Phase 3: Refinement
Deprecated: The
preseedworkflow has been renamed toseed. All preseed functionality is now available underbootspring seed. See the Seed Workflow for current documentation.
Duration: 1-2 hours
Review generated documents and refine until they accurately represent your vision.
Overview
Generated documents are starting points, not final products. The Refinement phase is where you critically review each document, identify gaps, and improve until everything is accurate and complete.
Refinement Process
┌─────────────┐ ┌─────────────┐ ┌─────────────┐
│ Review │────▶│ Update │────▶│ Regenerate │
│ Documents │ │ Config │ │ & Verify │
└─────────────┘ └─────────────┘ └─────────────┘
▲ │
└───────────────────────────────────────┘
(Iterate)
Step 1: Check Status
Start by understanding what was generated:
Output:
⚡ Bootspring Preseed Status
Configuration: .bootspring/preseed/PRESEED_CONFIG.json
Preset: startup (7 documents)
Created: 2026-02-20T10:30:00Z
Last sync: 2026-02-20T10:30:00Z
Documents:
✓ VISION.md (1.2 KB, synced)
✓ AUDIENCE.md (2.4 KB, synced)
✓ MARKET.md (1.8 KB, synced)
✓ COMPETITORS.md (1.6 KB, synced)
✓ BUSINESS_MODEL.md (2.1 KB, synced)
✓ PRD.md (3.5 KB, synced)
✓ ROADMAP.md (1.4 KB, synced)
Config sections filled: 8/8 (100%)
Step 2: Review Each Document
Read through each document critically:
Review Checklist
For each document, ask:
- Is the information accurate?
- Is anything missing?
- Are there contradictions with other documents?
- Would someone unfamiliar understand this?
- Does this match my current thinking?
Common Issues to Fix
| Issue | Example | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Vague statements | "Many users" | Add specific numbers |
| Missing personas | Only 1 persona | Add 2-3 more |
| Unrealistic pricing | $5/mo for AI | Research competitors |
| Generic features | "User management" | Be more specific |
| Missing competitors | Only 2 listed | Research more |
| No differentiation | Features only | Add unique value |
Step 3: Update Configuration
Fix issues by updating the configuration, not the documents directly:
Using CLI
Using Editor
Edit PRESEED_CONFIG.json directly:
Update Path Reference
| Path | Description |
|---|---|
identity.name | Project name |
identity.tagline | One-line tagline |
problem.statement | Problem statement |
problem.painPoints | Array of pain points |
solution.overview | Solution description |
solution.keyFeatures | Array of features |
solution.uniqueValue | Differentiation |
audience.primary | Primary audience |
audience.personas | Array of personas |
audience.icp | Ideal customer profile object |
market.tam | Total addressable market |
market.sam | Serviceable addressable market |
market.som | Serviceable obtainable market |
competitors.direct | Array of direct competitors |
competitors.positioning | Positioning statement |
business.model | Revenue model |
business.pricing | Pricing structure |
product.mvpFeatures | MVP feature list |
product.userStories | User stories array |
roadmap.phases | Development phases |
Step 4: Regenerate Documents
After updating the config, regenerate:
Output:
⚡ Regenerating documents...
✓ VISION.md (updated)
✓ AUDIENCE.md (no changes)
✓ MARKET.md (no changes)
✓ COMPETITORS.md (no changes)
✓ BUSINESS_MODEL.md (updated)
✓ PRD.md (updated)
✓ ROADMAP.md (no changes)
Sync complete. 3 documents updated.
Step 5: Verify Changes
Review the regenerated documents to verify your changes:
Step 6: Iterate
Repeat steps 2-5 until satisfied:
Review → Update → Regenerate → Verify → (Repeat if needed)
Refinement Tips
1. Cross-Reference Documents
Ensure consistency across documents:
- Pain points in VISION should map to features in PRD
- Audience in AUDIENCE should match market in MARKET
- Pricing in BUSINESS_MODEL should align with ICP budget
2. Add Specificity
Replace vague language with specifics:
| Vague | Specific |
|---|---|
| "Many developers" | "28M developers globally" |
| "Saves time" | "Saves 2-3 hours daily" |
| "Fast" | "Response time under 100ms" |
| "Affordable" | "$12/month" |
3. Validate Assumptions
Flag assumptions that need validation:
4. Include Sources
Add sources for market data:
5. Get Outside Review
Before moving to validation:
- Share documents with a co-founder
- Get feedback from a mentor
- Have a friend read for clarity
Common Refinement Patterns
Adding a Competitor
Adding a Persona
Updating Pricing
Version Control
Track your refinements with git:
This creates a history of how your thinking evolved.
Completion Criteria
You're ready for Phase 4 when:
- All 8 sections have complete data
- No "TODO" or "TBD" markers remain
- Numbers are specific, not vague
- Documents are internally consistent
- A stranger could understand your vision
- You're confident enough to share externally
What Happens Next
After refinement:
- Version control - Commit your refined documents
- Share for review - Get feedback before validation
- Move to Phase 4 - Validation with real users