Section 4c — Making Solution Hypotheses
Writing Your Hypothesis: The If-Then Format
Now let's learn how to actually write a hypothesis. The most effective format for entrepreneurial hypotheses is the If-Then format:
"If [I do X], then [Y will happen] for [target group]."
This format has three parts:
- The action (If I do X) — what you will offer, build, or change
- The predicted outcome (then Y will happen) — what you expect to result
- The target group (for Z) — who specifically will benefit
What Makes a Good Hypothesis
A strong hypothesis is:
- Specific — Not "people will be happier" but "students will improve their Somali vocabulary by 20% after 8 weeks"
- Testable — You can actually run an experiment or gather evidence to see if it's true or false
- Falsifiable — It's possible to prove the hypothesis wrong (if it can't be proven wrong, it's not a real hypothesis)
- Based on evidence — It should connect to what you learned in your 5W1H research and Module 2 validation
Examples of Weak vs. Strong Hypotheses
Weak: "If I start a language program, kids will learn Somali."
- Too vague — "learn Somali" means different things to different people
- Not specific about who, how much, or over what timeframe
Strong: "If I offer a weekly 2-hour Somali language class for children ages 6–12 at a community centre in Herongate, then at least 10 families will enroll within the first month."
- Specific: weekly, 2 hours, ages 6–12, at a community centre, in Herongate
- Testable: you can count how many families enroll
- Falsifiable: you'll know within a month if it works or not
The Purpose of Hypotheses
Remember: a hypothesis is not about being right. It's about learning. If your hypothesis turns out to be wrong, that's valuable information — it tells you what to change.
The goal is to test your ideas cheaply and quickly before investing significant time and resources into building the full solution.