tomevault-io Office Hours - YC Office Hours Tool
YC office hours skill for product idea validation and design thinking.
When to Use This Skill
Use this skill when the user says:
- "brainstorm"
- "I have an idea"
- "help me think through this"
- "validate my product idea"
- "product idea consultation"
- "I want to build a product that..."
- "is this a good idea?"
How This Skill Works
This skill provides two working modes:
Mode 1: Startup Mode (6 Mandatory Questions)
For validating startup ideas. Ask these 6 questions in sequence:
- Problem Validation: What is the user's biggest pain point? How much evidence do you have this is real?
- Solution Fit: How does your solution solve this? Do users say "Yes, this is exactly what I need" or "That's interesting"?
- Differentiation: Why aren't existing solutions good enough? What if a big company does this?
- User Acquisition: How many people with this problem do you know? Can you reach them?
- Business Model: Will people pay? How much? Why?
- Growth Model: How will users discover your product? What's your CAC and LTV?
Mode 2: Builder Mode (Design Thinking)
For building products. Use design thinking brainstorming:
- Problem Reframing: Redefine the problem, find the essence
- User Perspective: Think from the target user's angle
- Constraint Innovation: Find innovations within constraints
- Quick Validation: How to validate the idea fastest?
Execution Workflow
Step 1: Context Gathering
Before starting, understand:
- Project background and goals
- Specific problem user is facing
- Target user group
- Existing solutions (if any)
Ask clarifying questions if needed:
Can you tell me more about:
- What problem are you trying to solve?
- Who is your target user?
- What solutions exist today?
- What makes your approach different?
Step 2: Determine Mode
Based on the user's request, choose the appropriate mode:
Choose Startup Mode if:
- User is validating a startup idea
- User talks about market, business model, growth
- User wants to know if this is a viable business
Choose Builder Mode if:
- User is building a product feature
- User talks about functionality, implementation
- User needs design thinking help
Step 3: Execute Selected Mode
Startup Mode Execution
Ask the 6 questions in order. For each question:
- Present the question clearly
- Wait for user's answer
- Provide feedback and guidance
- Challenge assumptions if needed
- Move to next question
Example interaction:
AI: Question 1: What is the user's biggest pain point?
How much evidence do you have this is real?
User: Developers spend hours debugging code issues.
AI: Good start. How do you know this is a real problem?
Have you talked to developers? Do you have data?
Specificity is the only currency here -
"10 developers told me" is worth more than "everyone has this problem".
After all 6 questions, summarize findings and provide recommendations.
Builder Mode Execution
Guide through design thinking process:
Problem Reframing
- Restate the problem in user's words
- Find the underlying need, not just surface solution
- Example: "I want a hammer" → "I need to put up a shelf" → "I need to display something"
User Perspective
- Walk through user's journey
- Identify pain points at each step
- Understand user's mental model
Constraint Innovation
- List constraints (technical, time, budget)
- Find creative solutions within constraints
- Constraints often lead to better design
Quick Validation
- Identify smallest testable assumption
- Propose fast validation method
- Focus on behavior, not opinions
Step 4: Challenge Assumptions
For all ideas, challenge the core assumptions:
- Is this assumption actually true?
- What's the evidence?
- Are there counter-examples?
Step 5: Propose Alternatives
Offer 2-3 possible implementation approaches:
- Bold approach: Maximum ambition, high risk
- Conservative approach: Proven, low risk
- Innovative approach: Creative, balanced risk
Step 6: Generate Design Document
Create a formal design document with:
- Problem statement
- User personas
- Solution overview
- Success metrics
- Risks and mitigations
Save this document for reference in subsequent skills.
Step 7: Handoff
Provide:
- Next step recommendations
- Key assumptions to validate
- Founder insights
Suggest next gstack skill to use:
Based on your validated idea, next steps:
1. /plan-ceo-review - CEO perspective on feature planning
2. /plan-eng-review - Engineering architecture review
3. /plan-design-review - Design review
Would you like me to proceed with any of these?
Key Principles
Specificity is the Only Currency
- Demand specific user evidence, not vague descriptions
- "10 people said they want it" is worth more than "everyone wants it"
Interest Does Not Equal Demand
- Focus on actual behavior, not stated interest
- Real usage is more valuable than demos
Narrow Beats Broad
- Start with a narrow use case to validate
- Don't try to solve all problems at once
Output Format
Startup Mode Output
# Product Idea Validation
## Problem
[User's problem description]
## Evidence
[Specific evidence and sources]
## Validation Results
### Question 1: Problem Validation
**Status**: ✅ Validated / ⚠️ Needs more evidence / ❌ Not validated
[Assessment]
### Question 2: Solution Fit
**Status**: [Assessment]
[Feedback]
### Question 3: Differentiation
**Status**: [Assessment]
[Feedback]
### Question 4: User Acquisition
**Status**: [Assessment]
[Feedback]
### Question 5: Business Model
**Status**: [Assessment]
[Feedback]
### Question 6: Growth Model
**Status**: [Assessment]
[Feedback]
## Overall Assessment
[Summary of viability]
## Key Risks
- [Risk 1]
- [Risk 2]
## Recommended Actions
1. [Action 1]
2. [Action 2]
## Next Steps
Suggest using /plan-ceo-review for strategic planning
Builder Mode Output
# Design Thinking Results
## Original Problem
[User's problem statement]
## Reframed Problem
[Deeper understanding of the real need]
## User Journey Analysis
[Step-by-step user experience with pain points]
## Solution Approaches
### Approach 1: Bold
[Description]
**Pros**:
**Cons**:
**Risk**:
### Approach 2: Conservative
[Description]
**Pros**:
**Cons**:
**Risk**:
### Approach 3: Innovative
[Description]
**Pros**::
**Cons**:
**Risk**:
## Recommended Approach
[Chosen approach with rationale]
## Design Document
[Full design document]
## Validation Plan
[How to quickly test assumptions]
## Next Steps
Suggest using /plan-eng-review for technical architecture
Integration with Other Skills
This skill outputs a design document that serves as input for:
- plan-ceo-review: Strategic planning from CEO perspective
- plan-eng-review: Technical architecture review
- plan-design-review: Design system review
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Accepting vague claims: Demand specific evidence
- Confusing interest with demand: Focus on actual behavior
- Starting too broad: Narrow the focus first
- Skipping validation: Always test assumptions
- Over-optimism: Challenge assumptions aggressively
Examples
Example 1: Startup Idea
User: "I have an idea for an AI code reviewer"
AI: I'll help you validate this startup idea using the YC office hours framework.
[Executes Startup Mode with 6 questions]
Output: Validation report with business model analysis and recommendations
Example 2: Feature Idea
User: "I want to add user profiles to my app"
AI: Let's use design thinking to approach this feature.
[Executes Builder Mode]
Output: Reframed problem, user journey analysis, and solution approaches
Original: gstack/office-hours by Garry Tan
Adaptation: OpenClaw/WorkBuddy version with automated execution
Version: 2.0.0
Source: AICreator-Wind/gstack-openclaw-skills — distributed by TomeVault.