This article is the fourth and final post in our Project Management blog series. Read the third post in this series, ‘Metrics that Matter.’ Eric Ries’ The Lean Startup is a very successful book—and an even more successful movement—amongst product developers. Even if those in product development haven’t read the book, they talk about concepts introduced and popularized in it, such as the ‘Build-Measure-Learn’ cycle and Minimum Viable Products (MVPs). When defining the ‘Build-Measure-Learn’ cycle, Ries explains that “the fundamental activity of a startup is to turn ideas into products, measure how customers respond, and then learn whether to pivot or persevere.” An MVP, he says, is “that version of the product that enables a full turn of the Build-Measure-Learn loop with a minimum amount of effort and the least amount of development time.” Whenever I work with a new team, I inevitably hear the phrase “let’s just build an MVP.” Teams resort to this strategy when they are given work that either… Read More