10 insights to develop products people actually buy — cindy alvarez

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This presentation consists of highlights from the interview with Moe Abdou,

founder & host of 33voices®.

Cindy Alvarez helps companies get better at experimentation, cus-tomer research, and iterative development of both products and pro-

cesses. She’s spent many years working with early- and mid-stage startups, but currently is at the opposite end of the spectrum: driving change within Microsoft! As the director of user experience for Yam-mer (acquired by Microsoft in 2012), she built up their design and re-search organization. She also evangelizes lean processes as part of

Microsoft’s User Experience Leadership Team.

Cindy Alvarez@cindyalvarez

Director of UX at Yammer

Customer Development is to an evolving business what oxygen is tothe body. Fuel to live another day.

Insight #1

Insight #2

Whereas product development will focus on the WHEN and WHAT of a customer’s buying cycle, customer development first

answers the question WILL they buy.

Insight #3

Everything you do in customer development is centered around testing a clear hypotheses:I believe this kind of customer has this type of

problem doing this type of task; and here’s how we can help.

Insight #4

Steve Blank on customer discovery:

Insight #4

Steve Blank on customer discovery:

“Most startups begin by pricing their product based on cost or competition”

Insight #4

Steve Blank on customer discovery:

“Smart startups price their product based on value to the customer”

Insight #4

Steve Blank on customer discovery:

“You can’t guess how your product is valued by customers”

Insight #4

Steve Blank on customer discovery:

“Customer Development allows you to discover the economics needed for

value pricing your product”

Insight #5

Most people can’t articulate their problems. As such, it’s wise to conduct a continuous flow of experiments that will validate or invalidate your hypotheses — all while trying to identify

a relevant value proposition.

Insight #6

Opt for experiments that are fast, inexpensive, and highly objective — for the shorter the cycle,

the less likely you’ll take missteps personally.

Insight #7

Although anyone other than yourself can provide valuable feedback; it’s those who Steve Blank calls “earlyvangelists” who are most likely

to leave you with the most vivid details, as:

Insight #7

Although anyone other than yourself can provide valuable feedback; it’s those who Steve Blank calls “earlyvangelists” who are most likely

to leave you with the most vivid details, as:

They have a problem

Insight #7

Although anyone other than yourself can provide valuable feedback; it’s those who Steve Blank calls “earlyvangelists” who are most likely

to leave you with the most vivid details, as:

Are aware of having this problem

Insight #7

Although anyone other than yourself can provide valuable feedback; it’s those who Steve Blank calls “earlyvangelists” who are most likely

to leave you with the most vivid details, as:

Have been actively seeking a solution

Insight #7

Although anyone other than yourself can provide valuable feedback; it’s those who Steve Blank calls “earlyvangelists” who are most likely

to leave you with the most vivid details, as:

Have put together a solution out of parts

Insight #7

Although anyone other than yourself can provide valuable feedback; it’s those who Steve Blank calls “earlyvangelists” who are most likely

to leave you with the most vivid details, as:

Have or can acquire a budget

Insight #8

Beware of the confirmation bias, for you’re wired to pay more attention to information that confirms your beliefs.

Insight #9

Those who get ahead accept it when they’re wrong, for it doesn’t matter how well

you plan, how much money you spend, or how smart your team is. The odds that you’ll avoid big mistakes are worse than a flip of a coin.

Insight #10

“Can’t devise a small-enough MVP? Ask someone in a different industry. They

don’t know ‘what’s possible’ and willhave a greater breadth of ideas.”

- Cindy Alvarez

What’s your assumption?What’s your problem hypothesis?

Who’s your target customer?

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Presentation created by Chase Jennings

Insights by Moe Abdou