Idea Validation: Problem

Family Tree

Verify that manual implementations exist for what you plan to automate

Illustration of Family Tree
Run a Family Tree play

Difficulty: Intermediate

Evidence strength
25

Relevant metrics: Jobs to be done ranking, Ranking needs, wants, desires, pains, Observations

Validates: Desirability

How: Investigate whether someone has already written a script or spreadsheet macro to solve the same problem or whether people are already following a checklist to prevent a category of errors. If manual implementations exist, there is a good chance you found a problem worth solving.

Why: Replacing workarounds rather than reengineering the experience from scratch lets users stay in the same mental model and thus entails less cognitive energy on changing their behavior into using your new solution.

This experiment is part of the Validation Patterns printed card deck

A collection of 60 product experiments that will validate your idea in a matter of days, not months. They are regularly used by product builders at companies like Google, Facebook, Dropbox, and Amazon.

Get your deck!

Before the experiment

The first thing to do when planning any kind of test or experiment, is to figure out what you want to test. To make critical assumptions explicit, fill out an experiment sheet as you prepare your test. We created a sample sheet for you to get started. Download the Experiment Sheet.

After the experiment

To make sure you move forward, it is a good idea to systematically record your the insights you learned and what actions or decisions follow. We created a sample Learning Sheet, that will help you capture insights in the process of turning your product ideas successful. Download the Learning Sheet.

Want to learn more?

Receive a hand picked list of the best reads on building products that matter every week. Curated by Anders Toxboe. Published every Tuesday.

No spam! Unsubscribe with a single click at any time.

Set goals

Convert empathy to clarity by refining insights into problem definitions

Ice Breakers

Relieve initial group awkwardness and establish a safe space

Community events
Product Loop

Product Loop provides an opportunity for Product professionals and their peers to exchange ideas and experiences about Product Design, Development and Management, Business Modelling, Metrics, User Experience and all the other things that get us excited.

Join our community

Made with in Copenhagen, Denmark

Want to learn more about about good product development, then browse our product playbooks.