 By Elyse Ball As our deadline for I-Corps applications nears, I’ve become fascinated by the way asking customers simple questions can teach us so much. Teams that have completed the I-Corps program have launched more than 100 startup companies, raised $27.6 million in funding, been accepted to accelerators like Y Combinator and TechStars, and achieved 2 exits (selling their company to larger companies so everyone makes money). All of this grew out of a commitment to learn about their customers’ problems before they try to build something. A little bit about the I-Corps process I-Corps program is all about customer discovery! I-Corps participants identify people they think might use, buy or influence decisions about their product, service, technology or idea. Then, they reach out to these people and interview at least 21 to find out what problems the customers have and whether their business idea fills a need. Customer discovery is critical work! Studies show that more than 1/3 of startups that failed did so because they were building something that customers didn’t want. The harsh reality is that most people don’t care about technologies or products – they only care about what problem a technology or product solves for them.  Introducing the 5 Whys
One of the most powerful tools in our I-Corps toolbox is a method known as “The 5 Whys.” This devilishly simple technique calls on I-Corps participants to ask “Why?” five times in a row to get to the core of what motivates their customer. To implement the 5 Whys, you need to first get your customer talking about a problem. You can do this by saying something like:
Once the customer states a problem that relates to your product or service, you begin asking “Why?” to get to the root cause of the problem and the customer’s motivation for fixing it. This technique may seem awkward at first. I mean, you do kind of feel like a toddler if you walk around saying “Why?” over and over again. But it’s worth the awkwardness, because it actually works. Each “Why?” forces the customer to delve deeper and deeper into what is influencing their decision, until they get to the things that matter most to them. “Why?” but less awkward In I-Corps, we’ve found ways to soften the 5 Whys, making them less obvious by asking things that mean “Why?” but sound different. For example, you can also ask “Why?” by saying:
Past I-Corps teams have used the simple yet powerful question of “Why?” to learn what motivates nurses to pick one bandage off the shelf instead of another, why UAV designers would start using a different kind of battery, and how indie beauty brand owners pick which platforms to post to online. You can learn more about the 5 whys and see them in action check out the Lean Enterprise Institute’s 5 Whys Problem Solving Method and Customer Dev Labs’ What Do You Ask in Customer Discovery? video, which presents some additional variations on how to ask “Why?”. Our challenge to you: If you have a business or innovative idea but haven’t done I-Corps yet, apply at uakron.edu/i-corps by this Sunday. If you’ve already done I-Corps or another customer discovery program on your own, practice the 5 whys in your customer interactions – really challenge yourself to ask “Why?” five times the next time a customer gives you an interesting insight. If you’re not to that point yet, just practice exploring problems by asking a friend or family member the 5 whys when they share a problem they are passionate about. You’ll be amazed by what you learn!
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