# What to Build - buyer validation workbook

Edition 2026-10-21. Use with one of the source-linked research briefs.

## Shortlist
Choose up to three. For each: buyer access, relevant skills, existing alternatives, biggest unknown.

## Interview guide
1. Tell me about the last time you did this workflow.
2. Show the steps and tools, using redacted examples.
3. How often does this happen? What happens if it is delayed?
4. What have you already tried? What does it cost in time or money?
5. Who decides whether a new tool can be adopted?
6. Can we agree to a small follow-up test with a defined result?

Avoid leading with your idea or asking if they would hypothetically buy it.

## Consent and data
Record permission, allowed inputs, access boundaries and deletion date. Never paste passwords or private customer data into a coding assistant.

## Outreach draft
Hi [name], I am researching [specific workflow] for [buyer group]. Could you walk me through the last time you did it in a 15-minute conversation? I would like to understand the current process before proposing a tool. No preparation needed; redacted examples are enough.

## 48-hour test
- Buyer and current process:
- Observation to verify:
- Sample size and time limit:
- Manual outcome to deliver:
- Success condition agreed before the test:
- Cost / proposed pilot fee (hypothesis):
- Continue condition:
- Pause condition:

## Decision log
- What happened:
- Evidence link (permission granted):
- Buyer commitment:
- Alternatives checked and date:
- Continue / pause / reject:
- Next action and date:

## Build handoff
Only after the test: buyer, one workflow, inputs, output, acceptance criteria, non-goals, data boundaries, budget and rollback plan. Use the brief download as a starting point, not a promise of demand.