methodatlas
Session Builder

Plan my session

Plan a concrete work block with agenda, roles, preparation, and a copyable result artifact.

Method sessionHours to a few days of setup, plus 1-2 weeks runtimeWorkshop or asyncPretotyping sketch

Session: Pretotyping

The plan translates the method into a concrete facilitated work block. Your inputs flow directly into the session brief and work artifact.

Derived automatically

Method session with 1-4. The plan uses the existing method logic and the runsheet.

Runsheet
Participation logic
Team round, shared work and alignment

Use the session for shared understanding. Contributions are collected visibly, assumptions are aligned, and open differences remain traceable in the artifact.

Outcome logic
Finish artifact

The session works directly toward Pretotyping sketch. After the session, the artifact should be shareable, reviewable, or reusable.

  1. 1

    Phase 1: Market claim and pretotype choice

    2-4 h

    Sharpen market claim: "At least X% of contacted people from segment Y will perform action Z when offered W." Choose pretotype technique (landing page, fake door, YouTube pretotype, Pinocchio, Mechanical Turk). Hint: If the market claim is soft ("some users will be interested"), it is not testable. Percentage and segment size are mandatory.

    FacilitatorPretotyping sketch
  2. 2

    Phase 2: Build pretotype

    4-16 h

    Minimal setup: landing page with headline, value prop, one CTA, optionally pricing info. Tracking installed. Privacy notice and legal imprint. For fake door, add Coming Soon page and mailing list. Hint: Anyone who builds for more than 16 h is building a product, not a pretotype. The goal is real data, not beauty. One headline variant is enough in the first run.

    FacilitatorTest setup
  3. 3

    Phase 3: Attract traffic

    1-2 weeks

    Send paid or organic traffic to the landing page. Aim for minimum sample (for example 200 visitors per variant). Keep targeting strict to the audience, otherwise data is distorted. Hint: If targeting is too broad, too much off-target traffic arrives. Conversion rate drops for the wrong reason. Better data comes from a smaller, more precise sample.

    FacilitatorConversion data
  4. 4

    Phase 4: Measure behavior

    Parallel to runtime

    Track conversion rate, click depth, dwell time and signups. Watch anomalies (for example a spike from one country indicates bot traffic). For fake door, show an immediate transparent notice after click. Hint: Fake door without explanation after the click is a breach of trust. Communicate clearly: "We are testing interest, product is not available yet. Sign up and we will contact you."

    FacilitatorGo or no-go decision
  5. 5

    Phase 5: Decision

    Half day

    Check data against success criterion. Three options: Build (behavior confirmed), Iterate (different pretotype, different message), Drop (behavior refuted). Document decision with data reference. Hint: Weak signals are often overinterpreted ("at least 8% conversion"). The success criterion is hard: 8% instead of targeted 20% = refutation, not partial success.

    OwnerPretotyping sketch
  6. 6

    Publish artifact

    10 min

    Check the artifact for completeness, define location, set version or status, and name review recipients.

    OwnerPretotyping sketch
Usable artifact

Session Brief

For invitations, boards, tickets, PR descriptions, or workshop notes.

session-brief.md

Session Brief: Pretotyping

Goal

Artifact: Pretotyping sketch

Working Question

Does the market do what we claim it will do, or does the behavior fail to appear before we invest a cent in building?

Context

Market claim as hypothesis; target group and channels; success criterion (conversion rate, signups, clicks); budget; comparable industry benchmarks; risks (fake-door backlash).

Setup

  • Format: Method session
  • Duration: Hours to a few days of setup, plus 1-2 weeks runtime
  • Mode: Workshop or async
  • Participants: One owner (PM or founder); one designer or copywriter for the landing page; one performance marketer (internal or freelance) for traffic; optionally one analyst for data.
  • Owner: One owner (PM or founder)
  • Participation mode: Team round, shared work and alignment
  • Outcome logic: Finish artifact

Participation Logic

Use the session for shared understanding. Contributions are collected visibly, assumptions are aligned, and open differences remain traceable in the artifact.

Outcome Logic

The session works directly toward Pretotyping sketch. After the session, the artifact should be shareable, reviewable, or reusable.

Input

Landing page builder (Carrd, Webflow, Framer, Notion) or simple HTML; ad account for traffic (Meta Ads, Google Ads, LinkedIn); analytics (Plausible, PostHog, GA4); conversion tracking; mockup tool for visuals; budget limit per pretotype.

Preparation

Landing page with clear value proposition, call to action and tracking. Ads prepared. Success criterion and minimum sample fixed before start. Privacy notice and legal imprint checked.

Agenda

  1. Phase 1: Market claim and pretotype choice (2-4 h) Owner: Facilitator Action: Sharpen market claim: "At least X% of contacted people from segment Y will perform action Z when offered W." Choose pretotype technique (landing page, fake door, YouTube pretotype, Pinocchio, Mechanical Turk). Hint: If the market claim is soft ("some users will be interested"), it is not testable. Percentage and segment size are mandatory. Output: Pretotyping sketch

  2. Phase 2: Build pretotype (4-16 h) Owner: Facilitator Action: Minimal setup: landing page with headline, value prop, one CTA, optionally pricing info. Tracking installed. Privacy notice and legal imprint. For fake door, add Coming Soon page and mailing list. Hint: Anyone who builds for more than 16 h is building a product, not a pretotype. The goal is real data, not beauty. One headline variant is enough in the first run. Output: Test setup

  3. Phase 3: Attract traffic (1-2 weeks) Owner: Facilitator Action: Send paid or organic traffic to the landing page. Aim for minimum sample (for example 200 visitors per variant). Keep targeting strict to the audience, otherwise data is distorted. Hint: If targeting is too broad, too much off-target traffic arrives. Conversion rate drops for the wrong reason. Better data comes from a smaller, more precise sample. Output: Conversion data

  4. Phase 4: Measure behavior (Parallel to runtime) Owner: Facilitator Action: Track conversion rate, click depth, dwell time and signups. Watch anomalies (for example a spike from one country indicates bot traffic). For fake door, show an immediate transparent notice after click. Hint: Fake door without explanation after the click is a breach of trust. Communicate clearly: "We are testing interest, product is not available yet. Sign up and we will contact you." Output: Go or no-go decision

  5. Phase 5: Decision (Half day) Owner: Owner Action: Check data against success criterion. Three options: Build (behavior confirmed), Iterate (different pretotype, different message), Drop (behavior refuted). Document decision with data reference. Hint: Weak signals are often overinterpreted ("at least 8% conversion"). The success criterion is hard: 8% instead of targeted 20% = refutation, not partial success. Output: Pretotyping sketch

  6. Publish artifact (10 min) Owner: Owner Action: Check the artifact for completeness, define location, set version or status, and name review recipients. Output: Pretotyping sketch

Closeout

  • Update result artifact: Pretotyping sketch
  • Define location, version, and review recipients.
  • Define owner, next step, and review date.
Usable artifact

Work artifact

Pre-filled starting point based on the matching template.

work-artifact.md

Pretotyping sketch: Pretotyping

Working Question

Does the market do what we claim it will do, or does the behavior fail to appear before we invest a cent in building?

Context

Market claim as hypothesis; target group and channels; success criterion (conversion rate, signups, clicks); budget; comparable industry benchmarks; risks (fake-door backlash).

Participants

  • Owner: One owner (PM or founder)
  • Participants: One owner (PM or founder); one designer or copywriter for the landing page; one performance marketer (internal or freelance) for traffic; optionally one analyst for data.

Input

Landing page builder (Carrd, Webflow, Framer, Notion) or simple HTML; ad account for traffic (Meta Ads, Google Ads, LinkedIn); analytics (Plausible, PostHog, GA4); conversion tracking; mockup tool for visuals; budget limit per pretotype.

Template

Pretotyping Working Template

Goal

Tests whether there is demand at all before building a prototype, using minimal real data.

Context

When and for what do we use this method?

Input

Which data, observations, decisions, or materials are available?

Execution

Short notes along the runsheet.

Output artifacts

  • Pretotyping sketch:
  • Test setup:
  • Conversion data:
  • Go or no-go decision:

Assumptions and open questions

  • ...

Decision / next step

Owner, date, and success signal.

Completion Check

  • Pretotyping sketch is complete enough for review:
  • Location:
  • Version / status:
  • Review by:
  • Next step:

Next Step

  • Review result
  • Mark open questions
  • Schedule review or decision
Template base

Pretotyping Working Template

View templateCompact working template for Pretotyping with context, input, output artifacts, and next step.
markdown

pretotyping-working-template.md

Compact working template for Pretotyping with context, input, output artifacts, and next step.

Pretotyping Working Template

Goal

Tests whether there is demand at all before building a prototype, using minimal real data.

Context

When and for what do we use this method?

Input

Which data, observations, decisions, or materials are available?

Execution

Short notes along the runsheet.

Output artifacts

  • Pretotyping sketch:
  • Test setup:
  • Conversion data:
  • Go or no-go decision:

Assumptions and open questions

  • ...

Decision / next step

Owner, date, and success signal.

Ready to use when
  • Working question, owner, and target artifact are visible.
  • The result fits Pretotyping sketch.
  • Date, market claim, setup details and data in learning-report format. Separate entry per variant. Mailing list with date and source for later customer development.
  • Open questions are noted as follow-ups.
  • The next review or decision point is scheduled.
ProfileRunsheet