Master Eric, Fast Product Development (VCM-C)

Master Eric, Fast Product Development

Intro

Alright, let's get this show on the road. You've got an idea. Brilliant. Statistically speaking, it's probably terrible. Don't take it personally; the universe has a cruel sense of humor, especially when it comes to startups. 90% of them fail. That's not a bug; it's a feature of reality. They build these magnificent, beautiful, elegant solutions... for problems that don't exist. It's like building a spaceship for a fish.

My name is ERIC, and I'm your Product Development Master. My purpose is to drag you through a scientifically rigorous, data-driven, and occasionally hilarious process to make sure you're not building a spaceship for a fish. We're going to take your spark of an idea and forge it in the fires of validated learning. We'll measure everything, question everything, and pivot so fast it'll make your head spin.

The Process

How do we defy the odds? By following a process. Not just any process, but a finely tuned engine of innovation. It's a series of interconnected steps, each one a sprint in our product development marathon. We combine the ruthless efficiency of the Lean Startup with the deep empathy of customer-centric design, all supercharged by AI.

Each step is a loop: Build-Measure-Learn. We build a hypothesis, we measure its validity with real-world data, and we learn from the results. The output of one loop becomes the input for the next, creating a powerful flywheel of validated learning. By the end, you won't just have a product; you'll have a scalable, repeatable engine for growth. It's not magic; it's science. With a healthy dose of sarcasm.

Process Overview

00: Idea Gathering
01: Find Your Product/Business Idea
02: Check if Idea is Worth It (POA)
03: OKRs, Target Region & Profile Setup
04: Target Niche & Dream Customer (HXC/ICP)
05: Customer Journey (JTBD & Job Map)
06: Customer Pain/Gain Analysis (DOS)
07: How Users Adopt, Engage & Share (Consumption Chain)
08: Product Roadmap (MVP ODI Roadmap)
09: Solution Opportunities (OST)
10: Ideate Features
11: Business Strategy (BMC)
12: Brand Style Guide & Launch Plan
13: Product Requirements Prompt (PRP) & Document (PRD)
14: Track What Matters (Value Tree & Metrics)
15: Organize Your Product Experience (Information Architecture)
16: User Experience Flows (UX)
17: User-Interface Design (Design System & Component Library)
18: Platform Rules & Memory Bank Context Files
19: Technical Architecture Design
20: Generate Tasks for Professional AI Coders (EPIC & Task Breakdown)
21: Setup Instructions for Professional AI Coders
22: Build Instructions for Professional AI Coders
23: AI Coder Operations Manual & Next Steps
24: Agentic Coder Operations Manual & Next Steps (Legacy)

Phase 1: Customer & Solution Discovery

This is where we separate the wheat from the chaff. We're going to validate that there's a real market for what you want to build, identify your ideal customer, and understand their deepest needs. This phase is about understanding the problem before we fall in love with our solution.

Step 00: Idea Gathering

Intro

Every epic journey starts with a single, probably flawed, idea. The objective here is to get that idea out of your head and into the light so we can start dissecting it. Or maybe you're staring at a blank canvas. Either is fine.

Product Concept

This is ground zero. Your idea is a hypothesis, a guess. We'll treat it as such. This step is about capturing that initial hypothesis, no matter how half-baked. I'll intelligently figure out if this is a brand new thing, a feature for something that already exists, or if we're picking up where we left off.

Actions

I'll ask for your idea. Simple as that. Based on what you tell me, I'll figure out the smartest, fastest way to get you to the next step. No wasted motion.

Deliverables

Clarity. We'll have your initial idea documented or a clear signal that we need to find one, and we'll be pointed to the right next step.

Step 01: Find Your Product/Business Idea

Intro

So, you don't have an idea. Welcome. We're not waiting for a muse; we're hunting for a market gap. The goal is to systematically scan the market for problems so painful that people are begging for a solution.

Product Concept

We're looking for "quick-win" ideas—AI wrappers, micro-SaaS, automated services—that can be built and tested in days, not months, using agentic coding.

Actions

I'll do the heavy lifting, researching and analyzing top business opportunities. I'll present you with a curated list of high-potential ideas. Your job is to pick the one that resonates.

Deliverables

A validated, high-potential product idea, optimized for rapid development and market impact.

Step 02: Check if Idea is Worth It (POA)

Intro

We have a hypothesis. Now, let's put it under the microscope. The Product Opportunity Assessment is our first sanity check, evaluating the four key risks: Value, Usability, Feasibility, and Business Viability.

Product Concept

This is about de-risking the idea before we invest significant time and effort. Will customers buy this? Can they use it? Can we build it? Will it make money?

Actions

I'll conduct a rapid analysis and create a "Shark Tank" style report, complete with a scorecard and a clear-eyed assessment of the market opportunity.

Deliverables

The POA report. A high-impact document that gives you a clear go/no-go/pivot recommendation.

Step 03: OKRs, Target Region & Profile Setup

Intro

We've got a promising idea. Now let's get serious. This step is about laying the foundational tracks: defining what success looks like (OKRs), where we're going to play (Target Region), and who you are (Profile Setup).

Product Concept

We're using the OKR framework: Objectives and Key Results. We'll define an ambitious objective and pair it with specific, measurable, time-bound key results. This is how we'll know if we're winning.

Actions

I'll guide you through setting up your initiative, defining your OKRs, determining your target region for research, and gathering basic info about your skills to tailor the process.

Deliverables

A set of clear, documented strategic parameters. The compass and map for the rest of our journey.

Step 04: Target Niche & Dream Customer (HXC/ICP)

Intro

We know our niche. Now, let's get personal. We'll transform data into a human archetype: a Persona. More importantly, we'll identify our High-Expectation Customer (HXC)—the most demanding, influential user. If we can make them happy, we can make anyone happy.

Product Concept

We're focusing on the High-Expectation Customer. They're the tastemaker, the early adopter. We're going to find that person and design our product specifically for them. For B2B, we'll also define the Ideal Customer Profile (ICP).

Actions

I'll analyze the data, create persona candidates, and evaluate them against the HXC framework. I'll also define the ICP for business solutions.

Deliverables

A detailed Persona, a validated HXC, and a defined ICP. You'll know exactly who you're building for.

Step 05: Customer Journey (JTBD & Job Map)

Intro

We'll define the core "Job-to-be-Done" (JTBD) for our HXC and map their entire process.

Product Concept

We apply the Jobs-to-be-Done (JTBD) and Outcome-Driven Innovation (ODI) frameworks to deeply understand customer needs, not just what they say they want.

Actions

I'll analyze the market, help you select a niche, define the three dimensions of the JTBD (Functional, Personal, Social), and map the customer's journey.

Deliverables

A validated target niche, a clear JTBD statement, and a detailed Job Map of the customer's process.

Step 06: Customer Pain/Gain Analysis (DOS)

Intro

Let's define what success looks like for the customer, in their own words. This step is about translating their needs into specific, measurable, and actionable Desired Outcome Statements (DOS).

Product Concept

This is the core of Outcome-Driven Innovation (ODI). Instead of focusing on features, we're focusing on the outcomes the customer wants to achieve.

Actions

For each step in our Job Map, I'll research top pain/gain patterns, convert them into DOS, and score them to reveal the biggest opportunities for innovation.

Deliverables

A prioritized list of Customer Desired Outcome Statements. This is a roadmap of customer value, not a feature backlog.

Intro

The customer's journey doesn't end when they use your product. They also have to acquire it, learn it, get support, and hopefully, tell their friends. These are the Consumption Chain Jobs.

Product Concept

We're applying Product-Led Growth (PLG) and habit-forming design. The goal is to create a product that sells itself.

Actions

I'll analyze all seven consumption chain jobs, from acquisition to advocacy, and define the Desired Outcome Statements for each, looking for automation and "Aha!" moments.

Deliverables

A blueprint for building a product that not only solves a core problem but also creates a seamless, delightful, and viral user experience.

Step 08: Product Roadmap (MVP ODI Roadmap)

Intro

We have a mountain of data on what our customers want. Now it's time to turn that data into a strategy. We'll cluster our DOS into themes and assemble them into a series of progressive roadmaps.

Product Concept

This is where ODI meets agile roadmapping. We're not building a feature list; we're building a strategic sequence of customer value delivery.

Actions

I'll conduct a competitive analysis, cluster the DOS into logical groups, and assemble them into roadmap options (MVP, PMF, etc.) for you to choose from.

Deliverables

A selected, outcome-driven roadmap. A clear, strategic plan for what to build and in what order.

Step 09: Solution Opportunities (OST)

Intro

Now for the fun part. We have a roadmap of customer outcomes. It's time to brainstorm the actual solutions—the features, the workflows, the "magic moments."

Product Concept

We're generating an Opportunity Solution Tree (OST) to explore multiple solution angles for each desired outcome before committing to one.

Actions

For each DOS in our roadmap, I'll generate an OST, breaking down the problem into hierarchical opportunities and specific solution leaves. I'll then sequence these for our ideation sprints.

Deliverables

A comprehensive set of solution opportunities, logically sequenced and ready for creative brainstorming.

Step 10: Ideate Features

Intro

Time to brainstorm the actual solutions that will deliver the outcomes in our roadmap.

Product Concept

We're running a virtual, AI-powered design sprint. I'll bring in a team of "expert" agents—a Product Manager, a Designer, a Growth Hacker, an AI Engineer, etc.—to provide unique perspectives.

Actions

For each opportunity leaf, I'll run a multi-round ideation process with my team of expert agents. You'll review, refine, and approve the best ideas.

Deliverables

A comprehensive Product Brief, synthesizing all approved ideas into a cohesive set of feature concepts.

Phase 2: Business & Product Strategy

Great products need great business models. Here we shift from "what to build" to "how to make money and grow." We'll design the economic engine, create a compelling brand, and craft a launch strategy.

Step 11: Business Strategy (BMC)

Intro

A great product that doesn't make money is a hobby. We'll design the engine that will turn your solution into a sustainable business using the Business Model Canvas.

Product Concept

We're applying the Business Model Canvas methodology to bring a strategic, holistic view to your business, from customer segments to revenue streams.

Actions

I'll guide you through filling out all nine blocks of the Business Model Canvas and from this, we'll distill a powerful, 30-second elevator pitch (your UVP).

Deliverables

A complete Business Model Canvas and a validated Unique Value Proposition. The strategic blueprint for your entire business.

Step 12: Brand Style Guide & Launch Plan

Intro

People don't just buy products; they buy brands. We'll create a compelling brand identity and design a comprehensive launch campaign.

Product Concept

We're combining brand strategy with growth marketing. We'll develop a complete brand identity system and a launch campaign that leverages PLG to create an automated customer acquisition engine.

Actions

I'll generate a brand identity system and design a multi-channel launch campaign, including content marketing, UGC campaigns, and marketing automation.

Deliverables

A complete brand identity system and a ready-to-execute product launch campaign.

Step 13: Product Requirements Prompt (PRP) & Document (PRD)

Intro

This is the grand synthesis. The Product Requirements Document (PRD) is for your business stakeholders. The Product Requirements Prompt (PRP) is its technical counterpart for your agentic coder.

Product Concept

The PRD is strategic ("what" and "why"). The PRP is tactical ("how"). Together, they provide a complete, 360-degree view of the product.

Actions

I'll synthesize all our data and decisions into a comprehensive, Silicon Valley-grade PRD and translate that into a detailed PRP.

Deliverables

A complete PRD for your stakeholders and a complete PRP for your agentic coder. The master blueprints for your product.

Step 14: Track What Matters (Value Tree & Metrics)

Intro

"What gets measured gets managed." We'll create a metrics framework that connects every feature directly to your North Star Metric.

Product Concept

We're implementing a sophisticated metrics framework combining HEART (Happiness, Engagement, Adoption, Retention, Task Success) with the Analytic Hierarchy Process for a weighted, hierarchical model of value.

Actions

I'll complete the HEART metrics for every solution, calculate the "global weight" of each feature, and generate a complete technical implementation framework.

Deliverables

A complete Value Tree and a detailed technical implementation plan for your metrics framework.

Step 15: Organize Your Product Experience (Information Architecture)

Intro

Information Architecture (IA) is the art and science of organizing your product's content and functionality. We'll design the blueprint for your product's structure.

Product Concept

We're applying persona-driven, task-oriented design. The IA will be optimized for your target persona's mental model and the jobs they are trying to accomplish.

Actions

I'll design a complete IA foundation, including navigation systems, content hierarchies, search and discovery systems, and even the architecture for a conversational AI interface.

Deliverables

A complete Information Architecture foundation and a set of solution-specific integration specs.

Step 16: User Experience Flows (UX)

Intro

With the architecture in place, it's time to design the pathways. UX Flows are the step-by-step sequences of screens and interactions a user goes through to complete a task.

Product Concept

We're applying goal-directed, mobile-first design. Every flow will be designed to help the user achieve their goal as efficiently and pleasantly as possible.

Actions

For each solution, I'll design a complete, job-story-driven UX flow, including interaction wireframes and technical specifications.

Deliverables

A complete set of UX flows for every feature in your roadmap. The detailed interaction design blueprint.

Step 17: User-Interface Design (Design System & Component Library)

Intro

To build a beautiful, consistent product at scale, you need a Design System. This is the single source of truth for your product's visual and interaction design.

Product Concept

We're using Atomic Design methodology: starting with the smallest elements (atoms), combining them into components (molecules), and then into complex sections (organisms).

Actions

I'll create a complete design system foundation, including a library of atomic components, a set of design tokens (colors, fonts, etc.), and accessibility guidelines.

Deliverables

A complete Design System and component library. The front-end blueprint for a beautiful, consistent, and accessible UI.

Step 18: Platform Rules & Memory Bank Context Files

Intro

To ensure your agentic coder can work efficiently, it needs a "brain." We'll create a set of platform rules and a "memory bank" of context files.

Product Concept

We're creating a "context-rich development environment." The platform rules file provides mandatory procedures. The memory bank files provide a comprehensive overview of the project.

Actions

I'll generate a verbatim platform rules file and a complete set of memory bank files, extracting essential context from all of our project deliverables.

Deliverables

A complete context package for your agentic coder, ensuring it has all the information it needs to build your product autonomously.

Phase 3: Product Delivery

The rubber meets the road. This final phase transforms all our planning and design work into a functioning product by preparing detailed instructions for an autonomous AI coder.

Step 19: Technical Architecture Design

Intro

With the "what" and "why" defined, it's time to design the "how" at a system level. The Technical Architecture Document (TAD) is the high-level blueprint for your entire system.

Product Concept

We're designing a modern, scalable, and secure technical architecture optimized for your chosen agentic coder platform.

Actions

I'll help you select the right agentic coder platform and then design a complete system architecture, including C4 diagrams and Architecture Decision Records (ADRs).

Deliverables

A complete Technical Architecture Document, ready for your agentic coder to implement.

Step 20: Generate Tasks for Professional AI Coders (EPIC & Task Breakdown)

Intro

We'll break down our grand architectural vision into a series of manageable chunks of work: EPICs and tasks.

Product Concept

We're applying agile project management principles, breaking the work into small, well-defined tasks to create a clear, sequential plan for implementation.

Actions

I'll organize your solutions into logical EPICs and then apply an intelligent task breakdown algorithm to create an optimized sequence of tasks.

Deliverables

A complete EPIC analysis and a sequential task execution plan to guide your agentic coder.

Step 21: Setup Instructions for Professional AI Coders

Intro

Before we can start building, we need to prepare the construction site. We'll generate detailed prompts for setting up your entire development environment and cloud infrastructure.

Product Concept

We're creating "Infrastructure as Code" prompts: detailed, step-by-step instructions for your agentic coder to autonomously provision and configure all necessary infrastructure.

Actions

For each setup task, I'll generate a detailed, copy-paste-ready prompt optimized for your chosen agentic coder platform.

Deliverables

A complete set of setup prompts, the automated setup script for your entire product.

Step 22: Build Instructions for Professional AI Coders

Intro

The moment of truth. It's time to build the actual product. We'll generate detailed, feature-specific prompts for your agentic coder.

Product Concept

We're creating "Feature as Code" prompts. Each prompt is a self-contained set of instructions for building a specific feature, complete with context, dependencies, and acceptance criteria.

Actions

For each development task, I'll generate a detailed, copy-paste-ready build prompt, optimized for your chosen agentic coder platform.

Deliverables

A complete set of build prompts, the automated build script for your entire product.

Step 23: AI Coder Operations Manual & Next Steps

Intro

Congratulations, you've made it. You have a complete, professional-grade blueprint. In this final step, we'll provide you with a simple operations manual and outline the next steps.

Product Concept

This is the final hand-off. We're providing you with the "keys to the factory" and a path to launching, growing, and scaling your new business.

Actions

I'll generate a concise operations manual and a clear guide to the next phase of your journey, from go-to-market to scaling.

Deliverables

A complete Agentic Coder Operations Manual and a clear, actionable plan for your next steps.

Step 24: Agentic Coder Operations Manual & Next Steps (Legacy)

Intro

An alternative final step that provides an operations manual and outlines next steps.

Product Concept

A concluding hand-off to empower you to manage the build process and plan for future growth.

Actions

I'll generate an operations manual and a summary of your achievements and future opportunities.

Deliverables

A guide to managing the agentic coder and a strategic plan for what comes next.