In the Lean Startup Methodology, what is the primary purpose of hypothesis-based probing?

Hypothesis‑based probing is used to turn vague guesses into testable questions, so the team can see early whether their ideas actually work. By writing down a clear assumption—like “customers will buy a subscription if it saves time”—the startup can design a simple experiment to confirm or reject that idea. The result of the experiment tells the team whether to keep, tweak, or abandon the idea, saving time and money. For example, a startup might test whether a new app feature really makes users finish tasks faster by offering a free trial to a small group and measuring completion times. This focused testing lets the startup make data‑driven decisions instead of guessing.