Hypothesis is a term and concept used by Eric Ries\u2019 Lean Startup. The idea behind it is that the organization confirms or disproves one or more (business) assumptions as quickly as possible.<\/p>\n
Quote from Eric Ries on 4 common misconceptions about lean startup:<\/p>\n
\u201cI hate the idea of failing fast. It\u2019s like I\u2019m trying to run a sprint, and you\u2019re like, OK. Breathe fast. The breathing is not the purpose; the sprint is the purpose. The scientific method\u200a\u2014\u200alargely the basis for the lean startup process\u200a\u2014\u200aencourages practitioners to try a new hypothesis after another is rejected. As long as you\u2019re learning from you\u2019re results, you\u2019re allowed to get the hypothesis wrong.\u201d [end quote]<\/p>\n
I think the procedure basically is very good, but here I disagree with Eric: The term “hypothesis” leads in my experience often to hasty solutions, according to the motto “we don’t have to continue searching, we already have a confirmation”. Thereby, hypotheses severely limit the solution space.<\/p>\n
In contrast the term “Knowledge Gap” describes much better that it is a problem that needs to be solved and not just a specific and perhaps already well-defined assumption, which must be confirmed or validated.<\/p>\n