{"id":1496,"date":"2019-07-12T14:57:26","date_gmt":"2019-07-12T02:57:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/climate-x.dvlpmnt.wpengine.com\/validating-at-climatex\/"},"modified":"2019-07-12T14:57:26","modified_gmt":"2019-07-12T02:57:26","slug":"validating-at-climatex","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/integralgood.com\/climate-x\/validating-at-climatex\/","title":{"rendered":"Validating at the Climate-X 3Day Sprint"},"content":{"rendered":"

Validation is about seeing beyond our own perspective<\/h3>\n

Validation is the process of checking to see if our view of something is really true. Often, it\u2019s hard to tell because we only ever see anything from our own perspective. The way we see the world depends on our unique life experience, values and much more. Generally, our perspective is our reality.<\/p>\n

Yet, the more different viewpoints you can consider, the closer you\u2019ll get to a full, real picture. Validation allows us to check that we\u2019re not just making stuff up. For instance, is there really a need for our product? Is there a market for what we\u2019re selling?<\/p>\n

Good validation involves a scientific approach<\/h3>\n

Validation is about running robust experiments to check our assumptions. It\u2019s the difference between what you think you know and what you know you know.<\/p>\n

At Climate-X and in any business startup, validation requires people to think like scientists. You have to test your idea by running experiments. Like scientists, we\u2019re trying to get to the truth by either validating or invalidating our hypothesis. Even if we\u2019re keen to prove our theory, it\u2019s essential to avoid bias if we want our idea to succeed.<\/p>\n

Validate the right thing in the right order<\/h3>\n

Which assumptions could undermine your whole business model if they\u2019re wrong? The Social Lean Canvas prioritises the most-risky things and provides a structure to follow to validate each step. First, you consider how your idea can add value. You\u2019ll need to design an experiment to check this \u2013 will people pay or act to engage with your product?<\/p>\n

Qualitative data contains gold<\/h3>\n

Qualitative data may be easiest to collect. It\u2019s conversation-based and the key is to be open to discovering the unexpected. Henry Ford is reported to have said that if he asked his customers what they wanted, they would have asked for faster horses, rather than his radical invention, a mass-produced motor vehicle. This doesn\u2019t mean that we know better than the customer. Instead, it means that the key to a good solution is digging into the intricacies of the problem itself.<\/p>\n

Listening to people is similar to panning for gold; you have to sift through the rubbish to get to the gold. But if you listen carefully you can find out how to add real value. To understand people\u2019s motivation beyond the words, choose questions that can elicit full responses. Some ideas might be:<\/p>\n