Guide 05

Before committing to a major build

Mapped

The situation

You are about to spend months, money, or a team on a build. People have said the problem is real. Few of them have done anything costly to prove it.

The decision at stake

Whether to commit to this build, or to a smaller test, based on what customers have already done rather than what they have praised.

This guide is mapped. You can answer the questions and keep a note. The full essay, contrasting examples, and the longer branch for founders who have already acted are not written yet. Output to aim for: Customer-evidence map and next test.

Questions to start the note

This guide is mapped, not finished. The situation, the decision, and the questions are here so you can start a record. The full evidence, the contrasting examples, and the longer “already acted” branch are not written yet.

1.Your name
2.Company
3.The build you are about to commit to
4.Which customers have done something costly, not only said they are interested?
5.What is the smallest next test, and what result would stop the build?
6.What are you about to build that a manual process could test first?
7.Who owns the problem, and how often does it actually happen?
8.What did you learn from the last thing you shipped?
9.What will you not build this quarter?
10.If the build has started, what evidence would still make you stop?

Saved on this device.

Open your record