# Lean Impact: How to Innovate for Radically Greater Social Good - Hardcover

by **Ann Mei Chang** (Author), **Eric Ries** (Foreword by)

Despite enormous investments of time and money, are we making a dent on the social and environmental challenges of our time? What if we could exponentially increase our impact?

Around the world, a new generation is looking beyond greater profits, for meaningful purpose. But, unlike business, few social interventions have achieved significant impact at scale. Inspired by the modern innovation practices, popularized by bestseller The Lean Startup, that have fueled technology breakthroughs touching every aspect of our lives, _Lean Impact_ turns our attention to a new goal - radically greater social good.

Social change is far more complicated than building a new app. It requires more listening, more care, and more stakeholders. To make a lasting difference, solutions must be embraced by beneficiaries, address root causes, and include an engine that can accelerate growth to reach the scale of the need. _Lean Impact_ offers bold ideas to reach audacious goals through customer insight, rapid experimentation and iteration, and a relentless pursuit of impact.

Ann Mei Chang brings a unique perspective from across sectors, from her years as a tech executive in Silicon Valley to her most recent experience as the Chief Innovation Officer at USAID. She vividly illustrates the book with real stories from interviews with over 200 organizations across the US and around the world.

Whether you are a nonprofit, social enterprise, triple bottom line company, foundation, government agency, philanthropist, impact investor, or simply donate your time and money, _Lean Impact_ is an essential guide to maximizing social impact and scale.

### Front Jacket

**L**_ean Impact_ is a hands-on guide designed to exponentially increase the impact of our time and money. Building on the modern innovation practices that have fueled the technological breakthroughs that have touched every aspect of our lives, _Lean Impact_ puts the focus on a new purpose--radically great social good. Of course, making the world a better place is far more complicated than building an app. It involves more listening, more care, and more stakeholders to ensure solutions are fully embraced, address root causes, and include an engine that will drive growth. _Lean Impact_ offers practical tools and strategies that are inspired by the customer-centered, fast iteration, and data-driven approaches popularized by _The New York Times_ bestseller, _The Lean Startup_.

_Lean Impact_ is designed to maximize social benefit in the face of the complex challenges in today's world. At the heart of the model is the scientific method that relies on hypothesis-driven experiments to reduce risk and increase the pace of learning. It accepts the reality that no solution is likely to be designed perfectly at the outset, thus the ability to rapidly adapt is essential. _Lean Impact_ draws on best practices from _The Lean Startup_ and beyond and introduces new techniques that are tailored to the unique nature and needs of mission-driven organizations. This combination of scientific rigor and entrepreneurial agility can dramatically increase both the depth and breadth of an organization's impact.

Ann Mei Chang brings a rare perspective from across sectors, with her executive roles at top Silicon Valley companies, nonprofits, and government. She vividly illustrates the book with the inspiring, real-life stories and lessons from nonprofits, social enterprises, companies, foundations, government agencies, philanthropists, and impact investors across the United States and around the world.

_Lean Impact_ is the essential guidebook for social change that will help you think big, start small, and relentlessly seek impact.

### Back Jacket

**PRAISE FOR LEAN IMPACT**

"Ann Mei shines a light on our need for better solutions that can reach far greater scale. Her compelling book, _Lean Impact_, shows how this can be achieved by bringing together the best practices, resources, and expertise across business, nonprofits, and government. It will change the way you think about social impact." --**Henrietta Holsman Fore,** Executive Director, UNICEF

"Nonprofit leaders are all too often bombarded with for-profit strategies that simply do not apply to our very different sector. _Lean Impact_ is different. I have already applied some of its lessons, to great benefit, and would recommend it heartily to anyone interested in making social change at scale."  
**\--Anne-Marie Slaughter,** President and CEO, New America

"In _Lean Impact,_ Ann Mei Chang applies an engineering-like mindset to the challenge of achieving positive social impact. This provocative book provides readers a useful way to think about driving change. Her approach should be useful for environmentalists who seek to protect nature at scale--rather than one project at a time."  
**\--Mark R. Tercek,** President and CEO, The Nature Conservancy and author of _Nature's Fortune_

"We are living in a pivotal moment where rapid advancements in science, technology, and innovation make it more possible than ever to give all people the chance at a better life. Ann Mei's call to embrace innovation to advance the cause of social justice will help reshape the way we think about fighting inequity around the world."  
**\--Dr. Rajiv J. Shah,** President, The Rockefeller Foundation

"With equal parts passion, practicality and specificity, Ann Mei Chang has deployed her broad and deep experiences in social transformation to provide the missing link between good work and undeniable impact. Simply put, this is a 'must have' resource for the faith-based community and anyone serious about making each dollar work for the marginalized."  
**\--Dr. Carolyn Woo,** Former CEO, Catholic Relief Services

"_Lean Impact_ will help all of us make the world a better place through careful listening, rigorous experimentation, and constant improvement."  
**\--Eric Schmidt,** former Executive Chairman, Alphabet

### Author Biography

**ANN MEI CHANG** is the Executive Director of Lean Impact at Lean Startup Company. Previously, she served at USAID (one of the largest funders of international development) as Chief Innovation Officer and the Executive Director of the U.S. Global Development Lab. Prior to her pivot to social good, Ann Mei was a seasoned Silicon Valley executive, with more than twenty years' experience at such leading companies as Google, Apple, and Intuit, as well as a number of startups.

**Number of Pages:** 304

**Dimensions:** 1 x 8.8 x 5.8 IN

**Illustrated:** Yes

**Publication Date:** October 30, 2018

## Details

- **Price:** 32.0 USD
- **Vendor:** Books by splitShops
- **Type:** Books
- **Tags:** Books by splitShops, Shopify Collective

## Variants

| Variant | Price | Available |
|---------|-------|-----------|
| Default Title | 32.00 USD | In stock |

## Images

- Lean Impact: How to Innovate for Radically Greater Social Good - Hardcover
- Lean Impact: How to Innovate for Radically Greater Social Good - Hardcover
- Lean Impact: How to Innovate for Radically Greater Social Good - Hardcover

---

> Source: [Smart supply deals](https://smartsupplydeals.com/products/lean-impact-how-to-innovate-for-radically-greater-social-good-hardcover)
> Updated: 2026-07-23