Step 1 Startup Idea Breakdown

Ideas come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. They can range from embryonic to more substantial forms. Whatever form it is in, it needs to be structured in a way that facilitates breaking it apart and checking each element of the idea. For this reason, the idea must have clearly defined elements, so you’ll structure it in the following way:

For (Target Audience) who have (Problem), our (Solution) helps them to achieve (Goal). Based on ‘Crossing The Chasm – Geoffrey Moore'

When you have an idea or someone tells you their idea, what do you need in order to assess it? Problem, Solution, Target Audience and Goal. Based on your experience within that domain you’ll then say what you think of the idea.

Which means if you have no experience, you can’t judge the idea with any degree of validity. Furthermore, experience is subjective, and thus the elements are assumptions to whatever degree. And the assumptions need validating.

The UI in this step is straight forward: text prompts and empty text boxes within which you submit the requested information.

2: Problem Research