The rest are our opinions about subjects. The opinions can be in line with the trend or go in the opposite direction. Sometimes these contradictions can confuse. Right until the new idea becomes a trend, and all are happy. Until the moment, a new opinion stated.
Lean Startup paradigm goes into the complete disagreement with the Strategic Planning discipline. In a nutshell, strategic planning says that formulating the strategy is a necessary basis for business’ success. Necessary here means necessary; that is the absence of such a plan leads to failure.
“Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?”
“That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,” said the Cat.
“I don’t much care where –” said Alice.
“Then it doesn’t matter which way you go,” said the Cat.
Now what Lean Startup says is that formulating of the detailed plan or strategy cannot guarantee the success rather can lead to the huge waste. Efforts will be put into polishing something that will be adjusted right on the second month of operations. However, there is more – when you execute the plan you just increase the waste.
The actual success here based on endless iterations where you do small things and then finding out if your customer wants your offers. Trying hard enough you will succeed eventually. The funny thing it is close to Alice’s words from the above quote. Because the last two phrases from there are:
“– so long as I get somewhere,” Alice added as an explanation.
“Oh, you’re sure to do that,” said the Cat, “if you only walk long enough.”
Provided the general vision exists, it means that proceeding with numerous episodes of pivot shift and persistence; you will get to the point. Even if it will be different from the point, you planned to reach initially.
The whole paradigm is very close to agile or “theory of small deeds” as I call it.
There are two serious questions.
1. So what theory is correct? Do we do strategic planning or no? Alternatively, maybe there will be a third approach? Say “controlled chaos”?
2. They teach strategic planning at universities and don’t explain Lean Startup. Are we in danger?
Still hate mathematics?
