zero-to-one

Zero to One

First principles decisions for products that don't exist yet.

How to use

• /zero-to-one Apply 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