Startup Methodologies Compared

Every successful startup follows a methodology - whether they know it or not. Understanding these frameworks helps you move faster and avoid common pitfalls.

Popular Startup Methodologies

Methodology	Best For	Core Focus	Time to MVP
Lean Startup	Tech products, scalable businesses	Build-Measure-Learn cycles	2-3 months
Customer Development	B2B, enterprise sales	Get out of the building	1-2 months
Design Thinking	Consumer products, UX-heavy	Human-centered design	3-4 months
Running Lean	First-time founders	Systematic validation	2-3 months
Y Combinator	High-growth startups	Make something people want	1-2 months
Jobs to be Done	Product innovation	Customer job analysis	2-4 months

Quick Overview of Each Methodology

Lean Startup

Created by Eric Ries. Focuses on validated learning through rapid Build-Measure-Learn cycles. Start with an MVP, measure real user behavior, and pivot or persevere based on data.

Key principle: Fail fast, learn faster

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Customer Development

Steve Blank's methodology. Get out of the building and talk to customers before building anything. Four steps: Customer Discovery, Validation, Creation, and Company Building.

Key principle: No business plan survives first contact with customers

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Design Thinking

IDEO's human-centered approach. Five stages: Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype, Test. Deeply understand user needs before jumping to solutions.

Key principle: Fall in love with the problem, not the solution

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Running Lean

Ash Maurya's practical implementation of Lean Startup. Uses Lean Canvas instead of business plans. Systematic approach to testing riskiest assumptions first.

Key principle: Life's too short to build something nobody wants

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Y Combinator Methodology

YC's approach: launch fast, talk to users, iterate weekly. Focus on growth and product-market fit. Build something people want, then scale it.

Key principle: Make something people want

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Jobs to be Done (JTBD)

Clayton Christensen's framework. Customers "hire" products to do specific jobs. Focus on the progress customers are trying to make in their lives.

Key principle: People don't want a drill, they want a hole in the wall

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Learn About MVP Types

All these methodologies use MVPs to validate ideas. Learn about different MVP approaches and when to use each one.

Explore MVP types

Which Methodology Should You Use?

The truth? Most successful startups blend elements from multiple methodologies. The best approach depends on:

Your industry and business model
Your target customers (B2B vs B2C)
Your experience level and resources
How much uncertainty exists in your market

My recommendation: Start with Customer Development to validate the problem exists. Use Lean Startup principles to build your MVP. Apply Design Thinking for user experience. Most importantly, pick one and start - you'll learn more by doing than by analyzing.

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Interactive methodology guides and implementation tools

We're building tools to help you implement these methodologies step-by-step.