Lenses for Entrepreneurs

Expanding Your Knowledge Space

Created by ChatGPT.

This chapter is a part of the book “How to Build Thriving Start-up Ecosystems: Five Information Patterns for Success.”

Community Information Designers (CIDs) can help the founders in their ecosystems solve for unknown-unknown problems by designing spaces for multidisciplinary collaborations. They can also use more active methods, such as providing prompts for founders to consider potential problems with their start-up ideas before they reach competitions. One way is an information game called “Pivot Points” that can help founders build out the number of schemas they have at their disposal.

The rules of the game are simple. 1–4 people have a stack of cards with a range of question topics. When it is their turn, a card is flipped over. If a person can answer the question as it relates to their start-up in twenty seconds, then they get a point. This time constraint helps founders learn how to answer questions succinctly, which is important when speaking to judges or investors. Other players can point out if there is something that seems incorrect with their answer to “steal” the point.

The first founder to ten points wins.

This game is a chance for early stage founders who might be going into their first competition, or through a university incubator to share their ideas in a low stakes environment and meet other competitors or people in their cohort.

This game is adapted from Jesse Schell’s concept of lenses in his book Art of Game Design. He believed game designers should utilize a vast array of different lenses to look at their work to create games that were both fun and well thought out.

Pivot Points is extremely easy to create — -really, it only takes CIDs writing down the question category on one side of a flashcard, and the question on the other. This game is great to have around at accelerators, incubators, or collaboration spaces at your university. Founders can pick the game up and run through the questions themselves or with friends.

CIDs are encouraged to add their own questions based on specific problems they have found their students have faced, or based on specific programs they are running (ex. adding health tech questions for founders in a health tech incubator). Founders, mentors, and visiting speakers can be asked to add in their own questions when they visit.

This information game subtly instills in founders the idea that they should be active in looking at their idea through many angles and seek out potential problems rather than reacting when unforeseen problems arise.

A beginning pack of lenses CIDs can use are listed below:

Regulatory and Compliance

• Are there any new or upcoming regulations that could affect our industry or product?
• Which local laws do we need to be aware of for our operations?
• Which state laws do we need to be aware of for our operations?
• Which international laws do we need to be aware of for our operations?
• What industry standards do we need to meet?

Intellectual Property (IP)

• Does any part of our product need trademarks, patents, and copyrights?
• Is there a risk of infringing on someone else’s IP?
• Do our contracts with freelancers and third-party contributors include IP assignment clauses?
• Have we conducted a thorough search to ensure our brand names and logos do not infringe on existing trademarks?
• Have we registered all variations of our brand name and logo to protect against potential misuse?
• Are we properly documenting all inventions and ideas for potential patents?
• Have we evaluated the cost and benefit of patenting certain technologies or keeping them as trade secrets?
• Are there ongoing patent filings or maintenance requirements we need to monitor?
• Do we have protocols in place to safeguard confidential information (e.g., NDAs, data encryption)?
• Are all employees and collaborators aware of what constitutes a trade secret and how to protect it?
• What measures do we have for detecting and responding to leaks of proprietary information?
• Have we registered copyrights for all relevant content, such as software, written materials, or multimedia?
• Are we aware of the duration of protection provided by copyright laws, and are there renewals we should prepare for?
• Have we verified that any content we use from third parties is licensed or in the public domain to avoid infringement?

Contracts and Agreements

• Do our contracts include key clauses such as indemnification, liability limits, and termination conditions?
• Are all of our contracts clear, enforceable, and comprehensive?
• Have we set clear terms for contract renewals, modifications, and terminations?
• Do our partnership agreements outline the scope of work, roles, and responsibilities clearly?
• Have we included dispute resolution mechanisms and governing law clauses in our agreements?
• Are there provisions for confidentiality, non-compete, and non-solicitation to protect our interests?
• Are there penalties or protections outlined in case a supplier fails to meet their obligations?
• Do we have clear terms for payment schedules, pricing adjustments, and service level expectations?
• Have we included clauses to ensure continuity in case of supplier bankruptcy or other issues?
• Who owns the work we do for clients?
• What consequences are outlined if either party breaches the contract, and are they reasonable?

Data Privacy and Security

• Are we compliant with relevant data protection regulations such as GDPR, CCPA, or other local laws?
• What measures do we have in place to protect customer and employee data from breaches?
• Do we have a data usage policies for customers and partners?
• Have we prepared a response plan in case of a data breach, and is it legally sound?

Employment Law

• Are our employee contracts compliant with local, national, and international employment laws?
• Do we have clear policies on wages and benefits?
• Do we have a policy for nondiscrimination?
• What is the distinction between employees and independent contractors?
• What is your process in place for hiring someone?

Licensing and Partnerships

• What are the licensing requirements for the software, technology, or processes we use?
• Do our partnerships comply with antitrust and competition laws?

Liabilities and Insurance

• What types of insurance do we have (e.g., general liability, professional liability, cyber insurance) to mitigate potential legal claims?
• Is our product liable if it has defects or failures?
• Are there any coverage exclusions in our current policies that could leave us vulnerable?
• What scenarios are not covered by our existing insurance, and how can we address them?
• Do we need professional liability insurance to cover claims related to services we provide and claims we advertise?
• Is our business protected against losses from data breaches, cyberattacks, and ransomware incidents?
• Does our policy cover data recovery, notification costs, and potential lawsuits from affected clients?

Taxation and Financial Compliance

• What tax form did we file last year?
• How are we maintaining accurate financial records in case of an audit?
• Have we identified and registered for all required tax IDs, including federal Employer Identification Number (EIN) and state IDs?
• If we operate in more than one jurisdiction, are we aware of filing deadlines for different jurisdictions where we operate?
• What are the specific deadlines for quarterly and annual tax filings?
• Are there industry-specific taxes or regulations we need to comply with, such as excise taxes or environmental fees?
• How does our business structure (e.g., LLC, C-Corp, S-Corp) affect our tax obligations and benefits?
• Would changing our business structure lead to more favorable tax outcomes?
• How do we manage personal versus business tax responsibilities for owners?
• What business expenses are deductible, and how can we maximize legitimate deductions (e.g., office supplies, travel, software subscriptions)?
• Are we withholding and remitting the correct federal, state, and local payroll taxes for all employees?
• How long do we need to retain tax records, receipts, and supporting documentation to meet IRS and state guidelines?

Litigation and Dispute Resolution

• What is our plan for how to handle potential legal disputes, including alternative dispute resolution (ADR) options?
• What are our strategy for protecting against lawsuits from customers, competitors, or former employees?
• What jurisdictional laws apply to disputes involving our business?

Ethical and Reputational Risks

• What ethical concerns might emerge in our field?
• How are we ensuring that our products or services are safe and reliable for users?
• Could our product or service have unintended negative consequences on society, the environment, or specific groups of people?
• How do we assess and mitigate potential harm that could arise from the use of our products?
• If we use algorithms or AI, are we ensuring that they are free from bias and do not discriminate against certain groups?

Market

• Who are our competitors?
• What cultural shifts are happening that can impact our market?
• How could shifts in customer demographics or preferences impact our current product offerings?
• What emerging trends or technologies could disrupt our market in the next few years?
• What strengths do our competitors have that we might be underestimating?

Competitor Landscape

• Are there indirect competitors or substitutes in adjacent markets we haven’t analyzed?
• What competitive advantages do we think we have that could be more fragile than they seem?
• Could a major player enter our space and disrupt our current position?
• Are we aware of potential new entrants or startups that might target our niche?
• What barriers to entry exist for new competitors, and are we reinforcing our own market position?

Data and Analytics

• Are there gaps in our data collection that could hinder our decision-making?
• Could there be biases in how we’re interpreting our data that skew our understanding of the market?
• Are we prepared to act on data that contradicts our assumptions or strategy?
• What data do we need but are not collecting or analyzing?

Partnerships and Collaborations

• Are we over-relying on any partnerships, and what would happen if they dissolved?
• What risks are we exposing ourselves to by partnering with certain companies or individuals?
• Could there be strategic partners we haven’t considered that could significantly help our business?
• Are there potential conflicts of interest with our partners that we’ve overlooked?

Operations and Logistics

• Are there bottlenecks in our supply chain that could disrupt our operations if unforeseen issues arise?
• What would we do if our primary supplier or manufacturer ceased operations unexpectedly?
• Are there potential inefficiencies or points of failure in our processes that we haven’t considered?
• How might external factors (e.g., natural disasters, geopolitical events) impact our operations?
• How could fluctuations in raw material prices or shipping costs affect our profitability?
• Are we monitoring for potential shifts in supply chain costs due to changes in global trade agreements?
• Do we have secondary suppliers or backup options in case our main suppliers can’t deliver?
• How easy would it be to pivot to different suppliers or change the structure of our supply chain if needed?

Global Operations and Expansion

• What international trade laws or export controls must we comply with?
• Are there any foreign investment regulations that could impact our business operations?
• How do local labor and corporate laws differ in the new markets we are expanding to?
• Are we aware of any foreign data storage or transfer laws that could impact our operations?
• Are there upcoming laws or regulations that could change the landscape for our market?
• How might changes in trade policies or tariffs affect our access to certain markets?
• How would economic downturns or fluctuations in currency rates affect our market position?
• What macroeconomic factors are we not considering that could influence customer spending?

Intellectual Property in Open Source

• Are we using any open-source software, and have we reviewed the associated licenses to ensure compliance?
• How do our current IP policies cover the integration and distribution of open-source components?
• Are there risks of using open-source materials that could lead to legal disputes or require public disclosure of proprietary code?

Sustainability

• Are we taking steps to minimize our environmental footprint in our operations and supply chain?
• How do we source materials and partners that adhere to environmentally responsible practices?
• What is one way we can we reduce waste, emissions, and resource consumption without significantly raising costs?
• Could we face potential regulatory or reputational issues for using certain non-sustainable materials?

Emotion

• What emotions do I want people to feel towards my company and how are they reinforced during customer interactions from sign-up, to weekly emails, to memories of my company?

Venue

• What is the best venue to reach my customers at?
• What venue best expresses the experience I want my customers to have towards my company?
• What properties about the venue imbue the experience I want people to have?

Surprise

• What way can I surprise my first customer to not simply give them a product or service, but delight them?
• What elements of that experience with my first customer can I scale up to many customers?
• Are there elements that are hidden, unique, or different about my product or service versus competitors?

Motivation

• What ways in the design of my product or service have I lowered the energy people need to exert to interact with my company?
• What motivates people to interact with my company?
• Is there a gap between customer interest and customer purchase? How big is that gap?
• What larger human goals (the search for food, shelter, or larger meaning) does my product or service tap into?
• What are the motivations of the people who use my product or service external or internal?
• Are there conflicting motivations of different groups who interact with my company?

Problems

• What problems is my company solving?
• How are people currently solving the problem my product or service solves?
• What metric are customers who use my product or service judged on that makes them better succeed in time or money by using my product?

Time

• How much time do people interact with my product or service? Do they want to be spending more time or less time with this interaction?

Pathways

• How many times can a person use my product or service?
• Is my company easily understood by newcomers?
• Is there a way the use of my product or service deepens after longer use? How can I develop levels (newcomer, expert, etc.) to want people to keep coming back and growing their commitment?

Virtual vs. Physical

• What would an all-physical version of my product or service look like?
• What would a fully automated version of my company look like?

Channels

• What data is the most fundamental on my platform?
• What data is exchanged between different parties in my company?
• On what channels am I transmitting this data? (face-to-face, phone, text, web)

Policy

• Are there potential policies that could impact our product or service?
• If our product or service exists in more than one place, is there different policies that impact these different places?
• How might changing zoning laws or local ordinances impact our projects or services?
• Are we prepared for shifts in real estate market trends due to economic, environmental, or social factors?
• What would happen if a major shift occurred in remote work trends that changed office space demand?

AI

• How do we ensure that our AI models are free from biases that could affect outputs or user experience?
• Are we continuously testing for bias and refining our algorithms to prevent unintended consequences?
• What steps are we taking to ensure data accuracy and prevent skewed results due to poor data quality?
• How do we communicate the limitations and capabilities of our AI systems to users and stakeholders?
• Can our AI models adapt to changes in data trends over time, or are they static and prone to becoming outdated?
• How easy is it to update or retrain our models as new data becomes available?
• Are there safeguards that allow users to control or override AI-driven decisions?
• Can our current AI infrastructure scale with increased user demand or data processing requirements?
• Do we fully own the IP for our models, or are there dependencies on third-party technology or data?
• Are we compliant with relevant data privacy laws (e.g., GDPR, CCPA) when collecting and processing user data?
• How do we handle user consent for data collection and use in training our AI models?
• How might new regulations impact our ability to develop or deploy AI solutions?
• What measures do we have in place to protect our AI systems from being tampered with or compromised?
• How do we guard against adversarial attacks that could manipulate our AI’s behavior?
• How secure is the user data we collect and store for training and operations?
• Are there safeguards to prevent our technology from being repurposed in harmful ways?
• How do we manage the energy consumption and resources used by our AI infrastructure?