Protopilot
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Worked research case

Protopilot

Try a product idea before handing it to engineering.

See how a product lead makes a small test for an idea they're considering.

Read-only worked research

For
Product teams using AI-assisted builders who need evidence before committing engineering time.
Decision
Teams turn untested assumptions into polished software too early, making it expensive to learn whether a real problem exists.
Sessions
0 recorded

Author · The problem

The team has an idea to check.

A team can quickly make a polished screen. They still need to find out whether it solves the right problem before spending time on development.

Author's workspaceProtopilotExample scenario
Make the idea testableReady to test
Project draft

Checkout confidence

Teams polish checkout ideas before testing whether buyers understand the commitment.

Smallest test
Name an observable task…
Create tester flow +
Start with the situation.Local demonstration
Question to holdTeams turn untested assumptions into polished software too early, making it expensive to learn whether a real problem exists.

Author · What to find out

Will they make a test before starting development?

The creator expects product leads to make a tester flow before asking engineering to build. They write down what action would support that idea and what would count against it.

Author's workspaceProtopilotExample scenario
Make the idea testableReady to test
Project draft

Checkout confidence

Teams polish checkout ideas before testing whether buyers understand the commitment.

Smallest test
Name an observable task…
Create tester flow +
Choose what could change your mind.Local demonstration
After framing a problem and hypotheses, product leads will create a tester flow before asking engineering to build.
Prediction
At least four of five eligible product leads create the named tester flow without assistance before asking for an implementation.
What would change your mind?
Three or more eligible product leads skip the tester flow, require assistance, or ask to build first.
Alternatives
A lightweight assumption checklist may change behavior without an executable prototype composer.
Confidence before testing
55% before participant evidence
Show authored assumption questions
What commitment becomes expensive too early?
A polished implementation makes the team defend a solution before it has tested the buyer problem.

Author · The prototypes

Try two ways to create the test.

Compare a guided composer with an assumption card. Both let the product lead create a flow for someone to try.

Author's workspaceProtopilotExample scenario
Make the idea testableReady to test
Project draft

Checkout confidence

Teams polish checkout ideas before testing whether buyers understand the commitment.

Smallest test
Name an observable task…
Create tester flow +
Different interfaces. The same test.Local demonstration
AlternativeGuided test composerSame research question, a distinct route through the task.
AlternativeCompact assumption cardSame research question, a distinct route through the task.
Show model relationships and queries
Commands
createTesterFlow, requestBuildBeforeTest
Entities and fields

ProjectDraft: title, problem, status

TesterFlow: projectId, name, createdBy

Events
testerFlowCreated, buildRequestedBeforeTest
testerFlowProject
TesterFlow.projectId → ProjectDraft (one)
listProjectDrafts
ProjectDraft
Show scenario definition
{
  "records": {
    "ProjectDraft": [
      {
        "id": "example-protopilot:scenario-record:ProjectDraft:1",
        "title": "Checkout confidence",
        "problem": "Teams polish checkout ideas before testing whether buyers understand the commitment.",
        "status": "framed"
      }
    ],
    "TesterFlow": []
  }
}
Show authored model questions
What observable behavior would reduce that risk?
The product lead creates a runnable tester flow tied to the selected usage hypothesis before requesting engineering work.

Tester · Try the task

Take the product lead's place.

Choose the Checkout confidence project and give its tester flow a name. You can try this below.

Tester's prototypeProtopilotExample scenario
Make the idea testableAction observed
Project draft

Checkout confidence

Teams polish checkout ideas before testing whether buyers understand the commitment.

Smallest test
Choose a plan without assistance
Tester flow created ✓
Created by the actionChoose a plan without assistanceConnected to Checkout confidence
Watch the action, not the promise.Local demonstration
TaskCreate a tester flow named “Choose a plan without assistance” for the Checkout confidence project.Participant

A product lead who currently uses an AI-assisted builder for product exploration.

Show screening and observation criteria
  • Do you currently use an AI-assisted builder to explore product ideas? (eligibility)

Support signal: testerFlowCreated is recorded

Refute signal: buildRequestedBeforeTest is recorded

Show authored prototype-test questions
What is the smallest honest test?
Give an eligible product lead a framed checkout study and observe whether they can create a named tester flow without assistance.

Local simulation · not recorded

Author again · What happened

Check what happened.

The example run creates a tester flow. That matches the action the creator planned to look for, but they still need to test with real product leads.

Observation ledgerProtopilotExample scenario
Make the idea testableAction observed
Project draft

Checkout confidence

Teams polish checkout ideas before testing whether buyers understand the commitment.

Smallest test
Choose a plan without assistance
Tester flow created ✓
Created by the actionChoose a plan without assistanceConnected to Checkout confidence
Simulated action → support conditionNot research evidence

No participant evidence yet.

Show authored learning question
What did participant sessions show?
No participant sessions have run; the study is ready to test, but there is no outcome evidence yet.

The example command supports the authored observation rule. It is a local, runnable demonstration—not participant evidence.

Build the composer only if the usage threshold holds; otherwise reduce the workflow or test the checklist alternative.Create a private editable full project