Line: Product Evaluation¶
Enterprise analog: Corporate innovation and new-product evaluation.
Covers: Venture ($1B+ and fundable) and Bootstrap (self-funded and MRR).
Tracking: Notion Workstreams database — view: Product Work. Gatekeeper: Product Manager. See agent setup.
Product work exists only as a Product workstream routed by Portfolio. Discover is not a global inbox. A market opportunity found during Services or Editorial work becomes a separate Product Initiative linked with derived_from.
Workflow¶
Discover → Explore → Score → Build-gate → Ship-signal → Archive
| Stage | Purpose | Exit condition | Transition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discover | Bind venture or bootstrap profile | Profile and outcome are recorded | Deterministic |
| Explore | Gather evidence for evaluation | Required evidence depth is satisfied | Deterministic |
| Score | Apply the bound scorecard | Complete, reproducible score snapshot exists | Deterministic |
| Build-gate | Decide whether to allocate build capacity | Profile gate and WIP policy pass | Deterministic pass; Hector approves override |
| Ship-signal | Record live use, revenue, or learning | Required signal evidence is recorded | Deterministic |
| Archive | Close or park the Product workstream | Disposition and rationale are recorded | Judgment |
Graduation is a disposition or transition (for example Bootstrap → Venture evaluation path), not a stage ID and not combined with Archive as Archive / Graduate.
Commercial Software Implement is blocked until Score and Build-gate pass. Lab experiments may proceed through a directly routed Software workstream without pretending that Product evaluation occurred.
Build gate¶
For Bootstrap, a score of exactly 60 passes: score >= 60. Additional declared conditions, including willingness-to-pay and shared build WIP, must also pass.
The Venture scorecard must define its own deterministic threshold before a Venture build gate can be automated. Until then, Venture build approval is a judgment gate and the compiler must report that gap.
The shared maximum is two active commercial builds across Venture and Bootstrap Software workstreams. Hector may explicitly override the cap; the override and rationale are evidence on the Initiative.
Product record¶
| Field | Meaning |
|---|---|
product_id |
Stable Conductor-minted identifier |
initiative_id |
Required link to the Initiative contract |
workstream_id |
Product workstream governed by this record |
profile |
venture \| bootstrap |
stage |
Exact Product stage ID |
score_snapshot |
Score, inputs, scorecard version, and date |
evidence_links |
Research artifacts used by the current stage |
gate_result |
Pass, fail, or judgment-required with reasons |
ship_signals |
Dated live-use, revenue, and learning evidence |
Required views: Catalog, Ongoing, Upcoming, History.
Roles¶
role.product-managerrole.market-researcherrole.scorecard-analyst
Each compiled pack selects one role for one Product stage.
Cross-line coordination¶
- Portfolio classification adds the Product workstream at Discover.
- A passing build gate adds or activates a Software workstream on the same Initiative.
- Product and Software workstreams may remain active concurrently.
- Software or Editorial records ship evidence used by Product's Ship-signal stage.
- A Bootstrap product showing credible
$1B+potential may add a Venture evaluation path as defined by the graduation policy.
Prohibitions¶
- Product Discover as organization-wide intake.
- Treating a supporting app needed by another line as a market opportunity.
- Creating a GitHub issue as a prerequisite for Product or Software work.
- Claiming a deterministic Venture build gate before its threshold is defined.