12 · Capstone: your validation plan
Build a real validation plan you can run THIS WEEK for YOUR own idea — using AI as a prep-and-digest assistant and reality as the judge. Work through all six pieces below (write them out somewhere: a doc, a notebook, or by asking an AI tool to help you draft and then verifying and rewriting in your own words). Each item names a piece and asks you to type the ONE KEYWORD shown to confirm you've drafted it — the explanation then shows what a strong version does. The real work is your written plan; this just walks you through the checklist.
1. PIECE 1 — Write your riskiest ASSUMPTION as one sentence: the belief that, if wrong, kills the idea (usually 'people have this pain and will pay to fix it'). Done? Type the keyword: assumption
2. PIECE 2 — Name the REAL people you'll talk to (who and how you'll reach 5–10 of them) — NOT your friends or an AI persona. Done? Type the keyword: people
3. PIECE 3 — Draft 3 open, behavioral QUESTIONS (about what people did, not 'would you use this?'). Done? Type the keyword: questions
4. PIECE 4 — Describe the cheapest TEST you'll run (landing page, waitlist, or pre-sell) and the one HONEST action you'll measure. Done? Type the keyword: test
5. PIECE 5 — Name the real SIGNAL that counts as a 'yes' (sign-ups, pre-orders, payments — not likes) and your rough honest market size. Done? Type the keyword: signal
6. PIECE 6 — Write your DECISION rule IN ADVANCE: what result makes you persevere, pivot, or stop — and how you'll guard against confirmation bias. Done? Type the keyword: decide