281 lines
9.4 KiB
Markdown
281 lines
9.4 KiB
Markdown
# Banatie Passive Research: Search Directions Tracker
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**Date Started:** November 1, 2025
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**Purpose:** Track all passive research directions, searches, and findings
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**Status:** Active Research
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---
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## Research Methodology
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**Tools:** Brave Search MCP, Perplexity MCP
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**Approach:** Multiple search variations per direction to avoid false negatives
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**Output Focus:** Verifiable Reddit/forum post links + brief conclusions
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**Language:** Russian for notes, English for search queries
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---
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## 🎯 Priority Directions (Start Here)
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### ✅ Direction 0: Initial Exploration (COMPLETED)
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**Status:** Completed Oct 31, 2025
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**Document:** `reddit-passive-research.md`
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**Key Findings:**
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- ✅ "Placeholder hell" validated (projects stall waiting for client content)
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- ⌠Context switching NOT a real pain (no complaints found)
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- ⌠MCP not a differentiator (already exists)
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- ✅ Competitor gaps found (fal.ai pricing issues, Replicate support problems)
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---
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### 🔄 Direction 1: Prompt URLs + No-Code Generation
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**Hypothesis:** Web developers want to generate images directly from HTML without code.
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**Key Questions:**
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- Do developers want `<img src="https://api.com/generate/description" />` approach?
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- Is placeholder replacement a bottleneck in their workflow?
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- Would they pay for AI-powered placeholders?
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**Search Topics:**
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- [ ] **Search 1.1:** "placeholder images" + "dynamic generation" (r/webdev, r/Frontend)
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- [ ] **Search 1.2:** "HTML img tag" + "AI generation" (r/webdev)
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- [ ] **Search 1.3:** "landing page images" + "automated" (r/SideProject, r/buildinpublic)
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- [ ] **Search 1.4:** "placeholder.com alternative" + "AI" (r/web_design)
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- [ ] **Search 1.5:** "unsplash.it" + "dynamic images" (r/webdev)
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**Findings:**
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- (To be filled after searches)
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---
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### 🔄 Direction 2: AI Agent Ecosystem
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**Hypothesis:** AI agent builders need visual output for their products.
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**Key Questions:**
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- Do LangChain/CrewAI builders struggle with image generation?
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- Is there demand for "AI agent → image generation" integration?
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- Would prompt enhancement help AI agents create better visuals?
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**Search Topics:**
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- [ ] **Search 2.1:** "LangChain" + "image generation" (r/LangChain, r/OpenAI)
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- [ ] **Search 2.2:** "AI agent" + "visual output" (r/ArtificialIntelligence)
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- [ ] **Search 2.3:** "CrewAI" + "images" (r/CrewAI if exists, r/AI_Agents)
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- [ ] **Search 2.4:** "Custom GPT" + "image generation" (r/OpenAI, r/ChatGPT)
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- [ ] **Search 2.5:** "AI SaaS" + "image API" (r/SaaS, r/Entrepreneur)
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- [ ] **Search 2.6:** "AutoGPT" + "images" (r/AutoGPT if exists)
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**Findings:**
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- (To be filled after searches)
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---
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### â³ Direction 3: Marketing Agencies Pain
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**Hypothesis:** Digital marketing agencies struggle with high-volume content creation for clients.
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**Key Questions:**
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- Do agencies complain about social media visual creation?
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- Is stock photo cost/limitation a real pain?
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- Would agencies pay for AI-generated marketing visuals?
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**Search Topics:**
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- [ ] **Search 3.1:** "agency" + "content creation" + "scale" (r/marketing, r/digital_marketing)
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- [ ] **Search 3.2:** "social media images" + "workflow" (r/socialmedia)
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- [ ] **Search 3.3:** "stock photos" + "expensive" OR "limitations" (r/marketing)
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- [ ] **Search 3.4:** "client content" + "bottleneck" (r/Entrepreneur - agency owners)
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- [ ] **Search 3.5:** "marketing agency tools" + "AI" (r/digital_marketing)
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**Findings:**
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- (To be filled after searches)
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---
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### â³ Direction 4: E-commerce Product Variations
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**Hypothesis:** E-commerce sellers need product image variations for A/B tests and channels.
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**Key Questions:**
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- Do sellers struggle with product photography costs?
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- Is there demand for AI-generated product variations?
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- Would Shopify integration be valuable?
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**Search Topics:**
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- [ ] **Search 4.1:** "product photography" + "expensive" (r/shopify, r/ecommerce)
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- [ ] **Search 4.2:** "product images" + "variations" (r/shopify)
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- [ ] **Search 4.3:** "Amazon listing images" + "AI" (r/FulfillmentByAmazon, r/AmazonSeller)
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- [ ] **Search 4.4:** "A/B test product images" (r/ecommerce)
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- [ ] **Search 4.5:** "Shopify" + "AI image generation" (r/shopify)
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**Findings:**
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- (To be filled after searches)
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---
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### â³ Direction 5: Technical Writers + Documentation
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**Hypothesis:** Tech writers need quick illustrations, diagrams, UI mockups for docs.
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**Key Questions:**
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- Do documentation teams struggle with illustration bottlenecks?
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- Would AI-generated technical diagrams be valuable?
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- Is there budget for documentation tools?
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**Search Topics:**
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- [ ] **Search 5.1:** "technical illustration" + "bottleneck" (r/technicalwriting)
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- [ ] **Search 5.2:** "documentation images" + "workflow" (r/technicalwriting)
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- [ ] **Search 5.3:** "API documentation" + "visual examples" (r/devdocs if exists, r/programming)
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- [ ] **Search 5.4:** "UI mockups" + "documentation" (r/technicalwriting)
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- [ ] **Search 5.5:** "diagram generation" + "automated" (Hacker News, r/programming)
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**Findings:**
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- (To be filled after searches)
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---
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### 🆕 Direction 6: Gemini 2.5 Flash Specific Demand
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**Hypothesis:** There are users who specifically want Gemini 2.5 Flash Image and would pay premium for it.
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**Key Questions:**
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- What makes Gemini 2.5 better than competitors (DALL-E, Midjourney, Flux)?
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- Who prefers Gemini 2.5 and why?
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- Is there willingness to pay more for Gemini access via API?
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**Search Topics:**
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- [ ] **Search 6.1:** "Gemini 2.5 Flash" + "image generation" (r/GoogleGeminiAI, r/AI_Agents)
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- [ ] **Search 6.2:** "Gemini vs DALL-E" + "image quality" (r/ArtificialIntelligence)
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- [ ] **Search 6.3:** "Gemini vs Midjourney" (r/StableDiffusion, r/ArtificialIntelligence)
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- [ ] **Search 6.4:** "Gemini 2.5" + "API" (r/GoogleGeminiAI, r/MachineLearning)
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- [ ] **Search 6.5:** "Gemini image generation" + "pricing" (r/GoogleGeminiAI)
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- [ ] **Search 6.6:** "Why use Gemini over" + alternatives (r/ArtificialIntelligence)
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**Findings:**
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- (To be filled after searches)
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---
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### 🆕 Direction 7: MCP Stability & Quality Issues
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**Hypothesis:** Existing MCP image generation servers are unstable and low-quality.
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**Key Questions:**
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- Do developers complain about existing MCP image tools crashing?
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- Is prompt quality a problem with current MCP solutions?
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- Do reference images work properly in existing tools?
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**Search Topics:**
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- [ ] **Search 7.1:** "MCP image generation" + "crash" OR "unstable" (r/mcp, r/ClaudeAI)
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- [ ] **Search 7.2:** "Draw Things MCP" + issues (r/mcp, r/cursor)
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- [ ] **Search 7.3:** "MCP Flux Studio" + problems (r/mcp)
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- [ ] **Search 7.4:** "MCP image" + "prompt quality" (r/ClaudeAI, r/mcp)
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- [ ] **Search 7.5:** "MCP" + "reference images" (r/mcp)
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**Findings:**
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- (To be filled after searches)
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---
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## 🔮 Future Directions (Backlog)
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### Direction 8: Indie Hackers / Solo Builders
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**Hypothesis:** Solo developers building SaaS need quick visual assets
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**Priority:** Medium
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**Reason to explore:** High overlap with current ICP (AI developers)
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### Direction 9: Game Development (Unity/Unreal)
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**Hypothesis:** Indie game devs need concept art, textures, UI assets
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**Priority:** Low
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**Reason to explore:** Different market, but high volume potential
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### Direction 10: Education / E-learning
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**Hypothesis:** Course creators need illustrations for educational content
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**Priority:** Low
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**Reason to explore:** Recurring need, willingness to pay for tools
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---
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## 🎯 Research Execution Strategy
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**Phase 1: Quick Validation (Directions 1, 2, 6, 7)**
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- **Timeline:** Nov 1-2, 2025
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- **Goal:** Find strong signals or kill directions fast
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- **Success:** 2-3 Reddit threads per direction showing real pain
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**Phase 2: Deep Dive (Top 2 directions from Phase 1)**
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- **Timeline:** Nov 3-4, 2025
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- **Goal:** Extract specific pain points, feature requests, pricing expectations
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- **Success:** 10+ detailed use cases, clear ICP profile
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**Phase 3: Synthesis (Nov 5)**
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- **Goal:** Update ICP hypothesis based on findings
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- **Output:** Revised validation interview script
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---
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## 📊 Scoring Framework (Apply After Each Direction)
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For each completed direction, score:
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**Signal Strength:**
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- 🔴 Weak (0-2 relevant posts): No clear pain
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- 🟡 Medium (3-5 relevant posts): Some interest, unclear pain
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- 🟢 Strong (6+ relevant posts): Clear, recurring pain
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**Actionability:**
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- 🔴 Vague: Generic complaints, no specific requests
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- 🟡 Moderate: Some specifics, but unclear what to build
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- 🟢 Clear: Specific features/workflows requested
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**Willingness to Pay:**
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- 🔴 No mentions of budget/tools
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- 🟡 Use free tools, complain about paid
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- 🟢 Already paying for similar tools
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**Strategic Fit:**
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- 🔴 Requires major pivot (different product)
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- 🟡 Requires some features we don't have
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- 🟢 Aligns with current tech stack and differentiators
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---
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## 📠Notes & Insights
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### Cross-Direction Patterns
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- (To be filled as patterns emerge)
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### Unexpected Findings
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- (To be filled with surprises)
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### Dead Ends
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- (To be filled with directions that clearly don't work)
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---
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## 🚀 Next Steps After Research
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**If 2+ directions score 🟢🟢🟢🟢:**
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- Update ICP hypothesis (07-validated-icp-ai-developers.md)
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- Revise interview script (03-icp-research-questions.md)
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- Plan external validation
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**If 0-1 directions score well:**
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- Explore backlog directions
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- Consider fundamental pivot
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- Discuss with @men
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---
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**Document Status:** Active
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**Last Updated:** November 1, 2025
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**Next Review:** After Phase 1 completion (Nov 2-3)
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