Picnic in the Graveyard

In this type of research, past failed projects similar to your solution are examined to find out what went wrong. The aim is to not repeat the same mistakes and use already existing learnings to improve your own solution.

A simple yet effective test often forgotten in the heat of the moment is: examining other companies and ventures that have tried to do the same or something similar but failed in doing so. Just as important as the reality check with the customers is to talk to other business innovators who have already started the validation process. This input will give you direction on what not to do and how to best set up your testing process to be more successful than your peers. What starts as an analysis of past and current competitors often leads to valuable feedback and a useful network for later stages of the development process.

Helpful Tips

Combine it with a competitor analysis: You don’t necessarily have to do this test as a standalone. It fits nicely alongside a competitor analysis. Don’t limit yourself to current approaches but look also at past endeavors that were unsuccessful.

Be open about your solution: Getting feedback from peers requires openness; they are giving you something and often ask for knowledge in return. You want to stay in touch and use these peers to get further feedback, so share your ideas with them.

Understand the patterns underneath your idea: Don’t limit yourself to ventures doing exactly what you are planning to do; try to determine the logic your business model is based on and see whether you can find companies using a similar logic but for a different solution to get even more feedback.Use our BMI Pattern Cards to analyze, what your business model is based upon.

Vuzix, a VR and AR technology company, has based its solutions on the learnings taken from the less successful Google Glass, making its products more comfortable, more subtle and easier to use.

How to Guide

Through desk research, identify relevant companies from your own or other industries.

Try to gather as much information as possible. Look through old newspapers, use the Internet Archive (archive.org), check tech blogs, and look for podcasts and other media. Based on the identified facts, try to understand the issues as best as possible, list and analyze the learnings, and see where you still have knowledge gaps.

Try to get in touch with former employees or founders. Interview them to fill in the gaps in your understanding and verify whether the gathered information is correct.