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Pretotyping: Test Idea Before Building

Before building full product, test with "fake prototype" (10× simpler than MVP). Saves months + tens of thousands.

60 min Intermediate

Goal

Beat "build-it-and-they-will-come" by building a $100 fake that reveals viability before $100K investment.

Steps

1

Write product idea in one line. E.g., "App connecting local moms to swap baby gear".

6 more steps locked

Expected Outcome

Immediate

You get real data on idea in a week, vs "polite guessing" stretching months.

Evidence base

School: Lean Startup / Pretotyping

Founders: Alberto Savoia · Google (2011)

Pretotyping coined by Alberto Savoia (Google engineer) 2011. Integrated into Google's Innovation Lab. "Pretotype It" book is free.

Frequently asked questions

How long does "Pretotyping: Test Idea Before Building" take?

This exercise takes about 60 minutes, practiced with another person in a Action format.

When will I notice the effect of "Pretotyping: Test Idea Before Building"?

You get real data on idea in a week, vs "polite guessing" stretching months. In the short term: Within a month, you know with certainty if idea works (or not), and start building or pivoting.

Is "Pretotyping: Test Idea Before Building" evidence-based?

Yes — it draws on Lean Startup / Pretotyping (Alberto Savoia, Google (2011)). Pretotyping coined by Alberto Savoia (Google engineer) 2011. Integrated into Google's Innovation Lab. "Pretotype It" book is free.

Is "Pretotyping: Test Idea Before Building" suitable for beginners?

Its difficulty level is: Intermediate. No external tools required — it can be practiced directly inside the app.

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