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Agile Knowledge Map

Over 100 terms from Agile, Scrum, Kanban, OKR, Design Thinking, Lean Startup and Business Model Innovation – with definitions, authors, examples and cross-references.

104+
terms
8
Categories
50+
Authors & sources
🔄

Scrum & Agile Fundamentals

19 terms
Scrum

Scrum

Iterative framework for complex product development with defined roles, events and artefacts.

🎯 When to use?

For complex projects with unclear requirements.

⚡ Core principle

Empirical process control through transparency, inspection and adaptation.

👤 Origin

Ken Schwaber & Jeff Sutherland, 1995. Scrum Guide.

💡 Example

Software team works in 2-week sprints, delivering a working increment each iteration.

Scrum

Sprint

Fixed timebox of 1–4 weeks for a potentially shippable product increment.

🎯 When to use?

Whenever regular delivery cycles are needed.

⚡ Core principle

Rhythm creates predictability. No scope changes during the sprint.

👤 Origin

Scrum Guide. Term from rugby.

💡 Example

2-week sprint: Monday planning, daily standup, last day review + retro.

Scrum

Product Owner

Responsible for maximising product value through backlog management.

🎯 When to use?

In every Scrum team. One person with decision-making authority.

⚡ Core principle

'What' gets built, not 'how'. Single source for requirements.

👤 Origin

Scrum Guide. Inspired by Chief Engineer at Toyota.

💡 Example

PO decides: feature A before feature B, because customer feedback is prioritised higher.

Scrum

Scrum Master

Servant leader who supports the team in applying Scrum and removes impediments.

🎯 When to use?

In every Scrum team. Especially important when introducing Scrum.

⚡ Core principle

Enabler, not manager. Protects team and promotes self-organisation.

👤 Origin

Scrum Guide. Servant Leadership by Robert Greenleaf (1970).

💡 Example

SM recognises dependency blockage and organises cross-team meeting.

Scrum

Product Backlog

Prioritised list of all known requirements – the single source of work.

🎯 When to use?

Always. A living document that evolves with every sprint.

⚡ Core principle

DEEP: Detailed appropriately, Estimated, Emergent, Prioritized.

👤 Origin

Scrum Guide. DEEP acronym by Roman Pichler.

💡 Example

Top: detailed user stories. Bottom: rough epics.

Scrum

Daily Scrum

15-minute sync event: What was done? What is planned? What impediments?

🎯 When to use?

Daily, same time, same place.

⚡ Core principle

Synchronisation, nicht Reporting. Team organisiert sich selbst.

👤 Origin

Scrum Guide. Also known as 'stand-up'.

💡 Example

'I'm waiting for code review' → Team immediately clarifies who takes over.

Scrum

Retrospektive

Team reflection: what went well? What to improve? What actions to take?

🎯 When to use?

At the end of each sprint, before the next planning.

⚡ Core principle

Continuous improvement through honest reflection.

👤 Origin

Scrum Guide. Derby & Larsen 'Agile Retrospectives' (2006).

💡 Example

Sailboat format: wind (propels), anchor (holds back), rocks (risks).

Scrum

Sprint Review

Inspection of the product increment with stakeholders – demo, feedback, backlog adjustment.

🎯 When to use?

At the end of each sprint, before the retrospective.

⚡ Core principle

Keine PowerPoint-Show, sondern funktionierende Software zeigen.

👤 Origin

Scrum Guide. Max. 4 hours for a 4-week sprint.

💡 Example

Customers test new search function live. Feedback: 'Filter missing' → new item.

Scrum

User Story

Requirement from the user's perspective: 'As a [role] I want [function] so that [benefit]'.

🎯 When to use?

For product backlog items. Keeps requirements comprehensible.

⚡ Core principle

INVEST: Independent, Negotiable, Valuable, Estimable, Small, Testable.

👤 Origin

Kent Beck (XP). INVEST by Bill Wake (2003).

💡 Example

'As a customer, I want to filter by price so I can find suitable products more quickly.'

Scrum

Definition of Done

Shared quality understanding: when is a backlog item truly done?

🎯 When to use?

Always. Display visually, check for each item.

⚡ Core principle

Transparency about quality. Prevents 'almost done'.

👤 Origin

Scrum Guide. Distinct from acceptance criteria.

💡 Example

DoD: code reviewed, tests written, documentation up to date, deployed.

Scrum

Acceptance Criteria

Specific conditions that must be met for a user story to be considered complete.

🎯 When to use?

For each user story. Defines scope and enables testability.

⚡ Core principle

Given-When-Then format for clear, testable criteria.

👤 Origin

BDD, Dan North (2003). Gherkin-Syntax.

💡 Example

Given: eingeloggt. When: Filter 0-50€. Then: nur Produkte unter 50€.

Scrum

Velocity

Average story points per sprint – for forecasting, not comparison.

🎯 When to use?

For sprint planning and release forecasting. Not as a performance measure!

⚡ Core principle

Diagnose-Tool, keine Zielvorgabe.

👤 Origin

Extreme Programming (Kent Beck). Alternative: Throughput.

💡 Example

Durchschnitt 25 Points/Sprint → 100 Points Backlog ≈ 4 Sprints.

Scrum

Story Points

Relative estimation unit for effort/complexity – abstract, not in hours.

🎯 When to use?

Beim Planning Poker. Fibonacci-Reihe (1,2,3,5,8,13...).

⚡ Core principle

Relativ, nicht absolut. 'Doppelt so komplex wie Story X'.

👤 Origin

Ron Jeffries (XP). Planning Poker von Mike Cohn (2002).

💡 Example

Referenz-Story = 2 Points. Neue Story doppelt komplex → 5 Points.

Scrum

Increment

Sum of all completed items at sprint end – must be 'done' and shippable.

🎯 When to use?

Jeder Sprint produziert ein Increment.

⚡ Core principle

Additive to all previous increments. Always functional.

👤 Origin

Scrum Guide.

💡 Example

Sprint 1: Login. Sprint 2: Login + Suche. Sprint 3: Login + Suche + Filter.

Scrum

Epic

Large user story, too big for a single sprint – broken down later.

🎯 When to use?

For rough features at the bottom of the backlog.

⚡ Core principle

Hierarchie: Epic → Features → User Stories → Tasks.

👤 Origin

Agile Community. Story Mapping von Jeff Patton (2014).

💡 Example

Epic: 'Bezahlsystem' → Stories: Kreditkarte, PayPal, Rechnung.

Scrum

Backlog Refinement

Regular backlog maintenance: clarifying, estimating, prioritising and splitting items.

🎯 When to use?

Weekly, max. 10% of sprint capacity.

⚡ Core principle

Just-in-time Detaillierung. Top-Items fein, Bottom-Items grob.

👤 Origin

Scrum Guide. Umbenannt von 'Grooming' (2013).

💡 Example

PO presents epic, team asks questions, breaks it into stories, estimates.

Scrum

Burndown Chart

Graphical representation of remaining work over time.

🎯 When to use?

Sprint Burndown kurzfristig, Release Burndown langfristig.

⚡ Core principle

Ideal line vs. actual line shows deviations early.

👤 Origin

Ken Schwaber. Alternative: Burnup Chart.

💡 Example

Day 5: ideal line 50% done, actual line 30% → early warning.

Scrum

Agile Manifesto

Foundational document from 2001 with 4 values and 12 principles.

🎯 When to use?

As a guiding vision and reference for all agile frameworks.

⚡ Core principle

'Items on the right have value, but we value items on the left more.'

👤 Origin

17 authors, Snowbird Utah, February 2001.

💡 Example

4 values: individuals > processes, software > documentation, collaboration > contracts, responding > planning.

Scrum

Timebox

Fixed maximum duration for an activity – when time is up, you stop.

🎯 When to use?

For all Scrum events: sprint, daily (15 min), retro.

⚡ Core principle

Zeit fixiert, Scope variabel. Zwingt zu Fokus.

👤 Origin

Pomodoro-Technik (Cirillo, 1980er).

💡 Example

Design sprint: 5 days timeboxed for problem→prototype→test.

📊

Kanban & Flow

14 terms
Kanban

Kanban

Pull-based workflow system with visualisation, WIP limits and continuous improvement.

🎯 When to use?

Bei kontinuierlichem Arbeitsfluss ohne feste Iterationen.

⚡ Core principle

'Stop starting, start finishing.' Begrenze parallele Arbeit.

👤 Origin

Toyota Production System (1940er). David Anderson (2007).

💡 Example

Support team: tickets flow from 'New' via 'In Progress' (max 3) to 'Done'.

Kanban

WIP-Limit

Maximum number of concurrent tasks per column – prevents overload.

🎯 When to use?

Immer! Wichtigstes Kanban-Element.

⚡ Core principle

Little's Law: Weniger parallele Arbeit = schnellere Durchlaufzeit.

👤 Origin

Toyota Production System. David Anderson.

💡 Example

Spalte 'In Entwicklung' WIP-Limit 3: Erst wenn eins fertig, kommt neues rein.

Kanban

Lead Time

Total time from customer request to delivery – including waiting times.

🎯 When to use?

For service level expectation, for forecasting.

⚡ Core principle

Lead Time = Cycle Time + Wartezeit. Oft 80% Warten!

👤 Origin

Manufacturing/Lean.

💡 Example

Ticket erstellt Montag, erledigt Freitag = 5 Tage Lead Time.

Kanban

Cycle Time

Time from starting work to completion – actual processing time.

🎯 When to use?

Zur Prozessoptimierung.

⚡ Core principle

Starts at 'in progress', ends at 'done'. Part of lead time.

👤 Origin

Manufacturing, adapted for Kanban/DevOps.

💡 Example

Ticket 'In Progress' Di 9:00, 'Done' Di 15:00 = 6 Std Cycle Time.

Kanban

Flow

Zustand optimalen, kontinuierlichen Arbeitsflusses ohne Unterbrechungen.

🎯 When to use?

Flow is the goal! Optimise WIP limits until flow emerges.

⚡ Core principle

Flow efficiency = value-adding time / lead time. Often only 5–15%!

👤 Origin

Lean manufacturing. Csikszentmihalyi for psychological flow.

💡 Example

Good: items flow evenly. Bad: items pile up before 'review'.

Kanban

Pull-Prinzip

Work is pulled when capacity is available – not pushed.

🎯 When to use?

In Kanban fundamental. Gegenteil von Push.

⚡ Core principle

Prevents overload. WIP limits make pull visible.

👤 Origin

Toyota Production System.

💡 Example

Developer finished → pulls the next ticket themselves.

Kanban

Throughput

Anzahl abgeschlossener Items pro Zeiteinheit.

🎯 When to use?

Alternative zu Velocity/Story Points. Einfacher zu messen.

⚡ Core principle

Little's Law: Throughput = WIP / Lead Time.

👤 Origin

Queuing Theory. NoEstimates-Bewegung.

💡 Example

Team completes 15 tickets per week = throughput 15/week.

Kanban

Bottleneck

Engpass im Workflow – langsamste Stelle bestimmt Tempo.

🎯 When to use?

Identify and resolve = highest leverage.

⚡ Core principle

Theory of Constraints: Optimiere nur den Bottleneck.

👤 Origin

Eliyahu Goldratt 'The Goal' (1984).

💡 Example

10 Entwickler, 1 Tester → Tester ist Bottleneck. Mehr Devs hilft nicht!

Kanban

Kanban Board

Visual workflow representation with columns for each process step.

🎯 When to use?

Always. Physisch oder digital (Jira, Trello).

⚡ Core principle

Visualise the work. WIP limits per column.

👤 Origin

Toyota 'Kanban' = Signalkarte.

💡 Example

Spalten: Backlog → Analyse → Development → Review → Done.

Kanban

Little's Law

Fundamentales Gesetz: Lead Time = WIP / Throughput.

🎯 When to use?

For justifying WIP limits. Mathematically provable!

⚡ Core principle

L = λW (Warteschlangentheorie).

👤 Origin

John Little (MIT), 1961.

💡 Example

10 Items WIP, 2 Items/Tag Throughput = 5 Tage Lead Time.

Kanban

Kaizen

Japanese for 'change for the better' – continuous improvement.

🎯 When to use?

Always. Small daily improvements.

⚡ Core principle

1% besser jeden Tag = 37x besser nach einem Jahr.

👤 Origin

Toyota. Masaaki Imai 'Kaizen' (1986).

💡 Example

Retro outcome: 'send meeting invitations one day earlier'.

Kanban

Cumulative Flow Diagram

Visualisation of WIP, lead time and throughput over time.

🎯 When to use?

For Kanban teams. More powerful than burndown.

⚡ Core principle

Horizontaler Abstand = Lead Time, vertikaler = WIP, Steigung = Throughput.

👤 Origin

Statistical Process Control. David Anderson.

💡 Example

Bands getting wider = WIP increasing = problem.

Kanban

Blocker

Impediment preventing further work – must be addressed immediately.

🎯 When to use?

Im Daily nennen, auf Board markieren (rotes Flag).

⚡ Core principle

Resolving blockers has the highest priority.

👤 Origin

Scrum (impediment) and Kanban.

💡 Example

'Warte auf API-Zugang vom Partner' – Team kann nicht weitermachen.

Kanban

Service Level Expectation

Prognose wie lange Items typischerweise dauern.

🎯 When to use?

Statt fester Deadlines. Basiert auf historischen Daten.

⚡ Core principle

Probabilistic rather than deterministic.

👤 Origin

Kanban Guide (2020).

💡 Example

'85% of items in under 10 days.'

🎯

OKR & Goal Management

12 terms
OKR

OKR

Goal management: qualitative goals (Objectives) with measurable results (Key Results).

🎯 When to use?

For strategic focus. Quarterly.

⚡ Core principle

Focus through prioritisation. Max. 3–5 objectives.

👤 Origin

Andy Grove (Intel, 1970er). John Doerr, Google (1999).

💡 Example

O: Become market leader in DACH. KR1: 10,000 new customers. KR2: NPS 50+.

OKR

Objective

Qualitatives, inspirierendes Ziel – beschreibt WAS erreicht werden soll.

🎯 When to use?

For focus and direction. No numbers!

⚡ Core principle

Starts with verbs: 'Become', 'Establish', 'Transform'.

👤 Origin

Andy Grove (Intel).

💡 Example

Good: 'Create the best onboarding in the industry'. Bad: '10% more users'.

OKR

Key Result

Measurable results that indicate whether the objective has been achieved.

🎯 When to use?

3-5 pro Objective. Outcome-fokussiert, nicht Output.

⚡ Core principle

Binary verifiable: clearly achieved or not at quarter end.

👤 Origin

Andy Grove.

💡 Example

Gut: 'NPS von 40 auf 55'. Schlecht: 'Feedback-Prozess verbessern'.

OKR

Alignment

Vertical and horizontal goal alignment – everyone pulling in the same direction.

🎯 When to use?

During OKR planning. Align vertically and horizontally.

⚡ Core principle

60% Bottom-up, 40% Top-down.

👤 Origin

OKR-Methodik.

💡 Example

Company: 'Beste Customer Experience'. Marketing + Produkt + Support alignen darauf.

OKR

Moonshot

Extrem ambitioniertes Stretch Goal – 70% Erreichung gilt als Erfolg.

🎯 When to use?

For transformative goals. Not for must-haves.

⚡ Core principle

'Shoot for the moon – even if you miss, you land among the stars.'

👤 Origin

Google OKR-Kultur. JFK Mondlandung (1961).

💡 Example

Moonshot: '10x Wachstum'. Roofshot: '20% Wachstum'.

OKR

Roofshot

Realistisches Committed Goal – 100% Erreichung erwartet.

🎯 When to use?

For binding goals that must not be missed.

⚡ Core principle

Balance with moonshots.

👤 Origin

Google OKR-Terminologie.

💡 Example

'99,9% Uptime aufrechterhalten' – kein Stretch, sondern Pflicht.

OKR

Weekly Check-in

Weekly OKR review: update confidence, identify blockers.

🎯 When to use?

Jede Woche, 15-30 Min.

⚡ Core principle

Traffic light system: red/amber/green for each key result.

👤 Origin

OKR Best Practice.

💡 Example

'KR2 ist gelb – Confidence 60%. Plan: User-Interviews nachholen.'

OKR

Confidence Level

Subjective assessment (0–100%) of how likely a key result is to be achieved.

🎯 When to use?

In weekly check-in. Starts at approx. 50% (moonshot).

⚡ Core principle

Sinkendes Confidence = Handlungsbedarf.

👤 Origin

OKR Best Practice.

💡 Example

KR '100 new customers': week 4 at 30, but confidence 70% because pipeline is strong.

OKR

CFR

Conversations, Feedback, Recognition – Begleitprozess zu OKRs.

🎯 When to use?

Continuously. Replaces annual reviews.

⚡ Core principle

OKRs allein reichen nicht – Menschen brauchen Dialog.

👤 Origin

John Doerr 'Measure What Matters' (2018).

💡 Example

C: 1:1s alle 2 Wochen. F: Peer-Feedback. R: Shoutouts im Team.

OKR

KPI

Key performance indicator – metric for measuring performance.

🎯 When to use?

KPI: ongoing measurement. Key result: target value for a period.

⚡ Core principle

Was gemessen wird, wird gemanaged.

👤 Origin

Balanced Scorecard (Kaplan & Norton, 1992).

💡 Example

KPI: 'Aktueller NPS = 42'. KR: 'NPS von 42 auf 55 bis Q3.'

OKR

Outcome

Result/impact – not the activity itself (output).

🎯 When to use?

Output: feature built. Outcome: users solve problems faster.

⚡ Core principle

'Focus on outcomes, not outputs.'

👤 Origin

Outcome-Driven Innovation (Ulwick). Marty Cagan.

💡 Example

Output: 50 Features. Outcome: Conversion 2%→4%.

OKR

MBO

Management by Objectives – klassisches Zielvereinbarungs-System.

🎯 When to use?

MBO: annual, top-down, bonus-linked. OKR: quarterly.

⚡ Core principle

SMART-Ziele.

👤 Origin

Peter Drucker 'The Practice of Management' (1954).

💡 Example

MBO: '15% revenue increase for annual bonus'.

💡

Design Thinking & Innovation

11 terms
Design

Design Thinking

Nutzerzentrierter Innovationsansatz: Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype, Test.

🎯 When to use?

For complex problems with unclear requirements.

⚡ Core principle

Fail early, fail often. Iterativ, nicht linear.

👤 Origin

Stanford d.school, David Kelley, IDEO (1991).

💡 Example

Hospital: staff experience patient perspective → new solutions.

Design

Double Diamond

Process model: divergent-convergent for both problem AND solution.

🎯 When to use?

Zur Strukturierung von Innovationsprojekten.

⚡ Core principle

Diamond 1: find the problem. Diamond 2: find the solution.

👤 Origin

British Design Council (2005).

💡 Example

Left: research → problem. Right: ideas → solution.

Design

Empathy Map

Visualisation of the user perspective: Says, Thinks, Does, Feels.

🎯 When to use?

Nach User Research, vor Ideation.

⚡ Core principle

Hypotheses about the user's inner world.

👤 Origin

XPLANE. Dave Gray 'Gamestorming' (2010).

💡 Example

Fill 4 quadrants: what does the user say, think, do, feel?

Design

How Might We

Question format: 'How might we solve [problem] for [user]?'

🎯 When to use?

Between define and ideate. Opens the solution space.

⚡ Core principle

'How' = optimistisch. 'Might' = offen. 'We' = kollaborativ.

👤 Origin

Procter & Gamble (Min Basadur). IDEO.

💡 Example

'How might we make waiting times less stressful?'

Design

Prototyping

Quick, low-cost implementation of an idea for testing.

🎯 When to use?

As early as possible. Better 10 quick ones than 1 perfect one.

⚡ Core principle

'A prototype is worth 1000 meetings.'

👤 Origin

Design Thinking, IDEO.

💡 Example

Papier-Mockup einer App in 15 Min → sofort testen.

Design

Persona

Fictional, representative user type based on research.

🎯 When to use?

Nach User Research. Macht abstrakte Nutzergruppe greifbar.

⚡ Core principle

Name, Foto, Ziele, Frustrationen.

👤 Origin

Alan Cooper 'The Inmates Are Running the Asylum' (1999).

💡 Example

Maria, 42, project manager: wants overview, hates complex tools.

Design

Empathize

First Design Thinking phase: understanding users through observation.

🎯 When to use?

Always at the beginning. Before thinking about solutions.

⚡ Core principle

Listen, observe, immerse. No assumptions.

👤 Origin

Stanford d.school.

💡 Example

Einen Tag als Patient im Krankenhaus verbringen.

Design

Ideation

Creative phase for generating many ideas – quantity before quality.

🎯 When to use?

Nach Problemdefinition, vor Prototyping.

⚡ Core principle

'Yes, and...' instead of 'Yes, but...'. Encourage wild ideas.

👤 Origin

Design Thinking. Brainstorming (Alex Osborn, 1953).

💡 Example

100 ideas in 30 minutes. Dot voting for favourites.

Design

Divergent Thinking

Thinking mode: opening up possibilities, generating many options.

🎯 When to use?

In ideation and research. Opposite: convergent thinking.

⚡ Core principle

First diverge (open up), then converge (focus).

👤 Origin

J.P. Guilford (1967). Double Diamond.

💡 Example

'What if...?' No criticism. Build up, don't shoot down.

Design

Point of View

Focused problem statement: [user] needs [need] because [insight].

🎯 When to use?

Between empathise and ideate. Defines the problem.

⚡ Core principle

Action-oriented. Specific yet broad enough.

👤 Origin

Stanford d.school.

💡 Example

'Maria braucht schnellen Projektstatus, weil sie 8 Meetings/Tag hat.'

Design

Insight

Deep understanding of connections – more than information.

🎯 When to use?

As a result of research. Basis for decisions.

⚡ Core principle

Insight = Information + Interpretation + Implikation.

👤 Origin

Research/Analytics.

💡 Example

'Users abandon because form is too long' → 'Simplicity > completeness'.

🚀

Lean Startup & Experimentation

12 terms
Lean

Build-Measure-Learn

Zentraler Lean Startup Zyklus: Bauen, Messen, Lernen.

🎯 When to use?

For each product iteration. Fastest loop wins.

⚡ Core principle

Minimise cycle time. Validated learning is the goal.

👤 Origin

Eric Ries 'The Lean Startup' (2011).

💡 Example

Build MVP → measure conversion → hypothesis confirmed/refuted.

Lean

MVP

Minimum Viable Product – smallest version to test and learn.

🎯 When to use?

As early as possible. Not perfect, just capable of learning.

⚡ Core principle

What is the minimum needed to test this assumption?

👤 Origin

Eric Ries. Frank Robinson (2001).

💡 Example

Dropbox: just one video → 70,000 sign-ups overnight.

Lean

Validated Learning

Insights confirmed through experiments – not opinions.

🎯 When to use?

After every experiment. What have we learned from the data?

⚡ Core principle

Learning is the product. Features are a means to an end.

👤 Origin

Eric Ries.

💡 Example

'We believed X' → 'We tested and learned: Y (with data)'.

Lean

Pivot

Strategic change of direction based on insights.

🎯 When to use?

When hypotheses are refuted and course correction is needed.

⚡ Core principle

Pivot ist kein Scheitern, sondern Lernen in Aktion.

👤 Origin

Eric Ries. 10 Pivot-Typen.

💡 Example

YouTube: Video-Dating → Video-Sharing. Instagram: Check-in → Fotos.

Lean

Hypothese

Testable assumption about user, problem or solution.

🎯 When to use?

Vor jedem Experiment. Macht Annahmen explizit.

⚡ Core principle

'We believe that [X] because [Y]. We will test by [Z]'.

👤 Origin

Scientific method, for startups.

💡 Example

'Users will pay for feature X.' Test: landing page with pre-order.

Lean

Experiment

Structured test of a hypothesis with clear success criteria.

🎯 When to use?

For every important assumption. Before major investments.

⚡ Core principle

Cheapest, fastest way to learn.

👤 Origin

Lean Startup, Scientific Method.

💡 Example

A/B-Test, Smoke Test, Concierge, Wizard of Oz, Landing Page.

Lean

Concierge MVP

Manually delivered service that will later be automated.

🎯 When to use?

Wenn Automatisierung zu teuer/riskant ist.

⚡ Core principle

Things that don't scale. Manual is OK for learning.

👤 Origin

Eric Ries.

💡 Example

Food Pail lieferte Essen manuell per Fahrrad bevor App gebaut wurde.

Lean

Wizard of Oz MVP

Produkt wirkt automatisiert, ist aber manuell betrieben.

🎯 When to use?

Um Nachfrage zu testen bevor Technologie gebaut wird.

⚡ Core principle

Fake it till you make it. Lernen vor Bauen.

👤 Origin

Nach 'Zauberer von Oz' (Mann hinter dem Vorhang).

💡 Example

Zappos: Fotos online, manuell im Laden kaufen.

Lean

Smoke Test

Test with a fake product (landing page, button) to measure demand.

🎯 When to use?

Vor dem Bauen. Misst Interesse ohne echtes Produkt.

⚡ Core principle

Measure whether people would click, not whether they say they would.

👤 Origin

Hardware-Testing adaptiert.

💡 Example

Landing page with 'Buy' button → measures clicks, product does not exist.

Lean

Product-Market Fit

State where a product satisfies a genuine customer need.

🎯 When to use?

Check before scaling. Without PMF, growth is burning money.

⚡ Core principle

Marc Andreessen: 'You'll feel it when you have it.'

👤 Origin

Marc Andreessen (2007). Sean Ellis 40%-Test.

💡 Example

'40%+ would be very disappointed if the product disappeared.'

Lean

Innovation Accounting

Framework um Innovationsfortschritt zu messen – nicht klassische KPIs.

🎯 When to use?

For startups and innovation projects.

⚡ Core principle

Actionable metrics instead of vanity metrics.

👤 Origin

Eric Ries.

💡 Example

Nicht 'Downloads' (Vanity) sondern 'Activation Rate' (Actionable).

Lean

Iteration

Ein Durchlauf des Build-Measure-Learn Zyklus.

🎯 When to use?

Kontinuierlich. Jede Iteration bringt Lernen.

⚡ Core principle

Fast iterations beat perfect plans.

👤 Origin

Agile/Lean.

💡 Example

MVP v1 → lernen → v2 → lernen → v3 oder Pivot.

📐

Business Model Innovation

19 terms
Business

Business Model Canvas

Strategic tool with 9 fields for visualising business models.

🎯 When to use?

For new business models, pivots, analysis.

⚡ Core principle

All 9 building blocks must fit together.

👤 Origin

Osterwalder & Pigneur 'Business Model Generation' (2010).

💡 Example

9 Felder: Value Prop, Segments, Channels, Relationships, Revenue, Resources, Activities, Partners, Costs.

Business

Value Proposition Canvas

Detailed analysis of customer value: Customer Profile + Value Map.

🎯 When to use?

For sharpening the value proposition.

⚡ Core principle

Fit between jobs/pains/gains and products/relievers/creators.

👤 Origin

Osterwalder 'Value Proposition Design' (2014).

💡 Example

Links: Was will Kunde? Rechts: Was bieten wir? → Fit herstellen.

Business

Jobs-to-be-Done

Framework: Kunden 'heuern' Produkte um einen Job zu erledigen.

🎯 When to use?

For product development. Understands true buying motivation.

⚡ Core principle

'People don't want a drill, they want a hole.'

👤 Origin

Clayton Christensen 'Competing Against Luck' (2016).

💡 Example

McDonald's milkshake: 'job' = occupation for a boring commute.

Business

Lean Canvas

Startup-Variante des BMC: Problem, Solution, Metrics, Unfair Advantage.

🎯 When to use?

For startups. Focus on risks and hypotheses.

⚡ Core principle

Felder sind Hypothesen zum Testen.

👤 Origin

Ash Maurya 'Running Lean' (2012).

💡 Example

Statt 'Partners' → 'Problem'. Statt 'Relationships' → 'Unfair Advantage'.

Business

Customer Segments

BMC field: different customer groups with different needs.

🎯 When to use?

For business model design. Basis for everything else.

⚡ Core principle

Unterschiedliche Segmente = unterschiedliche Value Propositions.

👤 Origin

Business Model Canvas.

💡 Example

B2B vs. B2C, Early Adopters vs. Mainstream, Freemium vs. Premium.

Business

Value Proposition

BMC field: why should customers buy from us?

🎯 When to use?

Core of the business model. Must be clear and differentiating.

⚡ Core principle

Quantifiable, Differentiating, Primary.

👤 Origin

Business Model Canvas. Michael Lanning (1988).

💡 Example

Uber: 'Push a button, get a ride.'

Business

Channels

BMC field: how do we reach customers and deliver the value proposition?

🎯 When to use?

Zur Planung von Vertrieb, Marketing, Delivery.

⚡ Core principle

5 Phasen: Awareness, Evaluation, Purchase, Delivery, After Sales.

👤 Origin

Business Model Canvas.

💡 Example

Direct (web shop) vs. indirect (retailers). Online vs. offline.

Business

Revenue Streams

BMC field: how and for what do customers pay?

🎯 When to use?

Bei Monetarisierungsstrategie.

⚡ Core principle

Transaktional vs. Recurring. Asset Sale, Subscription, etc.

👤 Origin

Business Model Canvas.

💡 Example

Freemium: Basis kostenlos, Premium kostenpflichtig.

Business

Key Resources

BMC field: which assets are essential for our business model?

🎯 When to use?

Zur Identifikation kritischer Ressourcen.

⚡ Core principle

Physical, Intellectual, Human, Financial.

👤 Origin

Business Model Canvas.

💡 Example

Google: Algorithmus + Rechenzentren. IKEA: Design + Logistik.

Business

Key Activities

BMC field: which activities are essential for our business model?

🎯 When to use?

For focusing on what matters.

⚡ Core principle

Production, Problem Solving, Platform/Network.

👤 Origin

Business Model Canvas.

💡 Example

Consulting: Problem Solving. Amazon: Logistics. Facebook: Platform.

Business

Key Partners

BMC field: strategic partnerships that enable the business model.

🎯 When to use?

Zur Optimierung, Risikoreduktion.

⚡ Core principle

Make or buy? What can partners do better?

👤 Origin

Business Model Canvas.

💡 Example

Apple + Foxconn. Spotify + Labels.

Business

Cost Structure

BMC field: what costs arise from the business model?

🎯 When to use?

Zur Wirtschaftlichkeitsanalyse.

⚡ Core principle

Fixed vs. Variable. Cost-driven vs. Value-driven.

👤 Origin

Business Model Canvas.

💡 Example

Ryanair: Cost-driven. Apple: Value-driven.

Business

Freemium

Preismodell: Basisversion kostenlos, Premium-Features kostenpflichtig.

🎯 When to use?

For digital products with low marginal costs.

⚡ Core principle

Conversion Rate kritisch: 2-5% typisch.

👤 Origin

Fred Wilson (2006). Spotify, Dropbox.

💡 Example

Spotify: Werbefinanziert kostenlos, Premium ohne Werbung + Offline.

Business

Subscription

Pricing model: recurring payment for continuous access.

🎯 When to use?

For recurring usage. Predictable revenue.

⚡ Core principle

MRR/ARR als Metric. Churn ist kritisch. LTV > CAC.

👤 Origin

Tien Tzuo 'Subscribed'.

💡 Example

Netflix, Adobe Creative Cloud, Dollar Shave Club.

Business

Platform

Business model that creates value by connecting groups.

🎯 When to use?

For multi-sided markets. Network effects are key.

⚡ Core principle

Plattform besitzt nicht, sondern verbindet.

👤 Origin

Parker, Van Alstyne, Choudary 'Platform Revolution' (2016).

💡 Example

Uber, Airbnb, Amazon Marketplace.

Business

Network Effects

Produkt wird wertvoller je mehr Nutzer es hat.

🎯 When to use?

For platforms. Winner-takes-all dynamics.

⚡ Core principle

Direct vs. Indirect Network Effects.

👤 Origin

Robert Metcalfe (Metcalfe's Law).

💡 Example

Facebook: more friends → more value. Uber: more drivers → shorter wait.

Business

Early Adopters

First customer group to adopt a new product – willing to take risks.

🎯 When to use?

For product launch and MVP testing.

⚡ Core principle

2.5% of the population (Rogers). Bridge to the mainstream.

👤 Origin

Everett Rogers 'Diffusion of Innovations' (1962).

💡 Example

Tech enthusiasts who use beta versions despite bugs.

Business

Pains

VPC element: negative experiences and obstacles faced by the customer.

🎯 When to use?

Bei Value Proposition Design. Was vermeiden?

⚡ Core principle

Funktionale, emotionale, soziale Pains.

👤 Origin

Value Proposition Canvas.

💡 Example

Zeitverschwendung, hohe Kosten, Unsicherheit.

Business

Gains

VPC element: positive outcomes the customer aspires to.

🎯 When to use?

Bei Value Proposition Design. Was erreichen?

⚡ Core principle

Required, Expected, Desired, Unexpected Gains.

👤 Origin

Value Proposition Canvas.

💡 Example

Zeitersparnis, Kostensenkung, Anerkennung.

♟️

Strategy & Planning

11 terms
Strategy

Playing to Win

Strategie-Framework: Aspiration, Where, How, Capabilities, Systems.

🎯 When to use?

For strategic planning at company or product level.

⚡ Core principle

Strategie = integrierte Wahl-Kaskade.

👤 Origin

Lafley & Martin 'Playing to Win' (2013). P&G.

💡 Example

1. Winning Aspiration → 2. Where to Play → 3. How to Win → 4. Capabilities → 5. Systems.

Strategy

Where to Play

Strategic decision: in which markets to compete?

🎯 When to use?

Bei Strategiedefinition. Fokus > Breite.

⚡ Core principle

Bewusste Entscheidung wo man NICHT spielen wird.

👤 Origin

Playing to Win.

💡 Example

Apple: premium segment. Few product categories, but leading.

Strategy

How to Win

Strategic decision: how do we win in the chosen markets?

🎯 When to use?

After Where to Play. Differentiation or cost leadership.

⚡ Core principle

Must be different OR cheaper. Stuck in the middle = lose.

👤 Origin

Playing to Win. Michael Porter.

💡 Example

Cost Leadership (Walmart) vs. Differentiation (Apple).

Strategy

Winning Aspiration

First Playing-to-Win element: what does 'winning' mean for us?

🎯 When to use?

At the beginning of strategic work.

⚡ Core principle

Play to play ≠ Play to win.

👤 Origin

Playing to Win.

💡 Example

'Leading provider for X in DACH' vs. 'Being profitable'.

Strategy

Capabilities

Playing-to-Win element: what capabilities do we need?

🎯 When to use?

After How to Win. Which to build/strengthen?

⚡ Core principle

Activity system: capabilities reinforce each other.

👤 Origin

Playing to Win.

💡 Example

P&G: Consumer Understanding, Brand Building, Go-to-Market, Innovation, Scale.

Strategy

Management Systems

Playing-to-Win element: which systems support the strategy?

🎯 When to use?

Zur Strategieumsetzung. Strukturen, Prozesse, Metriken.

⚡ Core principle

Strategy must be supported by structure.

👤 Origin

Playing to Win.

💡 Example

OKRs, Reporting-Struktur, Meeting-Rhythmen, Incentive-Systeme.

Strategy

SWOT-Analyse

Framework: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats.

🎯 When to use?

For strategic inventory.

⚡ Core principle

SO: leverage. WO: overcome. ST: defend. WT: avoid.

👤 Origin

Albert Humphrey, Stanford (1960er).

💡 Example

Intern: Was gut/schlecht? Extern: Was kommt auf uns zu?

Strategy

Golden Circle

Communication model: Why → How → What. From the inside out.

🎯 When to use?

For purpose definition, brand positioning.

⚡ Core principle

'People don't buy what you do, they buy why you do it.'

👤 Origin

Simon Sinek 'Start with Why' (2009).

💡 Example

Apple: Why (Challenge status quo) → How (Beautiful design) → What (Computers).

Strategy

Purpose

Fundamental purpose of an organisation – the 'why'.

🎯 When to use?

As a north star for all decisions.

⚡ Core principle

Purpose-driven companies outperform.

👤 Origin

Simon Sinek. Jim Collins 'Built to Last'.

💡 Example

Patagonia: 'We're in business to save our home planet.'

Strategy

Differenzierung

Strategischer Ansatz: Einzigartig sein, Preispremium rechtfertigen.

🎯 When to use?

Alternative to cost leadership.

⚡ Core principle

Be different, not just better. Blue Ocean instead of Red Ocean.

👤 Origin

Michael Porter 'Competitive Advantage' (1985).

💡 Example

Apple: Design + Ecosystem. Tesla: Tech + Brand.

Strategy

Lock-in

Switching costs that tie customers to a provider.

🎯 When to use?

Zur Kundenbindungsstrategie.

⚡ Core principle

Gut: Kunden bleiben wegen Value. Schlecht: Kunden gefangen.

👤 Origin

Michael Porter (Switching Costs).

💡 Example

Apple Ecosystem. SAP (Implementierungsaufwand).

🔗

Systems Theory & Complexity

6 terms
Systems theory

Complexity

Systems with many interconnected, dynamic elements – not predictable.

🎯 When to use?

Zur Einordnung von Problemen. Komplex ≠ kompliziert.

⚡ Core principle

Cynefin: Simple → Complicated → Complex → Chaotic.

👤 Origin

Dave Snowden (Cynefin, 2007).

💡 Example

Kompliziert: Uhr reparieren. Komplex: Markt verstehen.

Systems theory

Emergenz

Entstehung neuer Eigenschaften auf Systemebene.

🎯 When to use?

For understanding complex systems. Whole > sum.

⚡ Core principle

Emergente Eigenschaften aus Teilen nicht vorhersagbar.

👤 Origin

Systems Theory. Santa Fe Institute.

💡 Example

Bewusstsein aus Neuronen. Stau aus Autos. Kultur aus Menschen.

Systems theory

VUCA

Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, Ambiguous – turbulente Umwelt.

🎯 When to use?

For justifying agile approaches.

⚡ Core principle

VUCA-Prime: Vision, Understanding, Clarity, Agility.

👤 Origin

US Army War College (1990er).

💡 Example

COVID-19 demonstrated VUCA: volatility, uncertainty, complexity.

Systems theory

Wicked Problem

Complex problem with no clear-cut solution.

🎯 When to use?

Zur Problemkategorisierung. Wicked ≠ schwierig.

⚡ Core principle

Every attempted solution changes the problem.

👤 Origin

Horst Rittel & Melvin Webber (1973).

💡 Example

Klimawandel, Armut, Organisationskultur.

Systems theory

System

Interconnected elements with relationships and a shared purpose.

🎯 When to use?

Zur ganzheitlichen Problemanalyse.

⚡ Core principle

Systemgrenzen sind Konstrukte. Feedback Loops zentral.

👤 Origin

Ludwig von Bertalanffy (1968). Donella Meadows.

💡 Example

Organisation = System aus Menschen, Prozessen, Technologie, Kultur.

Systems theory

Feedback Loop

Feedback loop: output influences input.

🎯 When to use?

For understanding system dynamics.

⚡ Core principle

Reinforcing Loop (exponentiell) vs. Balancing Loop (stabilisierend).

👤 Origin

Norbert Wiener (Cybernetics).

💡 Example

More users → more content → more users. Thermostat (dampening).

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