Applying Lean Startup: An Experience Report -- Lean & Lean UX by a UX Veteran: Lessons Learned in Creating & Launching a Complex Consumer App

This paper outlines lessons learned from a senior UX, product and software development consultant´s experiences in conceiving, designing, developing and launching MiniDates.com, a complex consumer dating application. Key decisions and moments over our 15 month process are highlighted, including what we worked and what didn´t, what we should have done that we didn´t, and what we encountered that we couldn´t have foreseen, in the belief that we can help other UX and product-focused startups and Agile teams be more effective. Key lessons include: 1. Beware fads and advice from others; 2. Optimize your team and the development process as much as possible; 3. Beware of seemingly innocent technological and architecture decisions; 4. Ensure UX planning, design and customer validation are up-front in your process; 5. TEST, TEST and TEST some more- at all levels of the business and at all stages, not just the software itself.