Experiment
Planner

This technique helps you manage risk by rapidly and inexpensively testing the killer assumptions on a small scale so you can accelerate learning and ultimately iterate on your concept.

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When would you use Experiment Planner?

Experiment planning can be conducted early and often when developing your concept. Typically, it is most useful to run an experiment when you’ve identified a killer assumption(s) that you need to learn about. We recommend running serial experiments and doing them often. Please note, it may be a challenge to “sell in” experiments to colleagues that are accustomed to operating on gut instinct, especially for someone who’s been on the job for years.

Here’s where Experiment Planner can be a difference maker:

You need to validate that a new concept is viable without making a significant financial investment
You are conducting a series of “learning cycles” in a project
You are iterating on a new concept and are trying to move swiftly to develop it

How does Experiment Planner work?

1
Teams can have multiple “KILLER” assumptions (but not everyone should be a KILLER!)
2
List out the specific learning objectives
3
Define your target audience (think about a persona / profile)
4
Design a creative test(s) that helps you to learn quickly and inexpensively
5
Determine how you will measure and assess your performance on the tests

Download the full Experiment Planner guide

Get access to instructions, templates, a case study, and more

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Deliberate Innovation Experiment Planner Tool Guide

Top Experiment Planner Tips

Focus: Focus on one assumption at a time versus testing the entire concept
Don’t Forget Your Creativity! There are more than a dozen creative forms of experimentation (beyond surveys) that will allow you to capture behavioral data and not just stated intentions or preferences.
Prototypes: If you want authentic feedback, you need to bring to life your concept and the specific areas of focus that you want to test. The higher the fidelity of the concept, the more realistic to the feedback and reliable it will be.
Measurements: Be sure to select a combination of lagging and leading metrics so you have a combination of meaningful metrics and track progress frequently
Assume Multiple Tests: No innovative idea has only a single risky assumption. Assume you will be conducting serial experiments and plan to stage them.
Team Based Approach: Include cross functional creative thinkers when designing rapid and low-cost experiments
Failure and Pivots: Plan to Incorporate the learnings into your concept and make adaptations as you go along.

More Experiment Planner Tips & Stories

Storytelling is at the heart of our teaching and is essential for understanding new concepts. Here are some short stories and tips to continue to bring this tool to life.