Choosing the next step
A product brief, prototype and usable first release answer different questions. Choose the next step around what you need to learn.
Faith Forge Labs ยท Reviewed October 16, 2026
Use a bounded planning phase when the customer, task or launch requirements are unclear. Its result should be a brief with decisions, assumptions, exclusions and a proposed next scope.
Discovery is useful when it resolves named questions. It should have a deliverable and stopping point.
A prototype can help people try a proposed sequence or compare wording and layout. State what is simulated. An attractive demo does not establish account separation, reliable storage or readiness for real customer records.
A usable release includes the accounts, permissions, saved records and staff tools required by its actual audience. Limit features while keeping the essential task and operating responsibilities complete.
Billing may belong later if the initial question can be answered without it. If payment changes access in the first release, those rules need design and testing now.
Confirm source ownership, deployment steps, dependencies and what the existing code really does. Preserve useful work where it fits, but identify gaps before treating the prototype as almost finished.
Use the launch checklist or discuss the next step.