Section 4c - Making solution hypothesis

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:

1. The action (If I do X) — what you will offer, build, or change
2. The predicted outcome (then Y will happen) — what you expect to result
3. 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.