V1 vs V2 Worksheet

Finish this sentence: "If v1 works, we will know that ___." Example: "Freelancers will pay $29/month for AI brief summaries."

V1 is an experiment with a deadline, not a full product roadmap. One proof point is enough.

List features that directly support that proof. Usually 3 to 5 items: auth, one core action, one place to see results.

Ask for each item: "Would v1 fail without this?" If no, move it to v2.

Everything else goes here. Teams, billing, notifications, integrations, mobile, advanced AI, reporting dashboards.

A long v2 list is healthy. It means you are not trying to ship it all at once.

For each v2 item, write one line on why it can wait. "Billing waits until 10 users complete the core flow weekly."

Deferral needs a reason, not just priority labels. Reasons keep you honest when someone asks to add it mid-build.

More features mean more bugs, longer timelines, and harder feedback. You will not know which feature mattered.

Founders who ship small learn faster. Founders who ship everything often fund a second build to fix the first.

If your v1 list has more than seven bullets, cut half. Your future self will thank you.