Ask HN: Best way to validate a product idea?
What is your experience validating product ideas, so you're getting out most from it without spending much effort?
The other surrogate (but faster) options:
- Build a web site and check traction/conversion rates
- Create a believable video from prototypes, show it to target customers and attentively watch face/eyes reactions (don't believe in compliments), look for phrases like "can I buy it?" or at least "can I use it now?"
- Learn how target customers work and try to build a mental mapping of your idea to their workflow. If you idea makes it significantly better (less tools, less time, etc), then maybe you have something real.
- Don't build MVP to validate the idea. They usually suck. In some cases they work, but only for a laser-sharp idea. If you have one, go for MVP.