Talk to five real potential users and log their actual objections before you write a single line of code.
Talking to 5 real potential users and logging their objections tells you if anyone wants this before you spend months building it.
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Most side projects fail quietly: months of building, then discovering nobody actually wanted it. This worksheet forces the validation step that prevents that, before any building starts. Step one is writing the exact problem you think you're solving, for exactly who, in one sentence, not a broad market opportunity.
From there, you have five real conversations with people who have this problem, asking how they solve it today, not pitching your idea. Log what each person actually said, especially objections and lukewarm reactions, that's the real signal, not a polite 'sounds cool.' The worksheet ends with an honest decision: build, adjust, or kill, based on what you actually heard, not what you hoped to hear.
We built this because we've watched the same mistake play out over and over: months of building before a single real conversation with a potential user. Five honest conversations up front save months of wasted work.
— DaveWays
Forces clarity before you build anything: exactly what problem, for exactly who.
Structured prompts for talking to five potential users about how they solve the problem today, not selling them your idea.
Ends with a real decision based on what you heard, not months of sunk-cost momentum.
What if I can't find five people to talk to?
Start with your existing network (friends, coworkers, online communities) who fit the target user description; even three to four honest conversations beat zero.
What if all five conversations are positive?
Watch for polite enthusiasm versus specific, detailed reactions, vague praise isn't the same signal as someone describing exactly how they'd use it.
Is this only for tech side projects?
No, the validation framework works for any side project, product, service, or business idea you're testing before building.
Side Project Idea Validation Worksheet (Free Preview) — download a condensed version free, no purchase required, to see if it's a fit before you buy.
Side Project Idea Validation Worksheet is $12.99 USD, one-time payment, instant delivery, no subscription. Covered by our 30-day money-back guarantee. See our refund policy and terms.
