Is first principal thinking counter to lean startup?

[Bootstrapper909]

Here is how I think about it.

FP is about learning by thinking. You analyze deeply a situation from it's core foundations to arrive to a comprehensive plan.

Lean Startup is about learning by doing. Quick hypotheses. Iterations from the current state. Full of assumptions and let reality teach you what's true.

So in a way they are contradicting philosophies.

Agree?

[nibsfive]

I have been thinking something similar. Certainly if budget is the defining constraint, lean makes way more sense, because it's resource to progress ratio. First principles is more about upside maximization, which benefits a lot from removing short term resource constraints in the VC sense.

[Bootstrapper909]

I'm not sure it's just about constrains. There are some problems that are just too "random" for FP thinking. Usually those around human behaviour.

When planning your next startup, even with unlimited budget, FP might not get you far. You simply cannot predict product/market fit and how you should develop your product without user feedback