Data-Driven Done Right

We all hear that we should make “data-driven” decisions in deciding what to test and how to measure results. But few of us have much experience actually doing that. With real and accessible examples, Dan McKinley walks us through the process–and the simple math–he developed to test, or scrap, new ideas at Etsy.

Leadership, Uncertainty, and Self-Deception

What’s the biggest challenge in getting a team of people to adopt Lean Startup methods? Dan Milstein, founder at Hut 8 Labs, suggests a somewhat surprising answer: it’s the tendency of leaders to fall prey to the deep, built-in human propensity for self-deception. We’re wired to lie to ourselves in certain situations–and, in startups, those situations crop up all the time. Tying together psychology research and his own (painful) experiences on both sides of the leader/team member divide, Dan looks at the dangers of self-deception and what you can do to overcome it.

Lean Startup 101

If you’re new to Lean Startup, this lively introduction will help you get comfortable with the key terms and concepts. You’ll leave with a rich understanding to get the most out of the conference and, more important, to implement Lean Startup methods in your own organization.

The full-day session, run by Janice Fraser, author of The Lean Product Book and expert entrepreneurship trainer, will cover:

*Why Lean Startup methods exist
*When to use them
*The mechanics of learning from customers and testing ideas
*Terms like MVP, pivots, customer development, validated learning, product/market fit, innovation accounting and cross-functional teams

The day is packed hands-on activities to help you gain a deeper understanding of Lean Startup principles.

This session is relevant for people from all sectors and in all roles. It is equally useful for software engineers and non-technical businesspeople, as well as leaders from established companies and standalone startups.

Constraints That Help You Build Valuable Software

More than you know, your software’s business model and technology stack shape your appetite for risk, creativity and pace. Jocelyn Goldfein, former Engineering Director at Facebook, explains the constraints you face with various kinds of product DNA–and how you can embrace those constraints to build valuable software.

Talk About Risk Without Causing Fear

Risk and uncertainty define startups–they’re the very qualities that make new initiatives different from established projects. But few of us have productive ways of discussing risk, and in fact, bringing it up can cause fear and undermine morale. How can we make coworkers comfortable addressing risk? Adam Josephs, Principal Consultant of Celerity Consulting, shares advice for discussing it early, often and constructively.

Identify and Validate Your Riskiest Assumptions

MVPs are great–unless you’re building them to test assumptions that aren’t really mission-critical. In this hands-on session, Laura Klein, author of UX for Lean Startups and head of product development for Hint Health, breaks down the kinds of assumptions you should look for and a process for developing hypotheses that reveal your true barriers to growth.