Customer development and business hypotheses

An exploratory method for checking and revising business assumptions using evidence from customers and markets.

Method · Business and customers

Core concepts

• Hypotheses: unverified customer, problem and business conditions
• Field learning: investigate actual behavior and conditions outside the organization
• Revision: change hypotheses in response to disconfirming evidence

Application

Investigate problems, purchasing processes and adoption conditions before expanding a service or customer group.

Limitations and jurisdiction

Positive interview reactions do not prove purchasing or continued use. Distinguish exploration from operating a mature business.

Editorial perspectives

• Continue discovery: look for evidence against unverified assumptions.
• Move to execution: build repeatable operations within the verified scope.

Sources

Steve Blank · Author’s customer development materials

Context: International reference; verify the application environment

Source checked: 2026-10-07

Independent editorial summary and source link; the original text is not republished.

Related personas

Translation status

Editorial English translation of the Korean edition. No professional translation or occupational expert review has been completed. Translation does not change the source jurisdiction.

Translation prepared: 2026-10-09 · Source fingerprint: kb-4caeaa35447d6d07

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