UKBT Institute

Core Rule:

“Never skip a voice”

Gate Score:

≥60/100

Action:

Validate with all 12 stakeholders (no exceptions)

Success Signal:

11/12 YES → proceed
Any NO → pivot or kill

Validation Questions:

• “Face this daily?”
• “Sector-wide?”
• “Will you pay today?”
• “Can we source/build?”
• “Is timing right?”

Red Flags = KILL:

• “Occasionally”
• “Let me think”
• “Too early/late”
• “Can’t source”
• “Any 1 of 12 voices = NO”

Core Rule:

“Test simple before tech”

Gate Score:

≥80/100

Action:

Low-cost, high-learning tests: Paper prototypes, Concierge MVP, No-code pilots

Success Signal:

Measure: Retention (not clicks), Willingness to pay, NPS ≥80, TVR ≥10

Validation Questions:

• “Save 2+ hours/week?”
• “Fight to keep it?”
• “Integrates in workflow?”

Red Flags = KILL:

• “Maybe”
• “Silence/shrugs”
• “Too disruptive”

Core Rule:

“Co-create, don’t dictate”

Gate Score:

≥90/100

Action:

Work shoulder-to-shoulder with practitioners: Champions co-own roadmap, Academic validation, Case study development

Success Signal:

They use it daily & defend it: ≥3 champions, ≥1 case study, Academic validation

Validation Questions:

• “Need this yesterday?”
• “Will you defend it?”
• “Can you recruit peers?”

Red Flags = KILL:

• “Nice to have”
• “Won’t mobilize budget”
• “Can’t recruit champions”

Core Rule:

“Share everything”

Gate Score:

≥90/100 + 7% WoW

Action:

Build in public: Publish learnings, Document failures, Open roadmap, Create community

Success Signal:

Others copy, improve, or join: 100+ users, 90% retention, 30% referral, ≥1 paying customer

Validation Questions:

• “Recommend to peers?”
• “Is this sector standard?”
• “Will you pay?”

Red Flags = KILL:

• “30% referral”
• “No ecosystem effects”
• “No paying customers”