# Did It Work, or Did It Matter? Lean Lessons with Scott Sehlhorst

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqBlcqEDcUg
Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/cqBlcqEDcUg
Generated: 2025-12-16T21:34:46.86+00:00

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## Quick Overview

Scott Sehlhorst, President of Tyner Blain, emphasizes that the best way to reduce waste in any system, including product development, is to prevent waste from entering the system in the first place, which requires shifting from assuming what is known to actively testing beliefs with customers.

**Key Points:**
- The best way to reduce waste in a system is to avoid putting waste into the system, emphasizing proactive prevention over reactive cleanup.
- Scott Sehlhorst advocates for shifting from 'we know what we want to build' to 'we believe we know what we want to build,' requiring customer validation.
- A key lean principle is to focus on creating opportunities to learn rather than rigidly sticking to an initial plan or feature list.
- Sehlhorst cites the success of companies like Amazon (who acquired a company built by Eric and David) that embraced this iterative, evidence-based approach.
- He contrasts the traditional engineering mindset ("We built it as designed, therefore it works") with the lean mindset of asking, "Did it work, or did it matter?"
- The goal is to treat product development as a series of small, testable hypotheses (like user stories) that directly inform the next steps, rather than executing a fixed plan that might be based on incorrect assumptions.

![Screenshot at 00:04: The speaker introduces the core lean principle: "There is a principle from lean that comes into the best way to reduce waste in the system is to don't put it in the system."](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/cqBlcqEDcUg/00-00-04.png)

**Context:** This video features an interview on the 'Lean Stories' podcast hosted by Jonathan Bertfield (CEO of Lean Startup Co.) with Scott Sehlhorst, President of Tyner Blain, who has over 20 years of experience in product management and strategy consulting. The discussion centers on applying Lean Startup methodology, specifically focusing on waste reduction and the importance of validating assumptions through customer interaction rather than relying on initial plans or internal beliefs.

## Detailed Analysis

Scott Sehlhorst, President of Tyner Blain, explains that the most effective way to reduce waste in any system, particularly product development, is to prevent waste from entering the system in the first place. He stresses the need to shift from a mindset of certainty ("we know what we want to build") to one of belief validated by evidence ("we believe we know what we want to build"). This involves treating every aspect of the product development process—from customer targeting to pricing and messaging—as a hypothesis to be tested. Sehlhorst contrasts this with the traditional engineering mindset where success is measured by whether the product works as designed, rather than whether it works as needed by the customer. He highlights that the lean approach forces teams to create opportunities for learning early on. He recalls an experience where a million-dollar project was built based on a known requirement but failed because it wasn't what the customer actually needed, illustrating the danger of operating without customer feedback loops. The key, according to Sehlhorst, is to focus on small, testable hypotheses (like user stories) that lead to observable changes, which then inform the next iteration of the plan. This continuous feedback loop, which he contrasts with the longer, less responsive quarterly business reviews, helps organizations avoid investing heavily in solutions that don't solve real customer problems, ultimately leading to better alignment with strategic goals and increased conversion rates.

### Introduction to Lean Waste Reduction

- The best way to reduce waste is to not put it in the system in the first place
- This requires shifting from certainty to belief validated by customers.

### The Pitfall of Assumption

- Teams crash when operating on the assumption that they know what to build, avoiding the necessary feedback loops.

### Key Hypotheses

- Two types of hypotheses are crucial: the Solution Hypothesis (what we build delivers value) and the Business Hypothesis (the value translates to business outcomes like revenue or reduced churn).

### The Role of the Leader

- Leaders must stop defending their initial plan and instead focus on finding the truth by asking if what they built actually mattered to the customer.

### Practical Application

- Focus on small, testable hypotheses (like user stories) that deliver measurable, observable changes rather than executing large, untested epics.

### Measuring Success

- Success metrics should be tied to observable changes in customer behavior (e.g., conversion rates, retention) rather than just shipping features or hitting internal deadlines.

![Screenshot at 00:04: The speaker introduces the core lean principle: "There is a principle from lean that comes into the best way to reduce waste in the system is to don't put it in the system."](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/cqBlcqEDcUg/00-00-04.png)
![Screenshot at 02:00: Scott Sehlhorst describes the shift in mindset: "...what was for me, I can still remember driving in the car listening to Lean Startup..."](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/cqBlcqEDcUg/00-02-00.png)
![Screenshot at 04:21: On-screen text summarizing a key takeaway: "I DON'T CARE IF IT'S WORKING AS DESIGNED, I CARE IF IT'S WORKING AS NEEDED"](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/cqBlcqEDcUg/00-04-21.png)
![Screenshot at 07:00: Scott Sehlhorst explains the core of the cultural shift: asking if the team is building what is truly needed, not just what was specified.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/cqBlcqEDcUg/00-07-00.png)
![Screenshot at 09:56: Scott mentions the value of the book 'Scout Mindset' by Julia Galef for developing the right thinking patterns.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/cqBlcqEDcUg/00-09-56.png)