BUILDSIDE — SOLO-FOUNDER CHECK-IN
A small routine for the decision on your desk.

Use this editable template at your own pace. Replace the prompts with your
own context before posting. A useful second perspective can help you choose
what to investigate; you still own the product decision.

PRODUCT CONTEXT
I’m building:
For:
The task or problem it helps with:
Current stage (idea, prototype, beta, or live product):
Product page or safe example:

THREE CHECK-IN PROMPTS

1. WHAT CHANGED?
What did you build, sketch, try, or learn?
Keep the scope small enough for a new reader to understand.

My update:

2. WHERE AM I STUCK?
What specific decision or unanswered question is in front of you?
If you have options, explain the tradeoff without assuming a winner.

The decision:
Option A:
Option B:
What I already know:
What I do not know yet:

3. WHAT RESPONSE WOULD HELP?
Whose experience is relevant?
Ask a question that can be answered from that experience.

Relevant experience:
My question:
Useful context or example:

BEFORE SHARING
- Can a new reader identify the user, task, and decision?
- Have I separated what I observed from what I assume?
- Am I using sample data and checking permissions for others’ work?
- Have I removed private customer information and credentials?
- Is there one clear question to respond to?

COME BACK TO THE CONVERSATION
What did a response help me notice?
What context might be different from my intended users’ context?
What will I investigate next?
What can I report after I try it?

OPTIONAL SHORT POST FORMAT
I’m building [product] for [user and task].
This week, [what changed].
I’m deciding [specific decision] because [tradeoff].
If you have experience with [relevant context], [focused question].
Here’s the example: [safe product page, prototype, or screenshot].

ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLE
Product: Framepath, client galleries for independent photographers.
Stage: Prototype.
What changed: I sketched two ways to start a gallery.
Where I’m stuck: I do not know what a new photographer needs to see first.
Options: Start with an upload, or explore a sample gallery.
What response would help: What would you need to understand before uploading
a client’s photos?
Next check: Watch a photographer try the first session.

Framepath and this example are fictional. Neither option has been validated.

Buildside: https://www.buildside.app/build-in-public/solo-founders