idea validation with okapistudio

KEEP CALM

AND

START ME UP

A Talk About Processes With Okapistudio

Dana Manolescu / Project Manager Paul Gergely / Designer

July 22nd, 2013

Hello. Nice to meet you!

Paul Gergely Designer

paul@okapistudio.com

Dana Manolescu Project Manager dana@okapistudio.com

www.okapistudio.com

Multidisciplinary Creative Agency

Founded 7 years ago

Andrei Ostacie + Gabi Lungu + Team + Network

December 21st, 2013

Okapi at work http://okapiworks.com/infographic

Let's start. What are we talking about?

Idea Define & Plan

Build Iterate

Coming up with great ideas is hard... But an idea is nothing without the right people and the proper execution.

01.Idea

"What matters is not ideas, but the people who have them. Good people can fix bad ideas, but good ideas can't save bad people.“

- Paul Graham / YCombinator

01.Idea

Identify problems Fix them.

01.Idea

Identify potential needs Provide value. Ignore the status-quo Break free of constraints.

Ask "What If" questions Challenge your imagination.

01.Idea

Think inside the box But make the box bigger.

Do you really know What you are building?

02.Define and Plan

Define your Value Proposition

A strong sentence that defines your business, (what makes you stand out from the competition), and summarizes why a customer should buy your product.

It should convince him that your product will add more value or solve an existing problem. It is not a slogan!

02.Define and Plan

Founder’s Institute Template (www.fi.co)

02.Define and Plan

My Company, [company name]

is developing [what you are building/offering]

to help [your target audience]

[solve a problem]

with [secret ingredient]

What you are building/Offering Be specific about what you are building, avoid unnecessary adjectives, avoid buzzwords.

Target Who are you making the offer to? - identify demographics, specify the market, clarify the buyer - the person who’s going to pay for your product

Problem Make sure people relate or understand the problem, don’t be vague, make a hint at a revenue model (if you thought about that at this point)

Differentiator How is your product different, memorable

02.Define and Plan

Draft a Business Model

Who are your customers?

What is your Value proposition?

What channels are you using?

What are your key resources and activities?

How do you make money?

02.Define and Plan

Read this Book

02.Define and Plan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoAOzMTLP5s

And now... Get out of the building!

03.Build

“In a startup, no facts exist inside the building, only opinions” - Steve Blank

Build your MVP Minimum Viable Product

/prototype

03.Build

MVP

•  It should launch in 2-3 months •  It should work right •  It should look great •  It should say the right things •  It should be able to scale

03.Build

Test your idea

•  Focus on core functionalities •  Spend minimum time, resources & money •  Prove your ability to execute

Food trucks are MVPs for restaurants

03.Build

How

We do it

03.Build

Why Processes?

03.Build

Our Process We are advocates of a straightforward & proven work methodology, and we can provide relevant input in every step of the process:

•  Plan

•  Design

•  Develop

• ...and Iterate, Analyze and Improve every step of the way

03.Build

03.Build

Our Process

A.About

First, we listen and observe. We’re excited about making new ideas take off, so we spend time on briefing and research while trying to learn as much as we can about the future brand, product or service:

•  Idea

•  Vision

•  Target

•  Message

03.Build

01. Plan

B. Think and sketch

Then, we brainstorm. We work with the client to create the perfect development strategy for that market opportunity they’ve identified, defining:

•  Feature specs

•  Use cases

•  Business requirements

•  Site map

•  User flow

03.Build

C. Organize

Make complex clear. Before we start rolling up our sleeves and dig in, we stop for a moment and do some planning. Defining a strong foundation and a coherent road map for the project is essential for long-term success

•  Tasks

•  Resources

•  List of deliverables

•  Time & budget estimates

03.Build

03.Build

Our Process

A. Wireframes

Build the back-bone.

Creating wireframes is mandatory because it let’s everybody focus on what’s important at the initial stage:

•  Content

•  Functionality

•  Structure, placement of elements

•  Flow

03.Build

02. Design

B. Visual Design

And make it 'pretty'. Based on the final wireframes, we bring the brand’s story to life using

visual elements and concepts guided by the specifications from the creative brief.

•  Concept, brand identity

•  Look & feel

03.Build

3.1. Front-end

•  HTML, CSS, JavaScript

3.2. Back-end

•  PHP, Ruby on Rails, Phyton, MySQL

•  iOS, WordPress, Magento

3.3. Operational

•  Server setup, Scaling, Security

3.4. Testing

•  OS/Browser compatibility, Usability, Overall functionality

03.Build

03. Develop

www.waywire.com - discover, collect & organize videos

PortaPoet - poems at your fingertips (not live yet)

www.charmroom.com - your new way to discover beauty

www.cldmkt.com - social shopping in 140 characters

www.thinknear.com - mobile advertising

Different, yet the same. •  Plan

•  Design

•  Develop

...and Iterate, Analyze & Improve every step of the way!

03.Build

Other processes

http://theleanstartup.com/principles

http://hackfwd.com/

No matter what process you use…

03.Build

OKAPI’s perspective:

Clients: save time & money, clear timeline & delivery date

Product: clear roadmap - features, metrics, milestones

Team: eliminate frustrations, foster team innovation, multi-disciplinary

Project Manager: logic flow, feeling of control

What else?

03.Build

Why processes?

How much process is too much? How do you balance process with innovation?

•  http://startupquotes.startupvitamins.com/

03.Build

Final Thoughts

Keep calm & continue learning! “How to build a startup?” course - Steve Blank: https://www.udacity.com/course/ep245 “The Lean Startup” book - Eric Ries: http://theleanstartup.com/book You are not alone! Case studies: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=G8Rk0c3axtI Get advice from awesome people: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPphSRJ1Prs

03.Build

Final Thoughts

Thank you!