DROPCustomer Discovery for Founders: Test a Problem Hypothesis
Use a four-part hypothesis, evidence, counterevidence and next-step worksheet before treating public discussion as demand.
Short answer. Before a product is established, use public conversations to test whether the problem is described by the people you hope to help. Record evidence and counterevidence, then ask about past behavior with permission. Interest in an idea is not product validation.
Fill the four-part worksheet
Illustrative hypothesis, not a measured market finding.
| Part | Example | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Hypothesis | Small teams struggle to merge duplicate feedback | A statement to test |
| Evidence to seek | An author describes repeated requests and their current workaround | Keep the original URL and date |
| Counterevidence | A spreadsheet already solves the task adequately | Do not hide disconfirming cases |
| Next step | Ask about the last real attempt to reconcile feedback | Do not start with a hypothetical purchase question |
Match the method to product readiness
A clear public description helps DROP understand the task. If the offer is still changing or no readable page exists, manual research can be a better starting point than monitoring an ambiguous identity.
Move to an interview only with agreement
Use eight discovery questions, then the follow-up workflow.
Keep task evidence, permission and product interest in separate fields.