Steve Blank's customer development beats Lean Canvas, Design Thinking and every framework you've heard of — because it forces you out of the building.
- Run 20 problem interviews before writing code. Ask:
- "Walk me through the last time you faced [problem]."
- "What did you do? What did you wish existed?"
- "How much time/money did it cost you?"
Don't pitch. You're a doctor diagnosing, not a salesman. Your job: shut up and listen. If 15 of 20 describe the same workaround, you've found pain. If they shrug, move on.
Next action
Turn the lesson into work.
Pick one concrete next step now, while the context is still fresh.