Before you build, ask better questions.

A product idea becomes easier to assess when you can describe the buyer, the problem and the evidence you still need.

1. Name a specific buyer

Write “a freelance designer organising client handovers” instead of “anyone who wants to be productive”. What are they trying to finish?

2. Look at the work they do today

What do they already use? Where do they repeat a step, lose information or need help? Make a list of questions rather than assuming every inconvenience will lead to a purchase.

3. Separate signals from proof

A shop’s lifetime sales count does not tell you how many copies of one product it sold. A listed price does not establish its revenue. Record the source and date of each observation, along with what it does not tell you.

4. Test one useful piece

Build the smallest resource that addresses the problem. Ask someone in the intended audience to use it and explain where they get stuck. Improve that experience before making a large bundle.

Make your shortlist

For each idea, write down the buyer, problem, competing alternatives, evidence and next question. If you want a starting set of categories and shop examples, explore the research guide below.