Phase 1: Idea Capture
Deprecated: The
preseedworkflow has been renamed toseed. All preseed functionality is now available underbootspring seed. See the Seed Workflow for current documentation.
Duration: 15-30 minutes
Transform your rough idea into structured data through guided questioning.
Overview
The Idea Capture phase uses an interactive wizard to systematically extract the key elements of your product idea. Each section builds on the previous, creating a coherent foundation for your documentation.
Starting the Wizard
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The 8 Sections
Section 1: Project Identity
Basic information that identifies your project.
Questions:
- What is your project name?
- What is your one-line tagline?
- Describe your project in 1-2 sentences
- Select your category (SaaS, E-commerce, Marketplace, etc.)
Example:
Project name: TaskFlow
Tagline: AI-powered task management for developers
Description: A task management app that uses AI to prioritize
and organize developer workflows
Category: Developer Tool
Tips:
- Keep the tagline under 10 words
- Description should explain what it does, not how
- Category helps generate relevant templates
Section 2: Problem Statement
Define the problem you're solving and why it matters.
Questions:
- What is the core problem? (1-2 sentences)
- What are the specific pain points? (list 3-5)
- What solutions exist today? (optional)
- Why is now the right time? (timing justification)
Example:
Problem: Developers waste hours daily on task management
instead of coding
Pain points:
- Context switching kills productivity
- Todo apps don't understand code workflows
- Priorities shift without clear signals
- Manual syncing between tools
Current solutions:
- Linear (good but not AI-native)
- Todoist (not developer-focused)
- GitHub Issues (no prioritization)
Why now: AI can now understand code context to prioritize
intelligently, and developers are demanding better tools
Tips:
- Be specific about pain points
- "Why now" is crucial for investors
- Don't worry if you don't know all current solutions
Section 3: Solution Overview
Describe how you solve the problem.
Questions:
- What is your solution? (brief overview)
- What are the key features? (list 3-5 for MVP)
- What makes you different? (unique value proposition)
Example:
Solution: An AI-powered task manager that understands developer
workflows and automatically prioritizes based on code
context, deadlines, and team dependencies
Key features:
- AI auto-prioritization based on code impact
- GitHub/GitLab PR integration
- Focus mode with distraction blocking
- Team dependency tracking
- Smart deadline suggestions
Unique value: The only task manager that reads your code to
understand what actually matters
Tips:
- Focus on 3-5 MVP features, not everything
- Unique value should be one clear sentence
- Differentiation should be defensible
Section 4: Target Audience
Define who you're building for.
Questions:
- Who is your primary audience? (one sentence)
- What segments exist within this audience?
- Can you describe 2-3 personas?
- What is your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP)?
Example:
Primary audience: Software developers who want to be more
productive
Segments:
- Solo developers (indie hackers, freelancers)
- Small team developers (2-10 person teams)
- Enterprise developers (managed by eng managers)
Personas:
1. Sarah - Senior engineer, overwhelmed by tasks, uses 5 tools
2. Mike - Team lead, needs to track team priorities
3. Alex - Indie hacker, building side project at night
ICP:
- Role: Software engineer or engineering manager
- Company size: 10-500 employees
- Tech stack: GitHub/GitLab users
- Budget: Has tool allowance ($50-200/mo)
- Pain: Currently using 3+ tools for task management
Tips:
- Start narrow, expand later
- Personas should feel like real people
- ICP should be specific enough to find
Section 5: Market Opportunity
Size the market for your product.
Questions:
- What is your TAM (Total Addressable Market)?
- What is your SAM (Serviceable Addressable Market)?
- What is your SOM (Serviceable Obtainable Market)?
- What trends support this market?
- What is the market growth rate?
Example:
TAM: $5B (all productivity tools for developers)
SAM: $500M (AI-powered developer tools)
SOM: $10M (first 2-3 years, developer task management)
Trends:
- AI adoption in developer tools accelerating
- Remote work increasing need for async productivity
- Developer tool budgets expanding
Growth rate: 25% CAGR for developer productivity tools
Tips:
- Use bottom-up math when possible
- SOM should be achievable in 2-3 years
- Trends should support your thesis
Section 6: Competitive Landscape
Understand your competition.
Questions:
- Who are your direct competitors?
- Who are indirect competitors?
- How do you position against them?
- What are your key differentiators?
Example:
Direct competitors:
- Linear ($50M ARR, teams focus)
- Height (AI features, complex)
- Shortcut (Jira alternative)
Indirect competitors:
- Notion (general productivity)
- Todoist (personal tasks)
- GitHub Projects (basic tracking)
Positioning: "The AI task manager built specifically for
developers" vs. generic productivity tools
Differentiators:
- Code context awareness (we read your PRs)
- Developer-first UX (keyboard shortcuts, CLI)
- AI that learns your patterns
Tips:
- Include both direct and indirect
- Positioning should be memorable
- Differentiators should be defensible
Section 7: Business Model
How you'll make money.
Questions:
- What is your revenue model? (subscription, usage, etc.)
- What are your revenue streams?
- What is your pricing structure?
- What are your unit economics targets?
Example:
Revenue model: Subscription (SaaS)
Revenue streams:
- Monthly subscriptions (primary)
- Annual prepay discount (retention)
- Enterprise contracts (expansion)
Pricing:
Free: $0/mo (1 project, basic features)
Pro: $12/mo (unlimited, full AI)
Team: $8/user/mo (collaboration, SSO)
Enterprise: Custom (SLA, support)
Unit economics targets:
CAC: $50
LTV: $600
LTV:CAC: 12:1
Payback: 3 months
Gross margin: 85%
Tips:
- Pick one primary model
- Include a free tier for PLG
- Unit economics are estimates, refine later
Section 8: Product Vision
Where you're going long-term.
Questions:
- What is your product vision? (5 years out)
- What features are must-have for MVP?
- What features are planned for later?
- What user stories define success?
- What does your roadmap look like?
Example:
Vision: Become the default productivity system for every
developer, automating everything except coding
MVP features (must-have):
- Task creation and organization
- AI prioritization
- GitHub integration
- Basic analytics
Future features:
- Team collaboration
- Calendar integration
- IDE extensions
- Mobile app
- API platform
Key user stories:
- As a developer, I want AI to prioritize my tasks
- As a developer, I want to see related PRs for each task
- As a team lead, I want visibility into team priorities
Roadmap:
Phase 1 (0-3 mo): MVP launch
Phase 2 (3-6 mo): Team features
Phase 3 (6-12 mo): Enterprise
Phase 4 (12+ mo): Platform/API
Tips:
- Vision should be ambitious but believable
- MVP should be launchable in weeks
- Roadmap phases should align with funding
Quick Mode
For rapid idea capture, use quick mode:
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Quick mode asks only 7 questions:
- Project name
- Tagline
- Problem (1 sentence)
- Solution (1 sentence)
- Target audience
- Business model (select)
- Key features (comma-separated)
This generates a minimal but functional preseed that you can expand later.
Tips for Better Answers
Be Specific
Instead of "developers," say "senior full-stack developers at Series A startups."
Embrace "I Don't Know"
The wizard accepts uncertainty. Mark unknowns to research later.
Think Like Your Customer
Answer from their perspective, not yours.
Don't Overthink
First answers are often best. You can refine in Phase 3.
Use Real Numbers
Even rough estimates beat "lots" or "significant."
What Happens Next
Once you complete all 8 sections:
- Answers are saved to
PRESEED_CONFIG.json - Documents are generated based on your preset
- You move to Phase 2: Document Generation
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