Idea Book: Assumption Map

Capture and prioritize what must be true (customer, problem, solution, market, business model)—edit in Validation, saved on the Idea Book step, then validate the riskiest beliefs first.

Assumption Map is your venture’s prioritized beliefs: what must be true for the idea to work, with categories, importance, certainty, and validation status—so testing focuses on what hurts most if you’re wrong. You edit in Validation; the Idea Book still stores the same ASSUMPTIONMAP data and shows progress on the roadmap.

Structural overview: Idea Book roadmap, section fields, save, and AI entry points

Where to open it

  • Primary workspace: Assumption Map under Validation (same path whether you open it from Validation or follow Plans → Idea Book — the latter redirects here so bookmarks stay valid).
  • The Idea Book roadmap still tracks this step; data is the same venture record described under Data and persistence below.

UI at a glance

  • Matrix: importance × certainty (each High / Medium / Low); each assumption appears as a dot. The high importance, low certainty corner is the usual “test first” band; the UI legend calls out risk visually.
  • List: statement, category (Customer, Problem, Solution, Market, BusinessModel), importance, certainty, and status (Unvalidated, Testing, Validated, Invalidated). Click a dot or row to edit.
  • GTM experiment link: when status is Testing or Invalidated, you can optionally link a row to GTM Market Test channel slot 1, 2, or 3; dropdown labels use the channel names from your Go-to-Market plan’s Market test section. When set, the row can open GTM Market test next to the experiment.

AI and automation

  • Generate drafts candidate rows from your venture context; select rows, then Add selected (they arrive as Unvalidated). Treat output as a starting point, not evidence.
  • Add inserts a manual row; Save writes the full map to the venture. You can store up to 100 assumptions.

Data and persistence

Saved as items under Idea Book step ASSUMPTIONMAP; Validation, roadmap, and related scoring read this list.

Getting started

  • Add at least one assumption so Idea Book progress and Validation stay aligned.
  • Advance status as you learn; use Testing or Invalidated when you want a row tied to a Market test channel.

How to use this section

  • Keep each assumption a short, testable statement (avoid vague slogans).
  • Use Generate / Add / Save on the Assumption Map page; use importance and certainty honestly—the matrix only helps when tiers reflect real conviction.
  • Move status as you learn; when a row is Testing or Invalidated, optionally link it to a Market test channel so execution stays traceable.

Relation to Validation

The Assumption Map workspace lives under Validation. The map unlocks only after your Go-to-Market Strategy plan is complete (Hypothesis, Market Test, and Channel Planner — same bar as Plans → Go-to-Market). If you see a lock, finish that plan, then return to Assumption Map.

Why it matters

Teams that skip this step often build or spend on unstated beliefs; the map makes implicit risks explicit and shareable.

Open Assumption Map (Validation)