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Fat is the new Lean

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Re: Fat is the new Lean

#11

Post by brianscordato »

mbesto wrote: post #8

Brian, I can't quite seem to grasp what you're really trying to say here. It sounds (to me) as if you're trying to justify the ubiquitous position of entrepreneurs and would-be entrepreneurs that 'I need to spend a lot of time planning and building before I launch'. I get it...it's scary as hell to launch something that is half-baked and may not feel like your proudest moment. Some constructive criticism - I, nor you…

Thanks! Very helpful. I've kept the user experience descriptions a bit vague as all of our user feedback has been from "lean" products - basically me emailing people with match suggestions with screen shots of shared mutual friends, then asking if they'd be interested in these people. We've had favorable response to that, but until the app is in our users hands I don't want to jump the gun. It's not yet - the stuff we can play around with works "amazing," but a full experience is not yet built so our users don't have it yet. I definitely could've been more specific, though.

On the video - great point. Wish we'd thought of that a bit earlier... The hope was to prove that we were legitimate. Gaining users for a dating site is not an easy proposition, and we should've focused more on what we can do for users than why we are viable.

Thanks again.

Re: Fat is the new Lean

#12

Post by brianscordato »

thesash wrote: post #9

My stock comment on the subject originally posted on http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3429906 1) MVP != half assed, cheap, shitty product. It is exactly what it says: a minimum viable product, key word being viable. An MVP for a mission critical application or a cutting edge piece of research isn't going to be cheap or easy, because it needs to be viable. 2) The cycle of expectations that your product needs to be…

Very helpful - Like that first article as well, thank you. I wasn't attempting to bash the lean movement, though I have found it more difficult to implement with my own startup than I'd thought (emotions / fears find their way into the equation, spurring the batch death spiral). I just wanted to point out that there were other factors that will drive success now that the "secret" is out. Thanks again, and hopefully I can minimize the lessons I learn painfully.

Re: Fat is the new Lean

#14

Post by purplelobster »

ericb wrote: post #10

I find parallels with the irreducible complexity intelligent design argument. Lean startups are oriented toward the evolutionary approach, where as fat startups are attempts at intelligent design. On one hand, evolution demonstrates that small changes can have beneficial effects and building on top of them can lead to whole new paradigm shifts. On the other hand, intelligent design should be able to trump evolution.…

My only gripe with lean methodologies is just that, that it seems like a soul-less reactionary process at times. At its extreme anyway, I know that't not the way it always works.

Re: Fat is the new Lean

#15

Post by qu4z-2 »

pearle wrote: post #6
erikstarck wrote: post #4

This is one reason I like the term Minimum Desirable Product better than the Viable dito.

I don't consider an undesirable product to be viable so I think "viable" still works.

I'd agree, but I have found people get confused on that point. Of course, I worry with "minimum desirable product" they'll miss the "minimal" bit.

Re: Fat is the new Lean

#16

Post by mbesto »

brianscordato wrote: post #11
mbesto wrote: post #8

Brian, I can't quite seem to grasp what you're really trying to say here. It sounds (to me) as if you're trying to justify the ubiquitous position of entrepreneurs and would-be entrepreneurs that 'I need to spend a lot of time planning and building before I launch'. I get it...it's scary as hell to launch something that is half-baked and may not feel like your proudest moment. Some constructive criticism - I, nor you…

Thanks! Very helpful. I've kept the user experience descriptions a bit vague as all of our user feedback has been from "lean" products - basically me emailing people with match suggestions with screen shots of shared mutual friends, then asking if they'd be interested in these people. We've had favorable response to that, but until the app is in our users hands I don't want to jump the gun. It's not yet - the stuff w…

> Gaining users for a dating site is not an easy proposition

But finding the market is! You've got a great market to tap into. "Off to the races" as they say...

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