Applying Lean to a business isn’t just simply starting to use Kanban boards, scrum ceremonies, or doing Kaizen and value chain analysis… its about the people, customer, and service (in that order!)…
Applying Lean Startup: A Practical Guide Using the Lean Change Cycle
In the ever-evolving landscape of business and innovation, applying Lean Startup principles is a proven approach to minimizing waste, reducing risk, and delivering real value. One of the most effective ways to implement these principles is through the Lean Change Cycle—a continuous, feedback-driven model that blends insights, experimentation, and iterative improvements.
Let’s explore how to apply Lean Startup using this cycle as a framework for change.
Step 1: Start with Insights
Every Lean Startup journey begins by understanding the current state of your business, product, or customer environment. Insights are derived from various sources:
- Ideas and hunches from your team
- Observations of user behavior and trends
- Culture Hacking to uncover root causes of resistance or inertia
- Customer feedback via interviews, surveys, or support tickets
- Pain points and metrics (customer, team, business)
These insights serve as the raw material for generating change. They are your hypotheses about what could or should be different.
Step 2: Generate Options
Once you have meaningful insights, it’s time to create Options—possible ways to address what you’ve discovered. This is where creativity meets strategic thinking. During this phase:
- Brainstorm potential solutions to the problems identified
- Discuss associated risks and how you might mitigate them
- Prioritize options based on feasibility, impact, and alignment with business goals
Options are not commitments—they are possible experiments you can run.
Step 3: Run Initiatives (Experiments)
This is the heart of the Lean Startup approach: validated learning through experimentation. Choose your top-priority options and convert them into small, measurable Initiatives:
- Build Minimum Viable Products (MVPs)
- Launch small-scale tests
- Involve real users early
Measure your experiments using:
- Pre-change qualifications
- Qualitative feedback (personal experiences)
- Quantitative data (usage metrics, sales, engagement)
- Benefit measures (customer satisfaction, team morale, business value)
- Post-change confirmation to ensure desired outcomes were achieved
Step 4: Cycle Through Agile Change
Lean Startup thrives on iteration. The Lean Change Cycle includes a second loop (on the right side of the image) that mirrors PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) but adapted for agility:
- Prepare – Get ready to implement validated experiments
- Introduce – Roll out changes in a controlled, transparent manner
- Review – Gather feedback, analyze impact, and reflect
- Pivot or Persevere – Decide whether to adapt your approach or scale it
This iterative loop ensures that change is not only continuous but also aligned with evolving business and customer needs.
Bridging Design Thinking and Agile
At the core of this model is the fusion of Design Thinking, Agile Development, and Continuous Learning. This hybrid approach ensures that you:
- Empathize with users
- Prototype and test ideas rapidly
- Learn what works before investing heavily
It encourages experimentation over prediction, aligning perfectly with the Lean Startup mindset.
Final Thoughts
Applying Lean Startup is not just about building fast—it’s about building smart. By using the Lean Change Cycle, you can:
- Reduce the risk of failed initiatives
- Foster a culture of learning and adaptability
- Create products and services your customers actually want
Whether you’re launching a startup, transforming a legacy business, or innovating within a team, this cycle provides a clear, actionable framework for turning ideas into impactful results.