Map Assumptions Interview Targets and Learning Goals
Extract all unvalidated commercial assumptions regarding problem severity, buyer persona, workflow integration, and willingness to pay. Map these assumptions directly to specific industry interview targets and construct focused learning goals for each stakeholder segment.
Completing this action isolates the critical commercial hypotheses that could invalidate the venture if proven wrong. It guarantees that upcoming market interactions are structured, hypothesis-driven, and targeted at high-value decision-makers across the value chain.
The team must produce a structured matrix categorising riskiest assumptions, prioritised by impact, along with a list of at least 30 targeted commercial roles across the market ecosystem. Each target segment must have explicit learning goals and tailored open-ended interview guides.
Five questions an expert would ask when reviewing your output
Use these to challenge assumptions, pressure-test your logic, and check the quality of this action's output in the context of the parent task and wider venture development.
- 1
Which single assumption in your matrix, if proven false, completely destroys the commercial viability of this university spinout?
- 2
How did you select your initial cohort of interview targets to ensure you are reaching economic buyers rather than non-budget-holding end users?
- 3
What evidence indicates that your prospective interviewees actually experience the problem acutely enough to pay for a solution?
- 4
Why have you prioritised these specific learning goals over broader industry trends or generic market validation questions?
- 5
How do your interview prompts actively avoid leading the participant or soliciting false positive validation for your university IP?