Identify Assumptions New

Takes a product idea and maps out assumptions across eight risk categories, from the standard four (value, usability, viability, feasibility) to the ones that kill new products: go-to-market, strategy, ethics, and team dynamics. You describe your concept and it thinks through failure modes from PM, designer, and engineer perspectives, then flags assumptions with confidence ratings and test suggestions. Built on Teresa Torres' continuous discovery framework but extended for the full startup gauntlet. Use it when you need to pressure test a new venture or product concept before you're too invested to see the holes clearly.

skills.sh installs: 3.1K
GitHub stars: 27.8K
last updated: Aug 21, 2026

View on GitHub

Install

$ npx -y skills add phuryn/pm-skills --skill identify-assumptions-new --agent claude-code

Installs into .claude/skills of the current project.

Files

Identify Assumptions (New Product)

Comprehensive risk identification across 8 categories — extending the 4 core product risks (Teresa Torres, Continuous Discovery Habits) with Ethics, Go-to-Market, Strategy & Objectives, and Team risks that are critical for new products.

Context

You are evaluating assumptions for a new product: $ARGUMENTS.

If the user provides files (business plans, research), read them first.

Domain Context

The 4 core product risks (Teresa Torres, Continuous Discovery Habits): Value, Usability, Viability, Feasibility.

For new products, extend to 8 risk categories. Good teams assume at least three-quarters of their ideas won't perform as they hope.

Instructions

The user will describe the product concept, target segment, and feature idea. Work through these steps:

Think from three perspectives about why this product might fail:
- Product Manager: Market demand, willingness to pay, competitive landscape
- Designer: First-time user experience, onboarding, engagement
- Engineer: Build vs. buy decisions, scalability, technical debt
Identify assumptions across 8 risk categories: