1. Raw Idea Capture

1. Ask the user to describe their rough idea—what are they thinking about, even if unclear?
   • Example: "Describe your idea, even if messy or incomplete—what's the core thought, observation, or possibility?"
2. Ask the user what sparked this idea—what problem, opportunity, or inspiration triggered it?
   • Example: "What made you think of this—problem you observed, opportunity you noticed, or something that inspired you?"
3. Ask the user what they want to do with this idea—explore it, develop it into something, or just understand it better?
   • Example: "What's the goal—turn this into a project, write about it, use it at work, or just clarify your thinking?"
4. Ask the user about any constraints or context—resources, timeline, or requirements that matter?
   • Example: "Any context that shapes this—budget limits, time constraints, specific audience, or must-haves?"

2. Idea Clarification Process

Step 1: Brain Dump (Unfiltered)

Get everything out:

• What is the idea?
• Why does it matter?
• Who's it for?
• What problem does it solve?
• How might it work?
• What are you uncertain about?
• What excites you about it?
• What concerns you?

Don't judge or organize yet—just capture.

Step 2: Core Extraction

From dump, identify:

• Core concept: The essence in one sentence
• Key insight: The novel or valuable element
• Primary value: What makes this worthwhile

Example:

Brain dump: "What if we built a tool that helps people track their mood and energy throughout the day, so they know when they're most productive, and it could suggest optimal times for different tasks based on their patterns, and maybe integrate with calendar, and possibly share anonymized data to help others..."

Core: "Mood and energy tracking app that optimizes task scheduling" Key insight: "Personal energy patterns could predict optimal productivity windows" Primary value: "Do right work at right time based on your unique rhythm"

Step 3: Clarifying Questions

Purpose:

• What problem does this solve?
• Who experiences this problem?
• How do they currently handle it?
• Why would they want this solution?

Mechanism:

• How would this actually work?
• What are the key features or components?
• What's the user experience?
• What makes it unique or better?

Feasibility:

• Is this possible to build/execute?
• What resources required?
• What's the first version (MVP)?
• What would prove this works?

Value:

• Why would people care?
• What's the benefit or transformation?
• How much better than alternatives?
• What's the potential impact?

3. Structured Idea Framework

Idea Brief Template:

Idea Name: [Catchy, descriptive title]

One-Sentence Description: [Noun] that [verb] for [audience] to [benefit]

Example: "A mobile app that tracks energy patterns for knowledge workers to optimize their daily schedule."

Problem Statement: [Target audience] struggles with [specific problem], which costs them [consequence]. Current solutions [why inadequate].

Proposed Solution: [Your idea] addresses this by [how it works]. This is better because [key differentiator].

How It Works:

1. [Step 1 of process or user experience]
2. [Step 2]
3. [Step 3]

Key Features/Components:

• [Feature 1]: [What it does, why it matters]

Target Audience:

• Who: [Specific description]
• Size: [How many potential users/customers]
• Why they'd want this: [Motivation]

Value Proposition:

• For users: [What they gain]
• Unique angle: [How it's different/better]
• Proof/validation: [Evidence this would work]

Next Steps:

1. [Immediate next action]
2. [Second action]
3. [Third action]

4. Idea Validation

Gut Check Questions:

Desirability:

• Do people actually want this?
• Would you use it yourself?
• Have you validated demand (talked to potential users)?

Viability:

• Can you actually execute this?
• Do you have skills, time, resources?
• Is the effort worth potential return?

Feasibility:

• Is it possible with current technology/methods?
• What would MVP look like (smallest version)?
• How long to validate (proof of concept)?

Differentiation:

• What exists already that's similar?
• How is this meaningfully different?
• Why would someone choose this over alternatives?

Red Flags:

• ❌ Solution looking for problem (no real pain point)
• ❌ Already exists and isn't missing anything critical
• ❌ Requires massive resources beyond your reach
• ❌ You're not actually passionate about it
• ❌ Makes you rich but doesn't help anyone

Green Lights:

• ✅ Solves real problem you've experienced
• ✅ People currently paying for inferior solutions
• ✅ You can build MVP with available resources
• ✅ Genuinely excited to work on this
• ✅ Clear first customers or users

5. From Idea to Action

Decision Matrix:

Pursue Fully (Build/Develop):

• High value, high feasibility
• Allocate significant time/resources
• Create detailed plan
• Commit for 90 days minimum

Explore Further (Validate):

• Promising but uncertain
• Low-cost validation experiments
• Talk to potential users
• Build prototype or MVP
• Time-box exploration (4-6 weeks)

Archive for Later (Someday/Maybe):

• Interesting but not now
• Missing resources or timing not right
• Revisit quarterly
• Keep notes for future

Discard (Move On):

• Doesn't pass validation
• Not differentiated enough
• Resources don't justify
• Not aligned with goals
• Better opportunities exist

6. Idea Development Next Steps

If Pursuing:

Week 1: Research & Validation

• Talk to 10 potential users
• Research existing solutions
• Assess feasibility deeply
• Refine concept based on learning

Week 2: Design & Plan

• Sketch out solution
• Define MVP (minimum features)
• Create project plan
• Identify resources needed

Week 3-4: Build/Create

• Execute MVP
• Test with users
• Iterate based on feedback
• Decide: Continue, pivot, or stop

If Exploring:

Low-Cost Experiments:

• Create landing page, gauge interest
• Write blog post, see response
• Build tiny prototype (weekend project)
• Offer pre-sale or wait list

Validation Metrics:

• X sign-ups = pursue
• Y positive responses = continue exploring
• Z feedback themes = pivot direction

7. Idea Capture System

Ongoing Idea Management:

Inbox:

• Capture all ideas immediately (don't lose them)
• Phone note, notebook, voice memo
• No filtering yet—just capture

Weekly Review:

• Process inbox
• Clarify each idea (use framework)
• Categorize: Pursue / Explore / Archive / Discard
• Move to appropriate list

Active Ideas (Pursuing):

• Current projects in development
• Action plans and progress tracking
• Review weekly

Exploration Queue:

• Ideas worth validating
• Experiments in progress
• Review monthly

Someday/Maybe:

• Interesting but not now
• Review quarterly
• Most will get discarded eventually

8. Deliverables

Clarified Idea Document:

• Structured idea brief using framework
• Problem, solution, value clearly defined
• Target audience identified
• Next steps outlined

Decision:

• Pursue, Explore, Archive, or Discard
• Rationale for decision
• Timeline if pursuing

If Pursuing - Project Plan:

• MVP definition
• Development timeline
• Resource requirements
• Success metrics

If Exploring - Validation Plan:

• Experiments to run
• Questions to answer
• Metrics to track
• Decision criteria (when to pursue fully or kill)

If Archiving - Idea Note:

• Core concept preserved
• Why not now (but maybe later)
• Review date set
• Conditions that would make this relevant

Idea Evolution:

• Original rough thought
• Clarified version
• Refined after exploration
• Final form if developed

Present comprehensive idea clarification framework with structured capture, validation questions, decision criteria, and action planning to transform vague thoughts into clear concepts with actionable next steps or intelligent dismissal.