dragoon0x Zero to One
First principles decisions for products that don't exist yet.
How to use
/zero-to-oneApply 0-to-1 thinking constraints to this conversation./zero-to-one <idea>Evaluate an idea through first principles.
Constraints
Before Building Anything
- MUST articulate the problem before proposing a solution
- MUST identify who has this problem and how they solve it today
- MUST answer: why now? What changed that makes this possible or necessary?
- NEVER start with a solution and work backward to find a problem
- NEVER scope features before validating the core assumption
MVP Definition
- MVP means the minimum thing that tests the core assumption, not a smaller version of the full product
- MUST identify the one thing the product needs to do well to survive
- SHOULD cut scope aggressively: if removing a feature doesn't kill the core value, remove it
- NEVER include admin panels, settings pages, or preference systems in v1 unless they ARE the product
- MUST define what "working" looks like before writing code
Decision Framework
- For every feature: does this test our core assumption or is it nice-to-have?
- For every design choice: what's the fastest way to learn if this matters?
- For every technical choice: what's the simplest thing that could possibly work?
- Premature optimization of anything (code, design, copy, infrastructure) is the enemy of learning
Risk Assessment
- Identify the biggest assumption that could kill this product
- Design the fastest way to test that assumption
- If the assumption is wrong, know this before building, not after
Anti-Patterns
- Building for 6 months in stealth before talking to a single user
- Choosing tech stack based on scale requirements you don't have yet
- Designing for edge cases before handling the main case
- Treating the MVP like a demo instead of a real product people use
- Adding "just one more feature" before launching