idea-validator▌
shipshitdev/library · updated Apr 8, 2026
MDX-style export adds YAML metadata + attribution linking explainx.ai and this canonical listing URL.
Rigorously assess startup ideas BEFORE building using structured validation—saving months of wasted effort on ideas that won't work.
Idea Validator - Startup Idea Assessment Framework
Rigorously assess startup ideas BEFORE building using structured validation—saving months of wasted effort on ideas that won't work.
Hexa's Principle: "You want to make something people want. But people don't always know what they want—so you need to understand what they actually need."
When This Activates
- User asks "is this a good idea"
- User says "I want to build X" without validation
- User asks "should I pursue this"
- User mentions a startup idea they're considering
- User wants to know if their idea is worth building
The Framework
Validation = Opportunity Memo Assessment + Perceived Created Value (PCV) Score
Problem Assessment Matrix
| Dimension | Rating | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Frequency | [Daily/Weekly/Monthly] | High/Med/Low |
| Severity | [Critical/Important/Nice-to-have] | High/Med/Low |
| Awareness | [Actively seeking/Aware/Unaware] | High/Med/Low |
| Budget | [Has budget/Would find/No budget] | High/Med/Low |
Problem Score: 3-4 High = Strong. 1-2 = Weak. 0 = Not a real problem.
PCV Scoring (4 Dimensions)
Rate current solution problems + your improvement:
| Dimension | Current Problem | Your Improvement |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Not a problem / A problem / Serious | No diff / Some / Serious |
| Quality | Not a problem / A problem / Serious | No diff / Some / Serious |
| Performance | Not a problem / A problem / Serious | No diff / Some / Serious |
| Convenience | Not a problem / A problem / Serious | No diff / Some / Serious |
Scoring: a=0, b=1, c=3 points. Sum all 8 ratings.
| Score | Interpretation | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| 0-6 | Weak | Don't pursue |
| 7-12 | Moderate | Needs refinement |
| 13-18 | Strong | Worth pursuing |
| 19-24 | Exceptional | Build NOW |
Quick Discovery Questions
Problem Space:
- What specific pain point does your ICP feel?
- How do they currently solve this?
- What's wrong with current solutions?
- How often do they experience this pain?
- What does this problem cost them?
Timing:
- Why is NOW the right time?
- What has changed recently?
- What barriers existed before that are now gone?
ICP:
- Company type, size, industry
- Buyer vs. user role
- What triggers them to seek a solution?
Integration
| Skill | When to Use |
|---|---|
market-sizer |
After validation passes |
startup-icp-definer |
Deep dive on customer |
mvp-architect |
Scope the build |
leads-researcher |
Find design partners |
For detailed execution workflow, output templates, and PCV calculations: references/full-guide.md
How to use idea-validator on Cursor
AI-first code editor with Composer
Prerequisites
Before installing skills in Cursor, ensure your development environment meets these requirements:
- ›Cursor installed and configured on your development machine
- ›Node.js version 16.0+ with npm package manager (verify with
node --version) - ›Active project directory or workspace where you want to add idea-validator
Execute installation command
Execute the skills CLI command in your project's root directory to begin installation:
The skills CLI fetches idea-validator from GitHub repository shipshitdev/library and configures it for Cursor.
Select Cursor when prompted
The CLI will show a list of available agents. Use arrow keys to navigate and space to select Cursor:
Verify installation
Confirm successful installation by checking the skill directory location:
Reload or restart Cursor to activate idea-validator. Access the skill through slash commands (e.g., /idea-validator) or your agent's skill management interface.
Security & Verification Notice
We perform automated surface-level scans (Gen AI Scanner, Socket, Snyk) during installation. These checks detect common vulnerabilities but do not guarantee complete security. Always review skill source code and verify the publisher's reputation before production use.
Skills execute code in your development environment. Always verify the publisher's identity, review recent commits, and test in isolated environments before production deployment.
List & Monetize Your Skill
Submit your Claude Code skill and start earning
Use Cases▌
User Story & Requirements Generation
Create detailed user stories, acceptance criteria, and feature specs
Example
Generate user stories for 'password reset feature' with acceptance criteria, edge cases, and test scenarios
Reduce spec writing time by 50%, ensure comprehensive coverage
Competitive Analysis
Research competitors, compare features, identify gaps
Example
Analyze 5 competitor products, create feature comparison matrix, suggest differentiation opportunities
Complete competitive research in 2 hours instead of 2 days
Roadmap Prioritization
Evaluate features using frameworks (RICE, ICE, Kano) and create prioritized backlogs
Example
Score 20 feature ideas using RICE framework, generate prioritized roadmap with rationale
Make data-driven prioritization decisions faster
Stakeholder Communication
Draft PRDs, status updates, and stakeholder presentations
Example
Create executive summary of Q3 roadmap, monthly progress report, feature launch announcement
Save 3-5 hours/week on communication overhead
Implementation Guide▌
Prerequisites
- ›Claude Desktop or compatible AI client
- ›Access to product documentation and roadmap tools (Jira, Notion, etc.)
- ›Understanding of product management frameworks (RICE, Jobs-to-be-Done, etc.)
- ›Stakeholder contact information and communication channels
Time Estimate
30-60 minutes to see productivity improvements
Installation Steps
- 1.Install product management skill
- 2.Start with user story generation for known feature
- 3.Progress to competitive analysis: research 2-3 competitors
- 4.Use for roadmap prioritization: apply RICE/ICE scoring
- 5.Draft stakeholder communications and refine based on feedback
- 6.Build template library for recurring PM tasks
- 7.Share effective prompts with product team
Common Pitfalls
- ⚠Not validating competitive research—verify facts before sharing
- ⚠Accepting user stories without involving engineering team
- ⚠Over-relying on frameworks without qualitative judgment
- ⚠Not customizing outputs to company culture and communication style
- ⚠Skipping stakeholder validation of generated requirements
Best Practices▌
✓ Do
- +Validate research and competitive analysis with real data
- +Collaborate with engineering when generating technical requirements
- +Customize frameworks and templates to your company context
- +Use skill for first drafts, refine with stakeholder input
- +Document successful prompt patterns for PM tasks
- +Combine AI efficiency with human judgment and intuition
✗ Don't
- −Don't publish competitive analysis without fact-checking
- −Don't finalize user stories without engineering review
- −Don't make prioritization decisions solely on AI scoring
- −Don't skip customer validation of generated requirements
- −Don't ignore company-specific context and culture
💡 Pro Tips
- ★Provide context: company goals, constraints, customer feedback
- ★Ask for alternatives: 'Show 3 ways to prioritize this roadmap'
- ★Request stakeholder-specific formatting: 'Executive summary vs. engineering spec'
- ★Use skill for 70% generation + 30% customization to company needs
When to Use This▌
✓ Use When
Use for user story writing, competitive research, roadmap prioritization, stakeholder communication, and PRD drafting. Best for reducing repetitive documentation and research work.
✗ Avoid When
Avoid for strategic product vision (requires deep customer empathy), pricing decisions (needs market and financial expertise), or when face-to-face customer discovery is more valuable than speed.
Learning Path▌
- 1Basic: user stories, feature specs, status updates
- 2Intermediate: competitive analysis, prioritization frameworks, PRDs
- 3Advanced: product strategy, go-to-market planning, OKR setting
- 4Expert: product vision, market positioning, business model innovation
Discussion
Product Hunt–style comments (not star reviews)- No comments yet — start the thread.
Ratings
4.6★★★★★39 reviews- ★★★★★Pratham Ware· Dec 16, 2024
Solid pick for teams standardizing on skills: idea-validator is focused, and the summary matches what you get after install.
- ★★★★★Diego Abebe· Dec 16, 2024
Solid pick for teams standardizing on skills: idea-validator is focused, and the summary matches what you get after install.
- ★★★★★Sakshi Patil· Nov 7, 2024
We added idea-validator from the explainx registry; install was straightforward and the SKILL.md answered most questions upfront.
- ★★★★★Aarav Verma· Nov 7, 2024
We added idea-validator from the explainx registry; install was straightforward and the SKILL.md answered most questions upfront.
- ★★★★★Chaitanya Patil· Oct 26, 2024
idea-validator fits our agent workflows well — practical, well scoped, and easy to wire into existing repos.
- ★★★★★Xiao Rahman· Oct 26, 2024
idea-validator fits our agent workflows well — practical, well scoped, and easy to wire into existing repos.
- ★★★★★Jin Patel· Sep 25, 2024
idea-validator fits our agent workflows well — practical, well scoped, and easy to wire into existing repos.
- ★★★★★Alexander Singh· Sep 17, 2024
Useful defaults in idea-validator — fewer surprises than typical one-off scripts, and it plays nicely with `npx skills` flows.
- ★★★★★Oshnikdeep· Sep 9, 2024
I recommend idea-validator for anyone iterating fast on agent tooling; clear intent and a small, reviewable surface area.
- ★★★★★Sofia Thomas· Sep 9, 2024
Keeps context tight: idea-validator is the kind of skill you can hand to a new teammate without a long onboarding doc.
showing 1-10 of 39