A sample lesson · Validate
Test the problem before you build the solution.
Spend 20 minutes preparing, then have three short conversations with people who experience the problem. You will leave with a clearer question to test, even if your original idea changes.
Free to try. No account needed. The example below is fictional teaching material, not a student result or testimonial.
01 · Make the problem specific
“Students need a productivity app” is too broad to test. Choose one person and one recurring situation.
School club treasurers spend time matching event payments to signups because the records are scattered across messages.
Write your own: [Specific person] struggles with [specific task] when [situation]. Today they use [workaround]. If you cannot name three people to talk to, narrow the audience first.
02 · Ask about the last time
Ask permission for a short conversation. Do not record or publish anyone’s information without permission. You are learning what happened, not trying to collect compliments.
- Tell me about the last time you did this task.
- What steps did you take? Where did you get stuck?
- What did the workaround cost in time or money?
- What have you tried to change? What happened?
Keep an evidence log: what the person said or did, what you think it means, and what you still do not know. Separate those three columns.
03 · A worked feedback example
First draft: “Three friends liked my payment app idea, so I will build it.”
Sample feedback: Liking an idea does not tell you whether the problem matters. Were those friends the people responsible for collecting payments? Ask for a recent example. Find out how often the problem happens, how they solve it today, and whether they will try one small improvement.
Stronger next step: “Talk to three club treasurers about their most recent event. If a recurring mismatch is costing them time, offer to test a simple tracking sheet with one treasurer’s permission. Use sample records first; do not collect anyone’s card details.”
What would change your mind? If their current process works well, investigate a different problem. Three interviews guide the next test; they do not prove market demand.
Your submission
One problem statement, three sets of interview notes, one assumption you revised, and the next test you will run. In the cohort, submit that work as an assignment and bring it to office hours for feedback.