RecipeRoots - Family Recipe Preservation

Model: openai/gpt-4o-mini
Status: Completed
Cost: $0.022
Tokens: 59,167
Started: 2026-01-03 22:33

User Research & Validation Plan

Key Assumptions to Validate

Assumption Risk Method Target
Users struggle to preserve family recipes due to fading and incomplete information. High Interviews, surveys 70% of users confirm this pain point
Existing recipe tools do not capture the emotional stories behind recipes. High Competitive analysis, user interviews Document specific user complaints
Users are willing to pay for a platform that combines recipe preservation and storytelling. Critical Pricing tests, pre-orders 10+ paying customers at target price
Users will find the AI-generated recipe outputs accurate and helpful. Critical Quality testing with experts 80%+ accuracy rating
Users will actively engage in collaborative recipe editing. Medium Prototype testing 60%+ engagement on collaborative features

Customer Discovery Interview Guide

**Interview Framework (60-90 minutes):**

  1. Background & Context (10 min)
    • Tell me about your role and what you do day-to-day.
    • How long have you been doing this?
    • What are your biggest challenges right now?
  2. Problem Exploration (20 min)
    • Walk me through the last time you faced a challenge preserving a family recipe.
    • How often does this happen?
    • What triggers this situation?
    • How does it make you feel when this happens?
    • What's the worst part about it?
    • What have you tried to solve it?
    • How much time/money do you spend on this currently?
  3. Current Solutions (15 min)
    • What tools or methods do you currently use for recipe preservation?
    • What do you like about them?
    • What do you wish was different?
    • Have you ever switched solutions? Why?
    • What would make you switch again?
  4. Solution Exploration (15 min)
    • If I told you there was a tool that captures recipes and stories, what would be most valuable?
    • What concerns would you have?
    • What features would it need to have for you to try it?
    • How much would you expect to pay for something like this?
    • Who else would need to approve this purchase?
  5. Wrap-up (10 min)
    • On a scale of 1-10, how painful is the problem of preserving recipes for you?
    • Would you be interested in being a beta tester?
    • Who else should I talk to about this?

Interview Logistics:

  • Target interviews: 20-30 minimum
  • Persona mix: Ensure coverage across all target personas
  • Recruitment channels: LinkedIn, Reddit, Twitter, warm intros
  • Incentive: $50 gift card or free year of product
  • Recording: Ask permission, use Otter.ai or similar
  • Note-taking template: Problem quotes, solution reactions, pricing signals

Survey Design

Screening Survey (5-10 questions):

Purpose: Build a pool of validated target users for deeper research

  1. What best describes your role?
    • [ ] Solo founder/indie hacker
    • [ ] Product manager at a startup
    • [ ] Product manager at enterprise
    • [ ] Consultant/advisor
    • [ ] Other: ___
  2. Have you launched or been involved in launching a new product in the last 2 years?
    • [ ] Yes, multiple times
    • [ ] Yes, once
    • [ ] No, but planning to
    • [ ] No
  3. How do you currently validate product ideas before building?
    • [ ] Customer interviews
    • [ ] Landing page tests
    • [ ] I don't validate systematically
    • [ ] I use consultants
    • [ ] Other: ___
  4. On a scale of 1-10, how painful is the process of validating product ideas?
    • [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10]
  5. How much time do you typically spend on idea validation?
    • [ ] Less than 1 week
    • [ ] 1-4 weeks
    • [ ] 1-3 months
    • [ ] 3+ months
  6. What's your budget for validation activities?
    • [ ] $0 (DIY only)
    • [ ] $1-$500
    • [ ] $500-$2,000
    • [ ] $2,000-$10,000
    • [ ] $10,000+
  7. Would you be interested in a 30-minute interview about your validation process? ($50 gift card)
    • [ ] Yes, contact me at: ___
    • [ ] No

Landing Page Validation Experiment

Experiment Design:

Goal: Validate demand before building

Setup:

  • Create landing page describing the product.
  • Include clear value proposition.
  • Add email signup (waitlist).
  • Optional: Add pricing tiers (fake door test).
  • Drive traffic via ads or organic.

Headlines to Test (A/B):

  • "Preserve your family recipes and stories."
  • "Capture culinary heritage with our easy-to-use app."
  • "Connect generations through food memories."

Metrics to Track:

  • Unique visitors
  • Time on page
  • Scroll depth
  • Waitlist signup rate
  • Click-through on pricing (if showing)

Success Criteria:

  • >1,000 visitors in 2 weeks
  • >5% signup rate (50+ emails)
  • Email quality: <10% bounce rate

Budget: $500-$1,000 on Google/Facebook ads

Prototype Testing Plan

Prototype Options:

Option A: Wizard of Oz (Manual)

  • Collect user input via Google Form.
  • Manually generate analysis using AI prompts.
  • Send results via email.
  • Test willingness to pay after delivery.
  • Cost: $0 + time
  • Timeline: 2-4 weeks

Option B: Concierge MVP

  • High-touch service for 10-20 users.
  • Founder manually guides through process.
  • Learn what users really need.
  • Cost: $0 + time
  • Timeline: 4-6 weeks

Option C: Clickable Prototype

  • Use Figma/Framer for interactive mockup.
  • Show full workflow without functionality.
  • Measure user reactions and navigation.
  • Cost: $200-$500 for tools
  • Timeline: 1-2 weeks

Recommended Approach: Start with Option A or B to maximize learning before any code.

Fake Door & Pre-Order Tests

Fake Door Design:

  • Button or feature that doesn't exist yet.
  • Measure click rate to gauge demand.
  • Show "Coming soon" message after click.
  • Collect email for notification.

Pre-Order Design:

  • Offer discounted early-bird pricing.
  • Collect payment (refundable if not launched).
  • Measures actual willingness to pay.
  • Sets deadline for launch commitment.

Success Metrics:

  • Fake door click rate: >10% indicates strong demand.
  • Pre-order conversion: >2% of visitors paying.
  • Refund rate: <20% after delivery.

Validation Experiment Timeline

8-Week Validation Plan:

  • Week 1-2: Problem Validation
    • [ ] Conduct 10-15 customer discovery interviews.
    • [ ] Send screening survey (target 200+ responses).
    • [ ] Analyze interview transcripts for patterns.
    • [ ] Document validated vs. invalidated assumptions.
  • Week 3-4: Solution Validation
    • [ ] Create landing page with 3 headline variants.
    • [ ] Run A/B test with $500 ad spend.
    • [ ] Launch waitlist (target 100+ signups).
    • [ ] Follow up with 20 survey responses for deeper feedback.
  • Week 5-6: Willingness to Pay Validation
    • [ ] Conduct 10 pricing interviews.
    • [ ] Run Van Westendorp pricing survey.
    • [ ] Test fake door with pricing tiers.
    • [ ] Attempt 5-10 pre-orders at target price.
  • Week 7-8: Prototype Validation
    • [ ] Build Wizard of Oz MVP.
    • [ ] Deliver to 10-20 early users.
    • [ ] Collect NPS and qualitative feedback.
    • [ ] Iterate on core value proposition.

Go/No-Go Decision Criteria

Metric Target Actual Pass?
Interview problem validation 80%+ confirm pain ☐
Landing page signup rate >5% ☐
Price acceptance 60%+ at target price ☐
Pre-orders 10+ customers ☐
Prototype NPS >40 ☐

User Research Synthesis Template

After completing validation, document:

  • Problem Validation Summary:
    • Top 3 validated pain points.
    • Quotes from users (evidence).
    • Unexpected findings.
    • Assumptions that were wrong.
  • Solution Validation Summary:
    • Most compelling features.
    • Features users don't care about.
    • UX concerns raised.
    • Integration needs identified.
  • Pricing Validation Summary:
    • Optimal price point.
    • Price sensitivity by segment.
    • Value anchors (what they compare to).
    • Pricing model preferences.
  • Go-to-Market Insights:
    • Where users hang out.
    • How they discover solutions.
    • Decision-making process.
    • Buying objections.