Lean Startup: how to design an innovative Internet product or service

By applying the core principles of Lean to the development of new products or services for the Internet, the Lean Startup offers an innovative approach to designing offerings that are perfectly aligned with the market and customer needs.

Originally designed to help startups develop innovative products, the Lean Startup approach has, since 2012, greatly expanded its sphere of influence.

It is true that the very definition of a startup that underpinned the development of this approach can apply to many situations.

A startup is viewed as a business entity designed to develop new products or services under conditions of extreme uncertainty.

There is no mention of company size or industry. As a result, Lean Startup applies to anyone involved in developing a new product or service in a highly uncertain environment—from individual entrepreneurs to multidisciplinary teams within large corporations.

But while the Lean Startup is dedicated to innovation in the broadest sense, the approach is primarily aimed at innovations where conditions of extreme uncertainty are very much present.

Furthermore, although the Lean Startup methodology can be applied in any industry, it is particularly well suited to Internet-based products or services.

Ultimately, anyone involved in the development of new products or services will find that the Lean Startup offers principles and an approach tailored to their needs. It should be noted, however, that the Lean Startup is primarily intended for innovative projects aimed at addressing mature needs, as we will see in the conclusion.

After outlining the key principles of the Lean Startup, this article presents an approach to implementing it that draws on the customer development method developed by Steve Blank, enhanced by tactical execution tools such as the Design Sprint (for prototyping) and Product-Led Growth (for customer acquisition).