Review Criteria -- Product Discovery Review
Evidence Quality Validation
Past Behavior Indicators (Good)
"Tell me about the last time..." | "When did you last..." | "What happened when..." | "Walk me through how you..." | "What did you try..." | "How much have you spent on..." Specific dates, dollar amounts, named tools, concrete examples, emotional frustration language
Future Intent Red Flags (Reject)
"Would you use/pay/like..." | "Do you think..." | "Imagine if..." | "What if we..." Flag and reject if >20% of evidence is future-intent.
Validation Thresholds
- Past behavior ratio: >80% (reject if fail, require re-interview)
- Specific examples: min 3 concrete per finding (warn if fail)
- Customer language: quotes in customer words, not paraphrased (warn if fail)
Sample Size Minimums
| Phase | Minimum | High Confidence | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1: Problem | 5 | 10 | Interviews required |
| 2: Opportunity | 10 | 20 | Quantitative supplements, not replaces |
| 3: Solution | 5 per iteration | 3 iterations max | Before decision |
| 4: Viability | 5 | -- | Stakeholder review required |
Pivot decision rule: min 5 consistent signals. Block decisions on fewer.
Decision Gate Criteria
G1: Problem to Opportunity
Proceed: 5+ confirm pain + willingness to pay | Pivot: differs from expected | Kill: <20% confirm Checks: 5+ interviews, >60% confirmation, customer words, 3+ examples
G2: Opportunity to Solution
Proceed: top 2-3 score >8 (0-20) | Pivot: new opportunities | Kill: all low-value Checks: OST complete with 5+, scores correct (Importance + Max(0, Importance - Satisfaction)), top >8/20
G3: Solution to Viability
Proceed: >80% task completion, usability validated | Pivot: needs refinement | Kill: fundamental blocks Checks: 5+ users/iteration, >80% completion, core flow usable, value validated
G4: Viability to Build
Proceed: 4 risks addressed, model validated | Pivot: adjustment needed | Kill: no viable model Checks: Lean Canvas complete, all risks green/yellow, stakeholder sign-off
Bias Types
Confirmation Bias (critical)
Signals: only positive quotes | skeptics not interviewed | disconfirming evidence dismissed | same questions for "right" answers Fix: include skeptics, actively seek disconfirming evidence
Selection Bias (high)
Signals: all existing customers | no churned/non-adopters | lacks diversity | single-enthusiast referral chain Fix: random/diverse selection, include skeptics and non-users
Discovery Theater (critical)
Signals: conclusion decided before research | findings match hypothesis perfectly | no surprises | idea-in = idea-shipped Fix: track idea evolution, expect 50%+ ideas to change
Sample Size Problem (high)
Signals: major decisions on 2-3 interviews | single quote as "validation" | pivot on one signal Fix: min 5 interviews per segment, 5+ signals for decisions
Anti-Patterns
Interview Anti-Patterns
| Pattern | Detection | Bad | Good | Severity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leading questions | Suggests desired answer | "Don't you think this would save time?" | "Tell me about the last time you tried to save time on this" | high |
| Future-intent | Hypothetical behavior | "Would you use this feature?" | "What have you tried to solve this problem?" | critical |
| Compliments as validation | Accepting "that's cool" | "They loved the idea!" | "They committed to follow-up and referral" | high |
| Talking > listening | >30% interviewer talk | Long questions, short responses | Open questions, extended answers | medium |
Process Anti-Patterns
| Pattern | Detection | Severity |
|---|---|---|
| Skipping to solutions | Solution before problem validated | critical |
| Demographic segmentation | Segments by demographics not jobs | medium |
| Building before testing | Code before Phase 3 | critical |
Strategic Anti-Patterns
| Pattern | Detection | Severity |
|---|---|---|
| Premature pivoting | Direction change on 1-2 signals (need 5+) | high |
| Solution love | Defending despite evidence, dismissing critics | high |
| Sole source of truth | Only quant OR qual, not both | medium |
Pre-Approval Checklist
Evidence Quality
- Past behavior ratio >80% | [ ] No critical future-intent | [ ] Customer language preserved
Sample Sizes
- Phase 1: 5+ | [ ] Phase 2: 10+ | [ ] Phase 3: 5+/iteration | [ ] Phase 4: 5+ with stakeholders
Decision Gates
- All gates properly evaluated | [ ] Criteria documented with evidence | [ ] Decision justified
Bias Check
- No confirmation bias | [ ] No selection bias | [ ] No discovery theater | [ ] Sample size adequate
Anti-Patterns
- No critical interview anti-patterns | [ ] No critical process anti-patterns | [ ] No critical strategic anti-patterns
Approval Decision
- Approved: all checks pass, no critical issues. Formal handoff to product-owner.
- Conditionally approved: minor issues only (no critical/high). Approval with recommendations.
- Rejected: any critical/high issue. Structured rejection with remediation. Blocks handoff.
