How would you break down the process of taking a SaaS from idea to launch?
I'm trying to figure out a systematic approach to going from idea to launch.
Here's what I've got so far:
- Ideation – you come up with an idea (by picking a problem, exploring a market, etc.)
- Qualification – you check if your idea is any good (lean canvas, etc.)
- Pre-Validation – you talk to potential customers before you build anything
- Creation – you build the MVP
- Validation – you validate that the MVP solves problems for some customers (e.g. in early-access)
- Launch – you launch it to a wider audience after you've validated it
How do the stages look? Would you add or remove anything?
Did you follow a similar process when starting your SaaS? If not, what would you recommend?
Don't choose anything without competitors. As product to market fit testing is expensive.
When I was a total noob with the whole startup thing, the one thing that helped me most was reading "The Lean Startup" by Eric Ries. The basic principles (http://theleanstartup.com/principles) do still apply. They are the same for a SaaS.
Definitely. The Lean Startup is an amazing resource.