Lean StartUp: Pivot or Preserve. The Crucial Step, Why and How?

Step 3 in the Lean Startup methodology is "Pivot or Preserve." After you have tested your MVP and gathered feedback from customers, it's time to evaluate whether to pivot or preserve your product and business model. The goal of this step is to ensure that you are on the right track and that you are investing your resources in the most effective way.

Here's what you should want to do:

Evaluate feedback

Analyze the feedback you received during the MVP testing phase. What did customers like and dislike about your product? Did you uncover any unexpected insights or opportunities? Use this feedback to identify potential areas for improvement.

Assess your assumptions

Revisit the assumptions you made about your market and your product when you started your business. Are these assumptions still valid? Have you identified any new assumptions that need to be tested?

Decide to pivot or preserve

Based on your evaluation of the feedback and your assumptions, decide whether to pivot or preserve your product and business model. If you decide to pivot, it means that you will make significant changes to your product, market, or business model. If you decide to preserve, it means that you will continue to refine your product and business model based on the feedback you received.

Plan and execute

If you decide to pivot, create a plan for the changes you need to make and execute them quickly. If you decide to preserve, create a plan for the improvements you need to make and prioritize them based on customer feedback and business goals.

Test and iterate

Once you have made changes, test your product again with customers and gather feedback. Use this feedback to iterate and refine your product and business model.

The pivot or preserve step is crucial in the Lean Startup methodology because it ensures that you are always aligned with your target market and that you are investing your resources in the most effective way. By evaluating feedback, assessing assumptions, and making strategic decisions, you can pivot or preserve your product and business model in a way that maximizes your chances of success.