AIWorkDex
Product Practice

Compare lightweight concepts before coding

Choose one concept for deeper investment while preserving its evidence, assumptions, and rejected alternatives.

Preparation
A focused concept preparation and review session.
Difficulty
Moderate
Task
Choose a concept to invest in
Back to the Task: Choose a concept to invest in

Before you start

Get what you need before you start

  • Bring the agreed problem, audience, research evidence, decision owner, and capacity available for the next test.
  • Choose a representation that can expose the assumption without pretending to be a finished product.

Steps

Work through the method

Use the listed inputs and tools. Check the evidence when you need to verify a step.

  1. Set the comparison decision

    Write the problem, target user, evidence already collected, decision owner, available investment, and unresolved assumption. Exclude concepts that address a different problem.

    Why it matters: A shared decision boundary stops visual polish from replacing evidence.

    Input
    The approved research finding, product constraint, and available investment.
    Output
    A one-page comparison brief with fixed evidence fields.
    Tools in this stepFigma

    Evidence for this step

  2. Represent each concept at comparable fidelity

    Create one separate Figma flow for each digital concept. Show only the path needed to expose the unresolved assumption, and link the same research evidence beside every flow.

    Why it matters: Comparable, lightweight representations reduce avoidable coded investment while keeping the evidence visible.

    Input
    The comparison brief and competing concept outlines.
    Output
    Separate prototype links with evidence and assumption notes.
    Tools in this stepFigma

    Evidence for this step

  3. Record the investment decision

    Review each concept against the fixed fields. Record one advance, revise, or stop decision, the evidence used, the unresolved assumption, and the next test. Keep rejected concepts traceable.

    Why it matters: The decision needs a reviewable basis and must preserve uncertainty.

    Input
    The concept flows, linked evidence, and reviewer notes.
    Output
    A dated product investment decision and next-test brief.
    Tools in this stepFigma

    Evidence for this step

Success checks

Check the result before you finish

  • One concept has a named next test and investment boundary.
  • Every concept links to the same problem evidence and records its unresolved assumption.
  • The decision does not claim demand, adoption, or commercial viability from prototype reaction.

Failure modes

Watch for these problems

  • Stop when the concepts answer different problems or audiences.
  • Return to Customer Research when the underlying problem evidence is missing.
  • Use a different representation when a digital flow cannot expose the important assumption.

Tools

Choose the tools you need

Sources

Read the sources behind this practice

Check what each source supports and where the advice has limits.