the 5 habits of breakthrough innovators
TRANSCRIPT
5 Habitsof Breakthrough Innovators
Amy Jo Kim, Ph.D.
What we’ll cover
1 Introduction
What we’ll cover
1 Introduction
2 5 Habits of Breakthrough Innovators
3
What we’ll cover
1 Introduction
2 5 Habits of Breakthrough Innovators
3 Getting Started: 3 Smart Shortcuts
IntroductionSection One
A hunch is creativity trying to tell
you something.
Frank Capra
Filmmaker
You’ve got a great product idea
How do you know if it’s the right one?
co-founder & Creative Director,
Shufflebrain Partners shufflebrain.com
Creator & Head Coach,
MVP Design Hacks mvpdesignhacks.com
we partner with great companies to make
smart games for a connected world
What can we learn from
breakthrough innovations?
Rock Band
The Sims
Covet Fashion
eBay
Can we generate and validate our product ideas
better, smarter, faster?
5 Habitsof Breakthrough Innovators
Section Two
Habit 1: think like a scientist
To increase your chances of
success, minimize time through
the Build-Measure-Learn cycleEric Ries
Author, The Lean Startup
you are here
Ask the hard, important questions upfront
Rock Band
The Sims
Covet Fashion
eBay
What keeps people engaged in a
virtual dollhouse simulation?
What social systems are necessary to
build trust in an online marketplace?
Can non-musicians play plastic instruments together and
feel like a band making music?
Will fashion-loving young women pay to play a
dress-up game with real designer clothes?
Habit 2: laser-focus on early adopters
Crossing the Chasm
Geoffrey Moore, 1992
Innovation Diffusion Theory
Everett Rogers, 1961
Find & delight your early adopters
Early adopters will put up with
cost & ridicule for innovations
that meet real needs.
Erika Hall
author, Just Enough Research
you are here
Gather ideas & feedback for key systems
Cultivate relationships with content creators
Leverage relationships with super-fans
Habit 3: gather customer insights early
Create a culture of iterative play-testing
you are here
There is nothing quite so
useless as doing with great
efficiency something that
should not be done at all.
Peter Drucker
Conduct onsite interviews with early adopters
Setup a weekly interview/playtest rhythm
Expand playtest audience as product matures
Habit 4: build & test your Core Loop
What is – and isn’t – a Core Loop?
you are here
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
DESIGN& BUILD
Fake Landing Page?
Fake Landing Page?
Operant Conditioning Loop AKA Skinner Box?
Operant Conditioning Loop AKA Skinner Box?
Skill-building = making customers more awesome
Skill-building habit loop?
Skill-building habit loop?
Engaging activity + internal urge fuels the loop
Feedback supports learning & mastery
Investment & triggers pull people back
Focus on prototyping & tuning the basics
Create a daily skill-building reason to return
Habit 5: co-create a path to Mastery
you are here
DESIGN& BUILD
Every artist was first
an amateur. Dan Cook
Game Designer, Spry Fox
Engage customers with progressive skill-building
Empower enthusiasts with tools, access, powers
Release tools early to your fan community
Build aspirational mastery systems
Build aspirational mastery systems
Recap: 5 Habits of Breakthrough Innovators
Recap: 5 Habits of Breakthrough Innovators
Think like a scientist
Recap: 5 Habits of Breakthrough Innovators
Think like a scientist
Laser-focus on early adopters
Recap: 5 Habits of Breakthrough Innovators
Think like a scientist
Laser-focus on early adopters
Gather customer insights early
Recap: 5 Habits of Breakthrough Innovators
Think like a scientist
Laser-focus on early adopters
Gather customer insights early
Build & test your Core Loop
Recap: 5 Habits of Breakthrough Innovators
Think like a scientist
Laser-focus on early adopters
Gather customer insights early
Build & test your Core Loop
Co-create a path to mastery
3 Smart Shortcutsto turbo-charge your Customer Discovery
CASE STUDY
Shortcut #1: the MVP Canvas
Think like a scientist
Laser-focus on early adopters
Gather customer insights early
Build & test your Core Loop
Shortcut #1: the MVP Canvas
Clarify your product strategy
Identify strengths, values & success metrics
Prioritize your highest-risk assumptions
Shortcut #2: Speed Interviews
Think like a scientist
Laser-focus on early adopters
Gather customer insights early
Build & test your Core Loop
Shortcut #2: Speed Interviews
Interview 10-15 Early Adopters
5-10 min. per interview
Ask just a few revealing questions
Unmet NeedsDaily Habits Beliefs & Ideas
Pair Interviews Better, Faster Pattern Recognition
Identify 5-7 Enthusiatic, Articulate Early Adopters
Shortcut #3: Habit Stories
Shortcut #3: Habit Stories
Think like a scientist
Laser-focus on early adopters
Gather customer insights early
Build & test your Core Loop
Shortcut #3: Habit Stories
Turn customer insights into design-ready stories
Habit Story = Existing Habit + Unmet Need
Piggyback your Core Loop on an existing Habit
MVP Canvas BEFORE
MVP Canvas BEFORE
MVP Canvas BEFORE
MVP Canvas BEFORE
Speed Interviews: How we did it
WHO we spoke with
• 15 young women 18-40 who play mobile fashion games
• Recruited from existing player base & craigslist ads
Speed Interviews: How we did it
WHO we spoke with
• 15 young women 18-40 who play mobile fashion games
• Recruited from existing player base & craigslist ads
WHAT we asked them to do
• Spend 5-10 minutes answering 3-5 questions
The best interview subjects became paid testers
Speed Interviews: How we did it
WHO we spoke with
• 15 young women 18-40 who play mobile fashion games
• Recruited from existing player base & craigslist ads
WHAT we asked them to do
• Spend 5-10 minutes answering 3-5 questions
The best interview subjects became paid testers
WHEN & WHERE we ran these tests
• Via phone & Skype, over a period of 2 weeks
Research Results: 3 Key Patterns
Fashion Browser
Fashion Browser
Co-creator
Co-creator
Armchair Stylist
Armchair Stylist
MVP Canvas AFTER
MVP Canvas AFTER
MVP Canvas AFTER
iterative play-testing hit game
Try out these techniques on your own
MVP Design Hacksvalidate your product idea in 30 days
http://mvpdesignhacks.com
