Idea Development
Lean Startup & Design Thinking
Build smarter, not harder. So you’ve got an idea. Amazing. But how do you actually test it, improve it, and build something people want — without wasting time or money?
Meet your new best friends:
Lean Startup;
Design Thinking.
Let’s break them down.
The Lean Startup Approach
Coined by Eric Ries, Lean Startup is about learning fast, failing smart, and building things people actually need.
Instead of building a full product and then seeing if people like it, you:
Build something small (a prototype, a landing page, even a sketch!)
Measure how people react;
Learn what works, and what doesn’t — then repeat!
That cycle looks like this:
Build
Measure
Learn
Repeat
What is Design Thinking?
Design Thinking is a human-centred approach to solving problems.
It’s about empathising with people before jumping to solutions. Here’s the classic 5-Step Process:
It’s not linear — you’ll jump back and forth between steps. That’s normal. That’s good.
Lean vs Design Thinking: What's the Difference?
Innovations come in many flavours. Here are a few:
deeply
Activity: Design & Lean in Action
Let’s try this combo out with a real campus problem.
Step 1: Pick a challenge
Examples:
Students wasting food in the dorm kitchens
Not enough mental health support during exams
Long lines at the coffee shop on Mondays
Step 2: Empathise
Interview 1–2 friends about this issue.
Ask: What’s frustrating? What do they wish was different?
Step 3: Ideate
Write down 5 wild ideas — don’t self-censor. The crazier the better.
Step 4: Prototype
Sketch your favourite idea on paper or a slide. Just enough for someone to "get it."
Step 5: Test
Show your sketch to someone. Ask:
Would this help?
What’s confusing?
What would they change?