Foundations

Lessons in This Module

1. Lesson 1

   Prototype, MVP, and Production Product

   Learn how prototypes, MVPs, and production products differ in purpose, reliability, testing, operational risk, safeguards, and readiness for real users.

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2. Lesson 2

   Start with the User’s Problem

   A user problem is a specific obstacle, cost, delay, or unmet need experienced by an identifiable group in a real situation. Learn the founder decision, practical evidence, and warning signs that matter.

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3. Lesson 3

   Find the Core Workflow

   The core workflow is the shortest complete sequence through which the intended user receives the product's central value. Learn the founder decision, practical evidence, and warning signs that matter.

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4. Lesson 4

   Features, Requirements, and Assumptions

   A feature is a product capability, a requirement states a condition it must satisfy, and an assumption is an unproven belief behind the plan. Learn the founder decision, practical evidence, and warning signs that matter.

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5. Lesson 5

   Writing Useful Acceptance Criteria

   Acceptance criteria are observable conditions used to decide whether a workflow or requirement has been completed correctly. Learn the founder decision, practical evidence, and warning signs that matter.

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6. Lesson 6

   Reducing Scope Without Removing Value

   Scope reduction removes secondary users, variations, integrations, or automation while preserving the product's smallest useful outcome. Learn the founder decision, practical evidence, and warning signs that matter.

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7. Lesson 7

   Estimating Technical Complexity

   Technical complexity is the uncertainty and coordination created by rules, integrations, data, permissions, scale, and operational consequences. Learn the founder decision, practical evidence, and warning signs that matter.

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8. Lesson 8

   When an MVP Is Ready to Launch

   An MVP is ready to launch when its core workflow works for the intended users and its remaining risks are understood, owned, and proportionate. Learn the founder decision, practical evidence, and warning signs that matter.

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9. Lesson 9

   When Vibe Coding Is No Longer Enough

   Vibe coding becomes insufficient when the product's consequences exceed the team's ability to review, test, operate, and explain the generated system. Learn the founder decision, practical evidence, and warning signs that matter.

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10. Lesson 10

    Preparing an MVP Build Brief

    An MVP build brief is a decision record describing the user, problem, core workflow, rules, boundaries, acceptance criteria, and operating expectations. Learn the founder decision, practical evidence, and warning signs that matter.

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