Use quick, low-cost tests to see if your ideas have merit. We test to learn and we learn by challenging the basic assumptions our ideas are based on.
Why It’s Important:
Testing allows us to get closer to root causes. When we test, we learn whether our ideas are worth pursuing and whether they are actually addressing the problem we seek to solve. Testing also allows organizations to manage risk by challenging assumptions. If we allow experimentation and are willing to fail, we are less likely to run with (or invest in) an idea that doesn’t have a solid foundation.
What We Learned:
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Ideas are based on assumptions. Even if we collect great feedback, we may still brainstorm a solution that does not match what the community wants or needs. Testing allows us to challenge the assumptions our ideas are based on.
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Bring a learner’s mindset, not an expert mindset. If we want to get closer to root causes, a learner’s mindset allows us to be flexible, open-minded and adapt when things don’t go as planned.
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Testing is good business practice. A company doesn’t take a product to market without getting feedback from their users – why should housing be any different? Testing allows us to learn before investing our precious resources in something that may not work as intended.
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