Lean Thinking

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Ralf Lippold Premium Member Group moderator
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Nurture a Startup Right from the Beginning - in a Lean Fashion:-)
How could that be and what has that to do with Lean Thinking?

Hm?!

Aren't there constraints in setting up a startup?

How do we learn as individuals in larger groups
so that gained knowledge is not flowing into the
sink?

What ideas could florish from other persons thoughts
while in active open conversation with them?

What do we get back in giving away knowledge and
information for free?

.........?

http://etherpad.com/ep/pad/slider/13sentences

Which use could it bring to you to lower workload
and speed up getting results?

Cheers,

Ralf
This post was modified on 20 Feb 2011 at 11:16 am.
- 09 May 2009, 12:43 am
Ralf Lippold wrote: > How could that be and what has that to do with Lean Thinking? > > Hm?! > > Aren't there constraints in setting up a startup? > > How do we learn as individuals in larger groups > so that gained knowledge is not flowing into the > sink? > > What ideas could florish from other persons thoughts > while in active open conversation with them? > > What do we get back in giving away knowledge and > information for free? > > .........? > > http://etherpad.com/ep/pad/slider/13sentences > > Which use could it bring to you to lower workload > and speed up getting results? > > Cheers, > > Ralf
Gerold Keefer Premium Member
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Re: Norture a Startup Right from the Beginning - in a Lean Fashion:-)
thanks ralf,

i liked that one:
Paradoxically, fund-raising is this type of distraction, so try to minimize that too.

best regards,

gerold
This post was changed on 10 May 2009 at 09:47 am by Ralf Lippold .
- 10 May 2009, 07:11 am
Gerold Keefer wrote: > thanks ralf, > > i liked that one: > Paradoxically, fund-raising is this type of distraction, so try to > minimize that too. > > best regards, > > gerold
Gerhard Martin Premium Member Group moderator
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Re^2: Norture a Startup Right from the Beginning - in a Lean Fashion:-)
Hi Ralf,

typically all startups start "lean".

The team is small, you are typicaly able to bring all members in one room.
You have hot discussions, you go through a typical team-building cycle with Forming, Storming, Norming and Performing. You form one target, one aim, one vision, everybody is (hopefully) pulling in one direction.

The real trouble begins, once you grow and people think, they need to form "departments" the German Word "Abteilung" contains the word "teilen" cut. From this point onwards, people start to work optimize within their own scope of responsibility.

The "Lean Thinking" Book of Womak&Jones, which was the basis of this group (right?) tells the story of Lantech which had exactly this problem over time.

Peeease, don't think, that just because you think that you do everything lean, you can be successfull.
If you compete with other start-ups, you have to assume that they are as lean as you are, if they have heard of Womak&Jones or not.

As I told you in another thread and I think Gerold wrote this earlier as well, it is much more important that you understand would your company is able to offer something unique, which nobody else in the region can provide to the customer.

I suggest that look into Porters "5 Forces" concept
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porter_5_forces_analysis
Supplier, Customer, New Entrants, Substitute Products, Competitors

c u in Karlsruhe

Cheers
Gerhard
- 10 May 2009, 11:16 am
Gerhard Martin wrote: > Hi Ralf, > > typically all startups start "lean". > > The team is small, you are typicaly able to bring all members in one > room. > You have hot discussions, you go through a typical team-building > cycle with Forming, Storming, Norming and Performing. You form one > target, one aim, one vision, everybody is (hopefully) pulling in one > direction. > > The real trouble begins, once you grow and people think, they need to > form "departments" the German Word "Abteilung" contains the word > "teilen" cut. From this point onwards, people start to work optimize > within their own scope of responsibility. > > The "Lean Thinking" Book of Womak&Jones, which was the basis of this > group (right?) tells the story of Lantech which had exactly this > problem over time. > > Peeease, don't think, that just because you think that you do > everything lean, you can be successfull. > If you compete with other start-ups, you have to assume that they are > as lean as you are, if they have heard of Womak&Jones or not. > > As I told you in another thread and I think Gerold wrote this earlier > as well, it is much more important that you understand would your > company is able to offer something unique, which nobody else in the > region can provide to the customer. > > I suggest that look into Porters "5 Forces" concept > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porter_5_forces_analysis > Supplier, Customer, New Entrants, Substitute Products, Competitors > > c u in Karlsruhe > > Cheers > Gerhard
Ralf Lippold Premium Member Group moderator
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Re^3: Norture a Startup Right from the Beginning - in a Lean Fashion:-)
Hi Gerhard,

Thanks a lot for your thoughts. You are quite right, in beginning every-
thing starts small.

Gerhard Martin schrieb:
Hi Ralf,

typically all startups start "lean".

The team is small, you are typicaly able to bring all members in one room.
We are already connecting with Finland, Australia, China and are not any-
longer in one physical room, rather the globe.

You have hot discussions, you go through a typical team-building cycle with Forming, Storming, Norming and Performing. You form one target, one aim, one vision, everybody is (hopefully) pulling in one direction.
It starts to be begin getting interesting when there are different views on where
and how to go. Setting a fixed frame and orga chart can kill creativity pretty
quickly (have seen that several times while being in the project myself).

The real trouble begins, once you grow and people think, they need to form "departments" the German Word "Abteilung" contains the word "teilen" cut. From this point onwards, people start to work optimize within their own scope of responsibility.
...so what would happen if everything you do in the company is openbook?

FrankRoebers, CEO von Synaxon, lebt es bereits vor: http://www.brandeins.de/home/inhalt_detail.asp?id=2266

The "Lean Thinking" Book of Womak&Jones, which was the basis of this group (right?) tells the story of Lantech which had exactly this problem over time.

Peeease, don't think, that just because you think that you do everything lean, you can be successfull.
What makes you think that I think in this way at all?

If you compete with other start-ups, you have to assume that they are as lean as you are, if they have heard of Womak&Jones or not.
What does LEAN exactly mean in the context of startups? Is it lean, that
information is not shared? Is it lean that startups have to bump against
the same constraints everytime each one on its own?

As I told you in another thread and I think Gerold wrote this earlier as well, it is much more important that you understand would your company is able to offer something unique, which nobody else in the region can provide to the customer.
The value proposition to the customer (current and future one) is the
essence of good business (anywhere you look around).

Can we name five companies where this is really done in practice?

I suggest that look into Porters "5 Forces" concept
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porter_5_forces_analysis
Supplier, Customer, New Entrants, Substitute Products, Competitors
Thanks Gerhard, will get it on my wish list.

See you in Karlsruhe

Ralf
- 10 May 2009, 12:39 pm
Ralf Lippold wrote: > Hi Gerhard, > > Thanks a lot for your thoughts. You are quite right, in beginning > every- > thing starts small. > > Gerhard Martin schrieb: > > Hi Ralf, > > > > typically all startups start "lean". > > > > The team is small, you are typicaly able to bring all members in one > > room. > > We are already connecting with Finland, Australia, China and are not > any- > longer in one physical room, rather the globe. > > > You have hot discussions, you go through a typical team-building > > cycle with Forming, Storming, Norming and Performing. You form one > > target, one aim, one vision, everybody is (hopefully) pulling in one > > direction. > > It starts to be begin getting interesting when there are different > views on where > and how to go. Setting a fixed frame and orga chart can kill > creativity pretty > quickly (have seen that several times while being in the project > myself). > > > The real trouble begins, once you grow and people think, they need to > > form "departments" the German Word "Abteilung" contains the word > > "teilen" cut. From this point onwards, people start to work optimize > > within their own scope of responsibility. > > ...so what would happen if everything you do in the company is > openbook? > > FrankRoebers, CEO von Synaxon, lebt es bereits vor: > http://www.brandeins.de/home/inhalt_detail.asp?id=2266 > > > The "Lean Thinking" Book of Womak&Jones, which was the basis of this > > group (right?) tells the story of Lantech which had exactly this > > problem over time. > > > > Peeease, don't think, that just because you think that you do > > everything lean, you can be successfull. > > What makes you think that I think in this way at all? > > > If you compete with other start-ups, you have to assume that they are > > as lean as you are, if they have heard of Womak&Jones or not. > > What does LEAN exactly mean in the context of startups? Is it lean, > that > information is not shared? Is it lean that startups have to bump > against > the same constraints everytime each one on its own? > > > As I told you in another thread and I think Gerold wrote this earlier > > as well, it is much more important that you understand would your > > company is able to offer something unique, which nobody else in the > > region can provide to the customer. > > The value proposition to the customer (current and future one) is the > essence of good business (anywhere you look around). > > Can we name five companies where this is really done in practice? > > > I suggest that look into Porters "5 Forces" concept > > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porter_5_forces_analysis > > Supplier, Customer, New Entrants, Substitute Products, Competitors > > Thanks Gerhard, will get it on my wish list. > > See you in Karlsruhe > > Ralf
Kishore Dharmarajan Group moderator
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Re^4: Norture a Startup Right from the Beginning - in a Lean Fashion:-)
In theory it sounds great but reality is different. Instead of starting thin, I started big (with borrowed cash). My thinking was: If you look like BIG deal, you're going to be BIG deal. What happened next was totally unexpected. I ran out off cash and I thought I had made a big mistake by starting big. Then came the second surprise. You start getting big business just when you're thinking of going lean!

I don't know how many of you have left a well paid job and ventured on your own into the world of wild entrepreneurship. Boy! what an amazing adventure BUSINESS is. Everything you learned gets turned upside down.

Kishore Dharmarajan
- 10 May 2009, 1:09 pm
Kishore Dharmarajan wrote: > In theory it sounds great but reality is different. Instead of > starting thin, I started big (with borrowed cash). My thinking was: > If you look like BIG deal, you're going to be BIG deal. What happened > next was totally unexpected. I ran out off cash and I thought I had > made a big mistake by starting big. Then came the second surprise. > You start getting big business just when you're thinking of going > lean! > > I don't know how many of you have left a well paid job and ventured > on your own into the world of wild entrepreneurship. Boy! what an > amazing adventure BUSINESS is. Everything you learned gets turned > upside down. > > Kishore Dharmarajan
Ralf Lippold Premium Member Group moderator
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Re^5: Norture a Startup Right from the Beginning - in a Lean Fashion:-)
Hi Kishore,

Thanks for your personal view that sounds pretty familiar
to me. Think Big and Act Small - the customers will drive
you anyway, when they get true value:-))

You probably learned more from your "big mistake" than
any other entrepreneur starting really small, not even
leaving his/her comfort zone.

Cheers,

Ralf
- 10 May 2009, 2:50 pm
Ralf Lippold wrote: > Hi Kishore, > > Thanks for your personal view that sounds pretty familiar > to me. Think Big and Act Small - the customers will drive > you anyway, when they get true value:-)) > > You probably learned more from your "big mistake" than > any other entrepreneur starting really small, not even > leaving his/her comfort zone. > > Cheers, > > Ralf
Gerhard Martin Premium Member Group moderator
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Re^4: Norture a Startup Right from the Beginning - in a Lean Fashion:-)
Hi Ralf,

Ralf Lippold schrieb:

Pleeease, don't think, that just because you think that you do everything lean, you can be successfull.

What makes you think that I think in this way at all?
Because I read a good porting of your postings e.g. about this Swedish Startup.

Godd processes can accelarete your success but you need to get your value propostion right in the first place.
I am inline what Jim Collins who wrote the book "Good to Great" a really good read!

Cheers
Gerhard
- 10 May 2009, 3:12 pm
Gerhard Martin wrote: > Hi Ralf, > > Ralf Lippold schrieb: > > > > Pleeease, don't think, that just because you think that you do > > > everything lean, you can be successfull. > > > > What makes you think that I think in this way at all? > > Because I read a good porting of your postings e.g. about this > Swedish Startup. > > Godd processes can accelarete your success but you need to get your > value propostion right in the first place. > I am inline what Jim Collins who wrote the book "Good to Great" a > really good read! > > Cheers > Gerhard
Ralf Lippold Premium Member Group moderator
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Re^5: Norture a Startup Right from the Beginning - in a Lean Fashion:-)
Hm, interesting to see that the question from my initial
posting haven't been really answered by anybody.

Too difficult? What could be a reason to find other
stories before answering questions?

One reason lies probably in the medium itself (internet)
and flowing around obstacles in the course is probably
quite easy and so you never can "force" people to
answer any question - they easiy step out of the con-
versation and move the topic.

Online conversations are a real challenge and yet not
undoable - we have quite tangible and actionrelated
conversations on Skype, wrote a businessplan within
a couple of few hours online and learning across
boundaris in time and distance are easy to get initiated
(from Germany, to Finland, USA, China and Australia
via Switzerland).

Just curious about the root causes that are always a

HOT TOPIC in the LEAN real World;-))

Cheers,

Ralf
- 11 May 2009, 12:37 am
Ralf Lippold wrote: > Hm, interesting to see that the question from my initial > posting haven't been really answered by anybody. > > Too difficult? What could be a reason to find other > stories before answering questions? > > One reason lies probably in the medium itself (internet) > and flowing around obstacles in the course is probably > quite easy and so you never can "force" people to > answer any question - they easiy step out of the con- > versation and move the topic. > > Online conversations are a real challenge and yet not > undoable - we have quite tangible and actionrelated > conversations on Skype, wrote a businessplan within > a couple of few hours online and learning across > boundaris in time and distance are easy to get initiated > (from Germany, to Finland, USA, China and Australia > via Switzerland). > > Just curious about the root causes that are always a > > HOT TOPIC in the LEAN real World;-)) > > Cheers, > > Ralf
Gerhard Martin Premium Member Group moderator
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Re^6: Norture a Startup Right from the Beginning - in a Lean Fashion:-)
Hi Ralf,

you wrote:
Hm, interesting to see that the question from my initial
posting haven't been really answered by anybody.

Too difficult? What could be a reason to find other
stories before answering questions?
If questions don't get answered you may want to consider to rephrase them to make them clearer.

Cheers
Gerhard
- 11 May 2009, 1:29 pm
Gerhard Martin wrote: > Hi Ralf, > > you wrote: > > Hm, interesting to see that the question from my initial > > posting haven't been really answered by anybody. > > > > Too difficult? What could be a reason to find other > > stories before answering questions? > > If questions don't get answered you may want to consider to rephrase > them to make them clearer. > > Cheers > Gerhard
Vladimir Dzhuvinov
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Re^7: Norture a Startup Right from the Beginning - in a Lean Fashion:-)
The leanest aspect of my startup is I.

If you want to lose weight fast and look slender - embark on an ambitious startup project, just as I did two and a half years ago :-)

Ralf's article sums it well up. Many of the points can be fully grasped only with hindsight. Somebody who hasn't been through the experience would not understand their true implication.

Lessons I learned:

* At particular stages of product development I tried to hire a few people to speed up the implementation. Eventually I fired them. It cost me way too much time to search for the right persons and then direct them (and some of their work was of poor quality too) so in the end I decided to proceed on my own.

* No marketing before the product is complete for release. I stopped blogging altogether (blogging can be very distracting). No preliminary presentations and approaching of potential customers. I let a couple of friends to test my development snapshots and their feedback seems to do for now.

The most frustrating bit has become combining my "daytime" job with my startup project. I've completely lost interest in the former and my clients are probably noticing this.
- 26 May 2009, 1:05 pm
Vladimir Dzhuvinov wrote: > The leanest aspect of my startup is I. > > If you want to lose weight fast and look slender - embark on an > ambitious startup project, just as I did two and a half years ago :-) > > Ralf's article sums it well up. Many of the points can be fully > grasped only with hindsight. Somebody who hasn't been through the > experience would not understand their true implication. > > Lessons I learned: > > * At particular stages of product development I tried to hire a few > people to speed up the implementation. Eventually I fired them. It > cost me way too much time to search for the right persons and then > direct them (and some of their work was of poor quality too) so in > the end I decided to proceed on my own. > > * No marketing before the product is complete for release. I stopped > blogging altogether (blogging can be very distracting). No > preliminary presentations and approaching of potential customers. I > let a couple of friends to test my development snapshots and their > feedback seems to do for now. > > The most frustrating bit has become combining my "daytime" job with > my startup project. I've completely lost interest in the former and > my clients are probably noticing this.

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