I’m a big fan of the lean start-up method. I’ve used it to shape my thinking about product builds and new enterprises. I’ve also joked around about how it’s easily applicable to situations and opportunities outside of business and technology. At its core, I believe the lean start-up method is best used in limited resource environments…which is most situations.
For example, I did a lot of traveling over the last couple of weeks. If you learn one thing about me, I consistently wait until the last-minute to fully pack before any trip, but there’s a method to my madness. I pack using the MVP (Minimum Viable Pack). I ask myself a week or two before I have to go, ” If my trip was tomorrow, what are the minimum items I need to have a successful trip?”. Most of the time, I end up packing my carry on bag before I get to my clothing. During this process, I play out each day’s set of activities and mentally prioritize how central they are to the core goal of the trip. I often go through the same exercise until I’m satisfied with my bags. I rarely over pack now.
The lean start-up method is a conceptual model that can apply to most situations. Do you have any examples where you applied lean start-up outside of business or technology? Please send them my way! I’ll definitely start brainstorming some on my end.
