User Research & Validation Plan
Key Assumptions to Validate
| Assumption | Risk | Method | Target |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suburban neighbors experience friction in skill exchange due to lack of structured system | High | Interviews, observation | 70%+ confirm pain point |
| Current alternatives (Nextdoor, Facebook) are inadequate for skill exchanges | High | Competitive analysis + user interviews | Document 3+ specific complaints |
| Users are uncomfortable asking for favors without reciprocity | Medium | Interviews, surveys | 60%+ express discomfort |
| Time-based credits will be perceived as fair across skill types | High | Prototype testing | 75%+ rate system as fair |
| Users will trust neighbors verified through community vouch system | High | Interviews, landing page tests | 80%+ express comfort with vouch system |
| Users will pay $4.99/month for unlimited exchanges | Critical | Pricing tests, pre-orders | 10+ paying customers at target price |
| HOAs will pay $99/month for community dashboard | Critical | Sales conversations, pilot agreements | 3+ HOA commitments |
| Users will complete exchanges after matching | High | Wizard of Oz MVP | 60%+ completion rate |
Customer Discovery Interview Guide
Part 1: Background & Context (10 min)
- Tell me about your role in your neighborhood and what you do day-to-day
- How long have you lived in your current community?
- What are your biggest challenges with getting help from or helping neighbors?
Part 2: Problem Exploration (20 min)
- Walk me through the last time you needed help from a neighbor (e.g., pet sitting, home repair)
- How often do you need or offer neighborly help?
- What makes you hesitant to ask for or offer help?
- How does it make you feel when you can't reciprocate help?
- What's the worst part about the current process?
- What have you tried to solve this?
- How much time do you spend coordinating neighborly help?
Part 3: Current Solutions (15 min)
- What tools or methods do you currently use for neighbor coordination?
- What do you like about Nextdoor/Facebook groups?
- What do you wish was different about these platforms?
- Have you ever used time banking or skill exchange systems?
- What would make you switch to a new system?
Part 4: Solution Exploration (15 min)
- If there was a platform where you could exchange skills with neighbors using time credits...
- What skills would you offer? What would you seek?
- How would you feel about all skills being valued equally (1 hour = 1 credit)?
- What concerns would you have about safety or quality?
- How much would you expect to pay for something like this?
- Would your HOA be interested in managing this for the community?
Part 5: Wrap-up (10 min)
- On a scale of 1-10, how painful is this problem for you?
- Would you be interested in being a beta tester?
- Who else in your neighborhood should I talk to about this?
Interview Logistics:
Target: 25-30 interviews across suburban homeowners (35-65), retirees, and young families
Recruitment: HOA contacts, community Facebook groups, local events
Incentive: $50 gift card or free year of premium
Tools: Otter.ai for recording, Notion template for notes
8-Week Validation Plan
Week 1-2
Problem Validation
• 15 customer interviews
• Screening survey (200+ responses)
• Assumption validation
Week 3-4
Solution Validation
• Landing page A/B test
• Waitlist (100+ signups)
• Ad spend: $500
Week 5-6
Pricing Validation
• 10 pricing interviews
• Van Westendorp survey
• Fake door tests
Week 7-8
Prototype Validation
• Wizard of Oz MVP
• 15 user deliveries
• NPS collection
Go/No-Go Decision Criteria
| Metric | Target | Success Indicator |
|---|---|---|
| Interview problem validation | 80%+ confirm pain | ✓ Strong problem-solution fit |
| Landing page signup rate | >5% (50+ emails) | ✓ Market demand validated |
| Price acceptance | 60%+ at $4.99 | ✓ Viable pricing model |
| HOA commitments | 3+ pilot agreements | ✓ B2B revenue path clear |
| Prototype NPS | >40 | ✓ Strong user satisfaction |
Key Validation Experiments
Landing Page Test
Headlines: "Exchange skills with neighbors" vs "Time-based neighborhood help"
Success: 5%+ signup rate from 1,000 visitors
Wizard of Oz MVP
Manual skill matching via Google Forms
Deliver AI-generated "exchange reports"
Test completion rate and NPS
Pre-Order Test
Offer $2.99 early-bird pricing
Target: 10+ pre-orders
Validates willingness to pay