Do you need to use a Framework? 

If you consider yourself a risk-taker and want to build your start-up without relying on a framework, you can certainly do that, improvise everything! But it will be like throwing away good knowledge and accumulated wisdom that is readily at hand. If you follow some structure that a framework will provide you - it will likely to maximize your chances of success and mitigate risk. 

Identifying Alternatives 

It is difficult to determine what is/is not an entrepreneurship framework because the intent and scope often varies. For example, some may characterize business model canvas as a framework. Others argue that the business model canvas is a technique for visualizing different components of a business model. You can follow these links to learn more about the business model canvas and business models as a part of this knowledge base. As another example, some may  characterize Tim Brown’s design thinking (aimed at generating creative solutions to a problem) as a framework. Others argue that it is a technique for human-centered design that builds on empathy, ideation, prototyping with an emphasis on user needs and a focus on generating product design and user experience. 

In the table below, we focus on three frameworks that are aimed at start-up entrepreneurship: (a) Lean Startup, (b) Effectuation, and (c) Disciplined Entrepreneurship. In addition, we describe two others that are aimed at clarifying entrepreneurial activity within established organizations: (d) Five Forces, and (e) Blue Ocean Strategy.  See another tab on this page [Why Frameworks] for the evolution of frameworks and key references.

Comparison of Key Frameworks

We summarize and compare these important frameworks here to highlight core ideas along with key strengths and limitations.  

Similarities and Differences 

The similarities in the frameworks are tied to a focus on the customer (understanding the customers' needs) and encouraging exploration/iteration instead of perfection. They promote experimentation to varying degrees. By suggesting either a mindset or a structures set of steps, they also aim to reduce uncertainty and provide the entrepreneurial teams some help to manage risk. The differences can be traced to their suitability for early-stage startups (e.g. Lean Startup) compared to others that also include growth and scaling (e.g. Disciplined Entrepreneurship). Some are focused more on the philosophy and mindset (e.g. Effectuation) compared to others that require a structured investigation of internal and external fources (e.g. Five Forces). 

References and Resources

• See the references and resources listed in the tab "Why Frameworks"?

What is Effectuation Theory

Effectuation Theory (Sarasvathy 2009), is a mindset and decision-making framework for entrepreneurs operating in conditions of extreme uncertainty. Unlike other frameworks that focus on planning the future, Effectuation focuses on what is within your control right now and leveraging existing resources creatively.

An Example

Imagine you are a chef who walks into your kitchen. Instead of starting with a predefined recipe, you:

1. Look at the ingredients you already have in your kitchen (Bird-in-Hand Principle)
2. Decide how much time and money you’re willing to spend on this meal (Affordable Loss Principle)
3. Call a friend to join you and see if they want to bring over extra ingredients (Crazy Quilt Principle)
4. Keep the stove and tools ready to adjust and improvise as you cook (Lemonade Principle)
5. Decide to serve the meal only if the outcome seems worthwhile (Pilot-in-the-Plane Principle)

This is the fundamental idea of Effectuation: start with what you have, collaborate, improvise, and manage uncertainty through creative action.

The Five Principles of Effectuation

Should you use Effectuation principles for your startup? 

The principles of Effectuation theory are a great fit for Solopreneurs and Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs). In the table above, you can see several examples that clearly point to this focus. If your team is building an Innovation-driven Enterprise (IDE), you may need a different framework. 

Here is a way to think about this: Effectuation is about control through action and resourcefulness, while Lean Startup is about validation through iteration, and Disciplined Entrepreneurship focuses on systematic execution.

References and Resources

1. Sarasvathy, S. 2009. Effectuation: Elements of Entrepreneurial Expertise. Edward Elgar Publishing. 
   1. Access a useful summary here

What is the Lean Startup Framework? 

The Lean Startup framework (Ries 2011) is an approach to entrepreneurship that suggests the application of "lean principles" to entrepreneurship. These ideas have a long history with applications in manufacturing, software development, project management and many other fields. For entrepreneurs, the Lean Startup framework suggests this: Instead of trying to build the perfect product in isolation - build, test, and learn iteratively with real feedback, making small corrections along the way.

Instead of designing and building a product called iPhone 10 over two decades (and then launching it in the hope that the customer will like it), consider building a small paper prototype, test and adjust different features, build a first version, and keep iterating and testing with your customers. You may even feel that you are ready to launch this first version it in the market (iPhone 1) if your resources allow and continue iterating and refining. This is the essence of the Learn Startup framework. 

An Example

Imagine you're a chef who walks into your kitchen. Instead of starting with a predefined recipe, you:

1. Prepare a small, simple version (minimum viable dish) with core ingredients and basic techniques to test if it’s edible (Build)
2. Gather honest feedback (flavor, presentation, and overall experience) from a friend who will taste your MV dish. (Measure)
3. Analyze the feedback to determine what worked and what did not: seasoning? texture? (Learn)
4. Iterate quickly by adjusting the recipe: new ingredients/change cooking techniques to create an improved version. (Pivot or Persevere)
5. Once your refinements to the dish start getting consistent positive feedback, prepare a larger batch/add it to your menu. (Scale)

This is the fundamental idea of the Lean Startup framework: start small, test assumptions, gather feedback, iterate rapidly, and scale only when there's evidence of demand.

The Five Principles of the Lean Startup framework

Should you use Lean Startup principles for your startup? 

The principles of the Learn Startup framework are a great fit for Startup ventures that have high uncertainty about your product, market, or customers. If you find yourself in the early stage with an idea and a concept but need to validate core assumptions quickly, the lean startup principles can be useful. This is particularly true when you are surrounded by competitors who may potentially launch similar products or services and the underlying components (such as technology platforms) are rapidly changing (e.g. a new mobile app where you do not know if and how your customers will actually use it). On the other hand, if you have a clear understanding of your product/service and target market, have access to resources, and need to pay attention to regulatory hurdles (e.g. a medical device where precision and compliance may be critical), you may want to consider other frameworks such as Disciplined Entrepreneurship.

Here is another way to think about this: Lean Startup is about iterative learning based on feedback (imagine learning to ride a bike). You try, fall, adjust your balance, and learn quickly through trial and error. 

References and Resources

1. Ries, E. 2011. The Lean Startup: How Today's Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses. Crown Currency; First Edition (September 13, 2011).
2. Blan k, S. 2013. Why the Lean Start-Up Changes Everything: A faster, smarter methodology for launching companies may make business plans obsolete. https://hbr.org/2013/05/why-the-lean-start-up-changes-everything 
3. Ries, E. 2024. https://theleanstartup.com/ 
4. Mollick, E. 2019. What the Lean Startup Method Gets Right and Wrong. https://hbr.org/2019/10/what-the-lean-startup-method-gets-right-and-wrong 

What is the Disciplined Entrepreneurship framework?

Disciplined Entrepreneurship (Aulet 2013) has been an influential entrepreneurship framework in academic and startup circles. As the phrase suggests, the framework argues that Entrepreneurship (like many other things) can be taught and learned. The framework contains 24 steps (across 6 themes) that provide a step-by-step guide to exploring and pursuing the entrepreneurial journey. Since its launch, the framework has been taught at the MIT Martin Trust Center for Entrepreneurship as well as several other universities. In 2024, the framework was extended the ideas by outlining startup tactics (Cheek 2024).

The core ideas behind the original Disciplined Entrepreneurship framework (Aulet 2013) and its extension, described as Startup Tactics (Cheek 2024) can be elaborated thus: Entrepreneurship isn’t just an art or a series of random experiments. It is a systematic, disciplined process that can be broken down into clear, actionable steps.

An Example

Imagine you're a chef who walks into your kitchen. Instead of starting with a predefined recipe, you:

1. Decide who you are cooking for: someone who loves spicy food/family with kids/health-conscious eaters (Step 1: Who is Your Customer?)
2. Understand their need: they are hungry/they want a restaurant-quality meal at home (Step 2: What Can You Do for Your Customer?)
3. Decide to prepare a meal - quick, delicious, and fits their specific dietary preferences. (Step 4: What’s Your Value Proposition?)
4. Prepare a sample dish that captures the essence of your idea and serve it to your customer for feedback. (Step 6: Design a Prototype)
5. Adjust based on what they liked or disliked—less salt, more spice, or a different presentation. (Step 9: Iterate on Your Product)
6. Define the steps needed to prepare the final dish consistently and efficiently. (Step 15: Design a Business Model)
7. Prepare multiple servings and maybe even plan to open a catering business. (Step 21: Scale the Business) 

A Structured Approach (Themes and Steps)

The Disciplined Entrepreneurship framework suggests the following themes and steps

• Theme 1: Who is your customer? Define the end user and economic buyer.
• Theme 2: What can you do for your customer? Identify the value proposition.
• Theme 3: How does your customer acquire your product? Develop a go-to-market strategy.
• Theme 4: How do you make money from your product? Develop a business model and pricing strategy.
• Theme 5: How do you design and build your product? Build your MVP (Minimum Viable Product).
• Theme 6: How do you scale your business? Plan for growth and sustainability.

Moving to Startup Tactics

The Startup Tactics compilation (Cheek 2024) is a practical extension to the Disciplined Entrepreneurship framework (Aulet 2013). Whereas the original framework points to "what" needs to be done at each step, the startup tactics describe the "how." They provide specific, actionable strategies that teams can implement to overcome challenges and execute those steps effectively. The startup tactics, thus, provide a "how-to" guide for tackling the nitty-gritty details of executing each step. This focus on tactical execution is evident in each of the tactics. Here are some examples:

• Example 1
  • Define your target customer (as part of the logical sequence of steps laid out in the Disciplined Entrepreneurship framework).
  • Tactics: how to gather and analyze customer data to validate assumptions about your target customer. The startup tactics, thus, add detailed tactics, strategies, and examples to help founders execute each step effectively.
• Example 2
  • Define how your product uniquely delivers quantifiable value to your customers (as part of the logical sequence of steps laid out in the Disciplined Entrepreneurship framework).
  • Tactics: how to map out specific use cases for your product and calculate the time or cost savings it generates. If building a software tool that saves businesses time, use industry-specific benchmarks to estimate hours saved annually and assign a dollar value.
• Example 3
  • Develop the smallest functional version of your product to test with real customers (as part of the logical sequence of steps laid out in the Disciplined Entrepreneurship framework).
  • Tactics: How to use rapid Prototyping with no-code tools (e.g., Bubble, Webflow) to create mockups or prototypes quickly; Get potential customers to co-create the MVP by providing feedback at each iteration; Use Figma to build clickable mockups, share these with customers, and adjust based on usability feedback before writing a single line of code.

Should you use the DE framework for your startup? 

The unique value of the Disciplined Entrepreneurship framework (and now, with the extension Startup Tactics) is the comprehensive, step-by-step guide it provides for launching and scaling a startup. It combines customer insight, business model design, and product execution into an actionable process. While other frameworks emphasize specific areas (e.g., MVP, market fit, competition), Disciplined Entrepreneurship integrates them all into a cohesive entrepreneurial roadmap.

If you are a First-Time Entrepreneur, the Disciplined Entrepreneurship framework and the Startup Tactics are a fantastic guide to ensure you do not skip critical steps. The combination of these two is also useful when you need structure and clarity, particularly for teams that may be overwhelmed by the chaos of early entrepreneurship. And finally, if your startup venture involves building a complex product or service, where you will need to pull together several concerns such as understanding the customer, developing the product/service offering, visioning the business model, planning for scaling the operations and more - the disciplined entrepreneurship framework will be useful. It will be particularly helpful for technology-driven startups. On the other hand, if the uncertainty levels are high (in terms of product/service design and customer segments), you may want to consider the lean startup principles, at least during the early stages of the entrepreneurial journey, before switching to the larger roadmap suggested by the disciplined entrepreneurship framework along with startup tactics. 

The MIT Orbit Platform

Building on their decade-long work to evangelize the Disciplined Entrepreneurship framework (and now, the Startup Tactics), the Martin Trust Center at MIT has been developing a platform that brings the power of AI that allows you to access different steps fully integrated with external data sources. With this platform, you an start with a brief description of an idea and explore each step of the Disciplined Entrepreneurship framework (24 steps) as well as the Startup Tactics (15 tactics) quickly. What used to take entrepreneurial teams months or even years of work is now at your fingertips. This does not mean that the Orbit Platform will build your startup. But - it will provide you analysis results that are based on access to a number of data sources on the web. 

Through a collaboration between the Bentley E-Hub and the Martin Trust Center for Entrepreneurship at MIT - you now have access to the Orbit Platform as a member of the Bentley community. All you need is your Bentley email Id to signup and you can access the power of the Orbit platform.

 Access the Orbit Platform

References and Resources

1. Aulet, B. Disciplined Entrepreneurship: 24 Steps to a Successful Startup. Wiley; 1st edition (August 12, 2013). 
2. Cheek, P. 2024. Disciplined Entrepreneurship Startup Tactics: 15 Tactics to Turn Your Business Plan into a Business. Wiley; 1st edition (April 2, 2024)

Startup vs. an Existing Company

Being entrepreneurial does not have to mean that you are launching a startup. You can be entrepreneurial and launch new initiatives within a company as well. This suggests the first differentiator for choosing a framework:

• As a Startup choose from these → Effectuation / Lean Startup / Disciplined Entrepreneurship (and Startup Tactics)
• As an Actor in an Existing Company choose from these → Porter’s Five Forces / Blue Ocean Strategy

Pursuing a Startup Solo vs. As a Team 

• For a Solo Entrepreneur pursuing a Startup:
  • As a first-time entrepreneur, consider → Lean Startup.
  • As a technical founder with a long-term product vision, consider → Use Disciplined Entrepreneurship
  • As a serial entrepreneur with deep market experience, consider → Picking elements from different frameworks.
• For Teams pursuing a Startup:
  • If you have a small, scrappy team, consider → starting with Lean Startup for agility.
  • If you have a larger team with a complex product, consider → Disciplined Entrepreneurship to add structure.
  • If you have a highly experienced team working in a familiar market, consuder → Choosing elements you need from different frameworks.

Based on the Type of Startup 

Combining Frameworks 

Entrepreneurs who have learned about the ideas underlying entrepreneurship and are aware of the different frameworks may also create their own unique hybrid frameworks by combining elements from different frameworks. Here is an example of how you may do this (there are many possibilities as you might imagine): 

1. Start with Design Thinking: Define customer pain points and prototype solutions.
2. Move to Disciplined Entrepreneurship: Follow the 24 steps for clarity and execution.
3. As a part that, Use Lean Startup to add Agility: Embed Build-Measure-Learn loops within the execution phases.
4. Visualize with Business Model Canvas: Map your business strategy periodically.
5. Refine with Blue Ocean Strategy: Identify and carve out uncontested market spaces.