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Wizard of Oz (The Real Startup Book)

Kromatic (The Real Startup Book) Free Intermediate

This entry frames the Wizard of Oz test as one experiment in a wider validation toolkit, with clear guidance on cost, evidence strength, and how to run it. It is handy when you want to compare it against other experiments before committing time. A reliable reference for the founder who wants to run this properly rather than casually.

  • Wizard of Oz gives strong evidence for relatively low cost.
  • It fits after you have a signal that demand exists.
  • Script the human responses so the experience stays consistent.
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The question it answers

  1. What is a concierge or Wizard of Oz MVP and when should I use one?

Read with it

  1. The single best thing ever written on customer conversations. It teaches you to ask about the customer's life and past... momtestbook.com Book · ~130 pages The Mom Test Rob Fitzpatrick
  2. The permission slip to recruit users by hand, do things manually, and deliver 'insanely great' experiences to your first few... paulgraham.com Essay · ~15 min read Do Things That Don't Scale Paul Graham
  3. Video · ~13 min How to Plan an MVP Michael Seibel (YC)
  4. The origin text for the modern MVP and validated-learning vocabulary every founder now uses. Read it for the mental model that... theleanstartup.com Book · ~330 pages The Lean Startup Eric Ries
  5. Video · ~25 min How to Talk to Users Eric Migicovsky
  6. This is the cleanest short explanation of the two manual-first MVPs and, more importantly, how they differ, which is where most... Mind the Product Article · ~8 min read Wizard of Oz vs Concierge Testing: Behind the Curtain or Behind the Desk? Amanda White
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