Idea Generation Skill - Business Idea Validation & Market Analysis

This Skill helps generate, validate, and refine product ideas using proven PM frameworks and templates.

When to Use This Skill

Use this Skill when you need to:

• •Generate new product or feature ideas
• •Validate business concepts
• •Analyze market opportunities
• •Research competition
• •Evaluate product-market fit
• •Create Lean Canvas
• •Assess problem-solution fit

Core Process

Step 1: Idea Extraction

From user input, identify:

• •Core Concept: What is the product/feature?
• •Problem: What problem does it solve?
• •Target Users: Who experiences this problem?
• •Value Proposition: Why is this solution better?

If information is missing, ask targeted questions:

• •"What specific problem are you trying to solve?"
• •"Who experiences this problem most acutely?"
• •"What alternatives exist today?"
• •"Why is now the right time for this solution?"

Step 2: Use Reference Templates

Always read these templates first:

# Use Read tool to access:
/reference/idea-templates/lean-canvas-template.md
/reference/idea-templates/problem-solution-fit.md
/reference/idea-templates/market-analysis-guide.md

These templates provide:

• •Lean Canvas structure
• •Problem-Solution Fit framework
• •Market sizing methodology (TAM/SAM/SOM)
• •Competitive analysis templates
• •PESTLE analysis guide
• •Customer persona templates

Step 3: Apply Frameworks

Lean Canvas

Fill out all 9 boxes:

1. •

   Problem (Top 3)

   • •What are the biggest problems?
   • •Existing alternatives people use today
2. •

   Customer Segments

   • •Early adopters (who needs this most?)
   • •User persona details
3. •

   Unique Value Proposition

   • •Single, clear, compelling message
   • •High-level concept ("X for Y")
4. •

   Solution (Top 3 Features)

   • •Minimum features to solve the problem
   • •MVP scope
5. •

   Channels

   • •How to reach customers
   • •Inbound vs outbound strategies
6. •

   Revenue Streams

   • •How to make money
   • •Pricing model
7. •

   Cost Structure

   • •Fixed and variable costs
   • •CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost)
8. •

   Key Metrics

   • •What to measure
   • •Success indicators
9. •

   Unfair Advantage

   • •What can't be easily copied
   • •Sustainable competitive advantage

Problem-Solution Fit

Phase 1: Problem Identification

• •Problem statement (clear, specific)
• •Who experiences it (target segment)
• •When it occurs (context)
• •Why it matters (pain level 1-10)

Problem Validation:

• •Customer interviews needed (min. 10)
• •Market research data
• •Competitor analysis
• •Evidence of pain severity

Phase 2: Solution Design

• •Solution hypothesis
• •MVP features (must-have only)
• •Differentiation from alternatives

Phase 3: Validation Plan

• •How to test with users
• •Success criteria
• •Metrics to track

Market Analysis

Market Sizing (TAM/SAM/SOM):

TAM (Total Addressable Market):

• •Total market demand
• •Calculation: Top-down or bottom-up
• •Data sources: Industry reports, government stats

SAM (Serviceable Available Market):

• •Portion of TAM you can reach
• •Filter by geography, product fit, regulations

SOM (Serviceable Obtainable Market):

• •Realistic market share (1-5 years)
• •Consider competition, resources, GTM strategy

Example:

Product: AI Study Planner for College Students

TAM: $5B (Global edtech for higher education)
SAM: $500M (US college students, study tools segment)
SOM: $25M (5% market share in 3 years, 500K users × $50 ARPU)

Competitive Analysis:

Create comparison table:

PESTLE Analysis:

• •Political: Regulations, policies
• •Economic: GDP, unemployment, inflation
• •Social: Demographics, lifestyle trends
• •Technological: Innovation, automation
• •Legal: Laws, compliance
• •Environmental: Sustainability, climate

Persona Creation:

## Persona: [Name]

### Demographics
- Age: 20-24
- Location: US, urban areas
- Education: Undergraduate
- Income: $0-20K (part-time work)

### Goals
- Graduate with good GPA
- Balance studies with social life
- Prepare for career

### Pain Points
- Overwhelmed by multiple deadlines
- Poor time estimation
- Procrastination
- Lack of study structure

### Current Solutions
- Google Calendar (too manual)
- Physical planner (easy to lose track)
- Sticky notes (disorganized)

### Technology
- Proficiency: High
- Devices: Laptop, smartphone
- Apps used: Notion, Spotify, Instagram

### Quote
"I know what I need to do, I just can't figure out when to do it all."

### Jobs-to-be-Done
When I have multiple assignments due,
I want an automated study plan,
So I can focus on learning instead of planning.

Step 4: Generate Validation Report

Output Structure:

# [Product Name] - Idea Validation Report

## Executive Summary
[2-3 sentences: What it is, who it's for, why it matters]

## Problem Statement
**Problem:** [Clear, specific description]
**Who:** [Target users]
**Pain Level:** [X/10]
**Frequency:** [How often]
**Current Alternatives:** [What people use today]

## Solution Overview
**Core Solution:** [How it solves the problem]
**Key Features:**
1. [Feature 1]
2. [Feature 2]
3. [Feature 3]

**Differentiation:** [What makes this unique]

## Market Opportunity
### Market Size
- TAM: $X billion
- SAM: $Y million
- SOM: $Z million (realistic 3-year target)

### Market Trends
- [Trend 1: Growth driver]
- [Trend 2: Tailwind]
- [Trend 3: Opportunity]

### Customer Segments
[Persona details]

## Competitive Landscape
[Comparison table]

**Our Positioning:** [Where we fit in the market]

## Business Model
**Revenue Streams:**
- [Primary: Subscription at $X/month]
- [Secondary: Premium features]

**Unit Economics (Projected):**
- LTV: $X (based on Y month retention, $Z ARPU)
- CAC: $A (via B channels)
- LTV/CAC: C:1 [Target: 3:1+]
- Payback: D months [Target: <12]

**Pricing Strategy:**
- Freemium with premium tier
- Free: [Basic features]
- Pro: $X/month [Advanced features]
- Benchmark: [Compared to competitors]

## Validation Plan
**Next Steps:**
1. Customer Interviews (Target: 20 interviews)
   - Script: [Key questions]
   - Timeline: [2 weeks]

2. MVP Development
   - Features: [Minimum viable features]
   - Timeline: [6-8 weeks]

3. Beta Testing
   - Users: [50-100 early adopters]
   - Success Metrics: [Activation rate >40%, retention >30%]

4. Go/No-Go Decision
   - Criteria: [Problem validated, users willing to pay, NPS >30]
   - Timeline: [3 months from now]

## Risk Assessment
| Risk | Probability | Impact | Mitigation |
|------|-------------|--------|------------|
| Low user adoption | Medium | High | Validate with interviews first |
| Strong competition | High | Medium | Focus on differentiation |
| Technical complexity | Low | Medium | Prototype early |
| Market timing | Low | High | Launch MVP quickly |

## Success Metrics
**Phase 1: Validation (Month 1-3)**
- 20 customer interviews completed
- Problem validated by 80%+ of interviewees
- 100 beta signups

**Phase 2: MVP (Month 4-6)**
- 1,000 signups
- 40% activation rate
- 30% Day-7 retention
- NPS >30

**Phase 3: Growth (Month 7-12)**
- 10,000 active users
- 20% MoM growth
- 10% free-to-paid conversion
- $10K MRR

## Go/No-Go Recommendation
**Recommendation:** [GO / NO-GO / PIVOT]

**Reasoning:**
- [Strength 1]
- [Strength 2]
- [Risk 1 to address]

**Confidence Level:** [High / Medium / Low]

**Suggested Next Action:**
[Specific, actionable next step]

Best Practices

For Idea Generation

✅ Do:

• •Start with a clear problem statement
• •Validate problem before solution
• •Research existing alternatives thoroughly
• •Talk to real potential users
• •Be specific about target segment
• •Estimate market size realistically
• •Consider business model early

❌ Don't:

• •Fall in love with solution before validating problem
• •Claim "no competitors" (there are always alternatives)
• •Overestimate market size
• •Skip customer research
• •Ignore unit economics
• •Build for everyone (too broad)

For Market Analysis

✅ Do:

• •Use multiple data sources (triangulate)
• •Cite sources for market size
• •Analyze both direct and indirect competitors
• •Identify market trends (tailwinds/headwinds)
• •Consider regulatory environment
• •Assess timing (why now?)

❌ Don't:

• •Rely on single source for TAM
• •Ignore competitive threats
• •Assume unlimited market
• •Overlook barriers to entry
• •Forget about market timing

For Validation

✅ Do:

• •Define clear success criteria
• •Plan systematic customer research
• •Test riskiest assumptions first
• •Set realistic timelines
• •Identify metrics to track
• •Plan go/no-go decision points

❌ Don't:

• •Skip validation (build first, ask later)
• •Only talk to friends/family
• •Ask leading questions
• •Ignore negative feedback
• •Confuse "nice idea" with "would pay"

Output Guidelines

Format:

• •Markdown with clear headings
• •Tables for comparisons
• •Bullet points for clarity
• •Bold for key insights
• •Data-driven (cite sources)

Tone:

• •Objective and balanced
• •Realistic, not overly optimistic
• •Data-driven, not speculative
• •Actionable recommendations

Length:

• •Executive Summary: 2-3 sentences
• •Full Report: 5-10 pages
• •Each section: Comprehensive but concise

Example Usage

User Input: "I want to build an app that helps remote workers find co-working buddies"

Skill Activation:

1. •Read reference templates
2. •Ask clarifying questions:
   • •"What specific problem do remote workers have with working alone?"
   • •"How do they currently find co-working buddies?"
   • •"What would make them choose your app over just using social media?"
3. •Apply Lean Canvas framework
4. •Conduct market sizing
5. •Research competitors (existing apps, social platforms, co-working spaces)
6. •Create persona (remote worker profile)
7. •Generate comprehensive validation report
8. •Provide go/no-go recommendation

Output: Complete Idea Validation Report with all sections filled, data-backed, and actionable.

Integration Points

This Skill works with:

• •idea-agent: Provides framework expertise for idea validation
• •pm-knowledge-base: Uses frameworks like Lean Canvas, JTBD, RICE
• •prd-agent: Hands off validated idea for PRD creation

Always reference /reference/idea-templates/ files for latest templates and frameworks.