I want to read reviews of a selected
book to help me decide whether to buy it.
• As a job seeker, I want to search for a job, so I can
advance my career.
• As a reader, I want to easily jump to bookmark a
paragraph while reading, so I can refer back later.

11.
Why User Stories?
• Break down your product into smaller parts.
• Understand clearly each of your features.
• Describe how your product will work in the voice of the
users, instead of a big broad idea.
• Prioritise your features. Not all features are needed to
be build immediately.

12.
Using Sticky note (Post-it)

13.
Using Trello

14.
Rules
• As simple as possible. (for dummy)
• Break it down.
• Who - What - How - Why

15.
Working with User Stories
• Discuss hard and well on each Story.
• Prioritise! Sort them, rank them.
• Arrange into To-Do, Doing, Done.
• Best use with Trello (has comments, attachment).

16.
Let’s talk MVP
Minimum Viable Product

17.
"The minimum viable product is that
version of a new product which allows
a team to collect the maximum amount
of validated learning about customers
with the least effort.”
Source: http://www.startuplessonslearned.com/2009/08/minimum-viable-product-guide.html
- Eric Rise

18.
Feedback Loop
Source: http://conversionxl.com/

19.
What is even before the MVP?

20.
Wireframe
• A wireframe is a visual guide that portrays how a page
or screen of a application or system may look.
• Can be very “sketchy” or a very polished looking.
• Can be a few important pages/screen, or almost
everything.

21.
The structure of a page or screen
The layout of content
Functionality available
Calls to action
User interface elements
Graphic design touches
How it gonna works
Source: http://www.infragistics.com/community/blogs/gradientgirl/archive/2013/09/10/what-is-a-wireframe-and-why-are-they-useful.aspx

22.
Why wire-framing?
• To quickly get ideas down on paper for soliciting
feedback.
• To communicate the specification of a system or
website to team-member, advisor, investor and
customers.
• To see limitation of your ideas.
It’s ‘a picture paints a thousand words’.

23.
Quick learning guide
• http://webdesign.tutsplus.com/articles/a-beginners-
guide-to-wireframing--webdesign-7399
• http://wireframes.tumblr.com/
• http://www.infoq.com/articles/wireframes-start-
development-projects

24.
Tools
• Balsamiq (trial 7 days) - desktop app
http://balsamiq.com/download/
• UX Pin (trial 30 days) - online web-based
http://uxpin.com/
• MockingBird (Free plan for 10 pages) - online web-based
https://gomockingbird.com/
• Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator
• Pen & Paper!

25.
Tools Demonstration

26.
Choose your approach
• Wireframe will help you to decide the “Technology
Stack”, or what will make of your product.
• Technology Stack can be changed later. MVP may
need a different approach.
• Now decide your approach: pre-built tool, in-house,
outsource, … each come with trade-offs.

27.
Technical Challenges
• What are they?
• Be honest. Face them.
• Is any one of them a deal-breaker?

28.
Asking for help
• Seek for advisor/mentor.
• Consult early.
• Don’t hide, don’t lie.

29.
Create User Stories
Plan your MVP
Wire-framing
Start building your MVP
Know why you build
Know how you build
Know what you build
The fun begins!
Feedback
Feedback
Feedback

30.
Product Development Rules
• There’s always a Product Owner.
• Communication is the most important.
• Release early, release often.
• Focus on learning. Always be testing.
• Customers are your best friends (trust them), especially
the first few and the most annoying one.
• Studying your competitor is a great way to learn too.

31.
Source: http://market-by-numbers.com/2010/02/complementary-iteration-loops-product-and-customer-development/

32.
Thank You!