What is a Customer Discovery Program?
Customer discovery programs allow you to address a specific and important problem directly with a group of customers.
The group is typically a limited number, but it’s important to avoid developing a custom solution for a single individual.
It is often recommended to focus on a single industry at a time with the end goal of developing a great product-to-market fit and a group of happy reference customers.
Customer Discovery Programs
I-Corps
Primary Contact: Brian Thompson
“Initially funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) in 2015 and renewed in 2018, the Milwaukee I-Corps Program offers researchers and entrepreneurs a chance to explore the viability of their technologies and ventures through the “Lean Startup” or “Lean Launch” process of direct engagement with the potential markets. Through a five-week workshop, participants are coached on designing and validating a business model around their idea and deciding whether the idea is a go/no-go decision based on their business model. Regardless of the go/no-go outcome, teams will develop valuable skills in discovering the market – skills that will inform their research, business, and careers.”
Recommended Reading
The Mom Test
By Rob Fitzpatrick
The Mom Test is a quick, practical guide that will save you time, money, and heartbreak. They say you shouldn’t ask your mom whether your business is a good idea, because she loves you and will lie to you. This is technically true, but it misses the point. You shouldn’t ask anyone if your business is a good idea. It’s a bad question and everyone will lie to you at least a little . As a matter of fact, it’s not their responsibility to tell you the truth. It’s your responsibility to find it and it’s worth doing right. Talking to customers is one of the foundational skills of both Customer Development and Lean Startup. We all know we’re supposed to do it, but nobody seems willing to admit that it’s easy to screw up and hard to do right. This book is going to show you how customer conversations go wrong and how you can do better.
The Corporate Refugee Startup Guide
By David Gee
What you don’t yet know about entrepreneurship.
Burn the Business Plan
By Carl J. Schramm
Cut to the chase and get your product out there!
Business Model Generation
By Alexander Osterwalder
How to go about creating your one-pager business model canvas.