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Identify Assumptions New

Pawel HurynCommunityCreated by Pawel Huryn

  • Skill
  • Research and analysis
  • Business and productivity
  • MIT
  • No issues found

From the author

Identify risky assumptions for a new product idea across 8 risk categories including Go-to-Market, Strategy, and Team. Use when evaluating startup risks, assessing a new product concept, or mapping assumptions for a new venture.
— the description by Pawel Huryn

AutoGineer summary

Written by AutoGineer from the skill’s own files, not by the author

This skill helps product teams systematically uncover hidden risks in new product ideas. By applying a structured framework that expands on core product discovery principles, it prompts users to analyze concepts through the lenses of product management, design, and engineering. It covers eight distinct risk categories, including value, usability, viability, feasibility, ethics, go-to-market, strategy, and team dynamics, ensuring a holistic assessment of potential failure points before development begins.

What it does

  • Analyzes product concepts from the perspectives of product managers, designers, and engineers.
  • Categorizes potential risks into eight specific areas including ethics and go-to-market strategy.
  • Evaluates assumptions based on the core product discovery framework.
  • Provides a structured approach to identifying why a product might fail.
  • Assigns confidence ratings to identified assumptions.
  • Suggests specific tests to validate or invalidate risky assumptions.

When to use it

  • During the early stages of product discovery for a new venture.
  • When evaluating the feasibility and viability of a new feature idea.
  • Before committing resources to a new product roadmap.
  • When a team needs to pressure-test their strategic assumptions.

Advantages

  • Ensures a comprehensive review beyond just technical feasibility.
  • Promotes cross-functional thinking by incorporating design and business perspectives.
  • Helps teams prioritize testing efforts by identifying high-risk assumptions.
  • Encourages proactive risk mitigation early in the product lifecycle.

Usage examples

“I have an idea for a subscription-based AI tool for personal finance. Can you help me identify the risks?”
The agent will analyze the concept across the eight categories, identifying potential risks such as user trust (Ethics), market saturation (Go-to-Market), and technical scalability (Feasibility), while suggesting tests for each.
“We are planning to launch a new mobile app for local grocery delivery. What are our biggest assumptions?”
The agent will break down the assumptions into categories like Usability (onboarding flow), Viability (unit economics), and Team (operational capacity), providing a structured risk assessment.

Install

  1. Download the skill as a ZIP:

    https://mp-staging.autogineer.com/agent-skills/phuryn/identify-assumptions-new/download
  2. Unzip it into the cross-client skills folder of your project:

    mkdir -p .agents/skills && unzip identify-assumptions-new.zip -d .agents/skills

Documentation by Pawel Huryn

Identify Assumptions (New Product)

Comprehensive risk identification across 8 categories — extending the 4 core product risks (Teresa Torres, Continuous Discovery Habits) with Ethics, Go-to-Market, Strategy & Objectives, and Team risks that are critical for new products.

Context

You are evaluating assumptions for a new product: $ARGUMENTS.

If the user provides files (business plans, research), read them first.

Domain Context

The 4 core product risks (Teresa Torres, Continuous Discovery Habits): Value, Usability, Viability, Feasibility.

For new products, extend to 8 risk categories. Good teams assume at least three-quarters of their ideas won't perform as they hope.

Instructions

The user will describe the product concept, target segment, and feature idea. Work through these steps:

  1. Think from three perspectives about why this product might fail:

    • Product Manager: Market demand, willingness to pay, competitive landscape

    • Designer: First-time user experience, onboarding, engagement

    • Engineer: Build vs. buy decisions, scalability, technical debt

  2. Identify assumptions across 8 risk categories:

    • Value: Will it create value for customers? Will they keep using it?

    • Usability: Will people figure out how to use it? Can we onboard them fast enough? Will it increase cognitive load?

    • Viability: Can we sell/monetize/finance it? Is it worth the cost? Can we support customers and help them succeed? Can we scale? Will it be compliant?

    • Feasibility: Can we do it with the current technology? Is this integration possible? Can it be efficient? Can we scale it?

    • Ethics: Should we do it at all? Are there any ethical considerations? Will it pose a risk for our customers?

    • Go-to-Market (especially critical for new products): Can we market it? Do we have the required channels? Can we convince customers to try it? Is this the right messaging for this channel? Is this the right time? Is this the right way to launch it?

    • Strategy & Objectives: What are our assumptions? Can others copy our strategy? Have we considered political, economic, legal, technological, and environmental factors? Are those the best problems to solve?

    • Team: How well will the team work together? Do we have the right people? Do we have the right tools? Will the entire team stay with us long enough?

  3. For each assumption, rate confidence and suggest a test.

Think step by step. Save as markdown.


Further Reading

Files

ATTRIBUTION.md

Attribution

This folder is an unmodified copy of the Agent Skill "identify-assumptions-new", distributed by AutoGineer (https://autogineer.com/agent-skills).

The skill's own files are unmodified copies. AutoGineer is not affiliated with or endorsed by the author or the publisher.

Files added by AutoGineer

  • ATTRIBUTION.md: this file, written by AutoGineer

  • LICENSE: copied from LICENSE

Requirements and compatibility

Works with: Claude Code, Claude apps, OpenAI Codex, GitHub Copilot, Cursor, Gemini CLI, Kiro, OpenCode, Goose, Amp, Roo Code, JetBrains Junie, Factory Droid, Devin (ex-Windsurf), Mistral Vibe, OpenHands, Letta

“Works with” means the tool reads the open Agent Skills format; a skill written for one tool may use features others lack.

Security

No issues found by our static scan· No issues found

A static scan is not a guarantee. Skills are third-party content: review a skill before you let an agent use it.

Attribution and licence

Created by
Pawel Huryn
Publisher
Pawel Huryn (Community)
Source
phuryn/pm-skills · pm-product-discovery/skills/identify-assumptions-new · commit 2a12295
Licence
MIT License (redistribution allowed)
  • LICENSE (added by AutoGineer from LICENSE)
  • ATTRIBUTION.md (written by AutoGineer)
Synced

AutoGineer is not affiliated with or endorsed by Pawel Huryn.

Download ZIP

The ZIP holds the skill’s files, its licence files and an ATTRIBUTION.md. Download identify-assumptions-new.zip