Scrappy strategies for figuring out if you're building something people want, how they're using your product, and how to grow more customers. Qual and quant research.

1. Is Your Product Any
Good?
Scrappy (qual & quant) data methods for startups
Cindy Alvarez
Chalmers, Göteborg 🇸🇪 – Nov 2017

2. better technology
disruption
creating new market
“Uber for ______”
higher quality
¯_(ツ)_/¯
don’t care

3. 1) State an end goal

4. How can I make customers’
lives better?

5. Now that customers have
_____, they can do ______
and they feel_____!

6. 2) Find your starting point

7. You’re going to have to
talk to them.
Numbers are awesome but they don’t tell
youWHY orWHAT NEXT

8. Need an exploratory interview?
Hi [interviewee’s name],
I’m trying to learn more about [subject] and would like to hear more about
your experiences because [interviewee’s qualifications].
Could you help me out by joining me on a 20-minute call?
[one-click option for agreeing and scheduling] (I use Calendly)
Thank you so much!
[just your name, downplay company or ‘expertise’ status]

9. “Tell me about how you are
currently doing _______...”

10. “What part of that is the hardest /
takes the most time / is the most
frustrating?”

11. “What other things have you tried
in the past?”

12. 3) Prioritize core metrics

13. https://www.slideshare.net/dmc500hats/startup-metrics-for-pirates-long-version/2-Customer_Lifecycle_5_Steps_to

14. A(AR)RR
focus
here

15. Are people doing?
Are people staying?

16. What’s the time to value?

17. “What were you expecting to be
able to do here?”

18. “What would prevent you from
continuing?”

19. “In the past week, how have you
used ______?”

20. “How would you describe the value
you’re getting?
Let’s say, if you were
recommending ___ to a friend”

21. 4) Be a historian /
anthropologist

22. The best predictor of
future behavior is past
behavior.

23. new liposuction technique
communal childcare service
recycling personal waste
artificial body organ enhancement

24. comfortable with new technology
willing to spend more for premium
experiences
prefers recommendations from
trusted sources

25. “What tools or tricks are you
currently using to do _____?”

26. Usability test with
competitor products*
* don’t discount email, in-person, paper
as ‘competitors’

27. 5) ask dumb questions
(have ‘the new person’) do it

28. “What were you hoping to get from
_____ when you signed up that you
haven’t been able to do?”

29. https://www.slideshare.net/hiten1/measuring-understanding-productmarket-fit-qualitatively/3-
Sean_Ellis_productmarket_fit_surveysurveyio

30. “What’s the most useful thing we
could do to make your life easier?”

31. Responding to support email?
…I hope this answers your question!
While I’ve got you, can I ask you a quick question?
[question]
Any details you can share will help me make this product better!

32. Responding to app store reviews?
[acknowledge, apologize for poor reviews; thank them for great ones]
…Can you help us out by taking 1 minute to answer our 2-question survey?
[survey link}

33. keep in touch!
twitter: @cindyalvarez
email: cindy@cindyalvarez.com
book: bit.ly/leancustomerdevelopment