Toward a Market-Based Lean Startup Product Design Method for the Developing World

Abstract

The question of how to effectively design products for consumers in the developing world has been widely debated. Several methodologies have been developed to address this issue focusing on human centered and community centered methods, but few methods are rooted in market-centered approaches. Recent advances in market-centered design from lean startup methodologies hold promise for the development of new methods that allow effective product design for consumers in the developing world. This paper contributes a method from which consumer level products can be designed to effectively supply the under-served markets of the developing world with innovative and sustainable solutions. Utilizing an iterative method based on three fundamental hypotheses, the Lean Design for Developing World Method (LDW) seeks to provide products that are economically viable, have strong market growth potential, and have a net positive impact on the customers and their communities.

Lean Startup, Agile Methodologies and Customer Development for business model innovation

“…Considering the emergent nature of the topic, ten studies aim at developing theoretical frameworks, as well as proposing models with the improvement of the practices being studied. From this group of studies, five papers conducted purely descriptive discussions (Ahmed et al , 2019; Edison, 2015; Girgenti et al , 2016; Mansoori and Lackéus, 2019; Overall and Wise, 2015), three proposed new frameworks and conducted multiple-case studies (Bessant et al , 2002; Edison et al , 2018; Fagerholm et al , 2017) and two studies developed models and conducted single-case studies (Pease et al , 2014; Still, 2017). The field still lacks mixed methods with multiple sources of evidence, an approach that improves the validity and reliability of the findings (Bhasin, 2012).…”

“…Finally, other authors proposed new models and/or frameworks with approaches that combined LS with other AM (Fagerholm et al , 2017), axiomatic design (Girgenti et al , 2016), CD (Overall and Wise, 2015), or even considering less explored areas, such as the development of products aimed at underdeveloped countries (Pease et al , 2014), to support employee-driven innovation in the context of green product development (Buhl, 2018), or aiming at understanding the applicability and use of the LS paradigm within the research context (Still, 2017). Again, despite the potential for exploration, most of the studies were purely descriptive, with little or no empirical application; few papers also involved case studies for further exploration (Bessant et al , 2002; Fagerholm et al , 2017; Kumar et al , 2018; Pease et al , 2014; Still, 2017).…”

“…Finally, other authors proposed new models and/or frameworks with approaches that combined LS with other AM (Fagerholm et al , 2017), axiomatic design (Girgenti et al , 2016), CD (Overall and Wise, 2015), or even considering less explored areas, such as the development of products aimed at underdeveloped countries (Pease et al , 2014), to support employee-driven innovation in the context of green product development (Buhl, 2018), or aiming at understanding the applicability and use of the LS paradigm within the research context (Still, 2017). Again, despite the potential for exploration, most of the studies were purely descriptive, with little or no empirical application; few papers also involved case studies for further exploration (Bessant et al , 2002; Fagerholm et al , 2017; Kumar et al , 2018; Pease et al , 2014; Still, 2017). In this line, Kumar et al (2018) proposed a strategic framework for CD in the sharing economy based on literature, press and several interviews, addressing threats and opportunities; Marcinkowski and Gawin (2019), by contrast, conducted an in-depth canonical action research study and proposed an architecture integrating agile methods with business process management, considering multi-scenario business processes.…”

The Application of Retrospective Customer Needs Cultural Risk Indicator Method to Soap Dispenser Design for Children in Ethiopia

“…The Lean Design for the Developing World (LDW) method developed by Pease et al [19][20] was developed as a complementary method to HCD where much of the up-front investment in deep community understanding is instead replaced by an iterative design and product deployment approach adopted from the lean startup literature [21]. LDW is explicitly designed for use with new product development in developing world situations.…”

Validate and measure KPI effectiveness in design thinking for startups

“…Liedka and Ogilvie (2015) said business is from Mars and design is from Venus, and is possible put them together because, like most opposites, they have a lot to offer each other to complement and enrich the result. But one of the problems pointed by Pease, Dean and Van Bossuyt (2014) regarding Human Centered Design (HCD) approach and related methods is the high costs to implement: "HCD requires large upfront investments by a design team in the form of both time and financial resources in an effort to better understand potential customers." There is no Design Thinking method without a design team and organizations used to prefer fast and small pieces of solutions -even not good enough -than spent money working on quality in a longer time.…”