Initial Feasibility Quick Check
Purpose
This recipe produces a scored feasibility assessment across 10 dimensions in under 90 minutes. The output is a go/no-go/pivot recommendation with specific red flags and their severity. It kills bad ideas before founders invest weeks in business plans, and it surfaces critical blockers that would otherwise emerge months into execution.
Prerequisites
- Idea Classification Report from Idea Classification Framework
- Idea description — minimum 2-3 sentences
- Founder background — relevant experience level
- Web access for quick market and competition research
Constraints
- This is a 90-minute screen, not a multi-week feasibility study. [src1]
- A score of "feasible" means "worth investigating further" — not "this will succeed." [src2]
- Regulatory flags require domain-specific legal review. [src4]
- Scoring is subjective. Average scores from multiple evaluators when possible. [src5]
Tool Selection Decision
| Path | Tools | Cost | Speed | Output Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A: Solo Quick Check | Browser + spreadsheet | $0 | 60-90 min | Medium |
| B: Agent-Assisted | LLM + web search | $0.05-0.20 | 30-45 min | Medium-high |
| C: Batch Assessment | Spreadsheet + template | $0 | 20 min/idea | High |
| D: Investment Screen | Research tools | $0-50 | 45-60 min | High |
Execution Flow
Step 1: Set Up Scoring Framework
Duration: 5 minutes. Create the 10-dimension scoring matrix with weights: Problem Severity (0.15), Market Size (0.12), Competition Intensity (0.10), Differentiation Clarity (0.10), Technical Feasibility (0.10), Founder-Market Fit (0.12), Business Model Viability (0.10), Regulatory Risk (0.08), Timing (0.08), Capital Efficiency (0.05).
Step 2: Score Problem Severity
Duration: 10 minutes. Score 3 sub-questions: Are people paying to solve this? How often does it occur? What happens if unsolved?
Step 3: Score Market Size
Duration: 10 minutes. Quick market size estimation: find TAM number, assess growth rate, count potential customers.
Step 4: Score Remaining 8 Dimensions
Duration: 25 minutes. Score competition, differentiation, technical feasibility, founder-market fit, business model, regulatory risk, timing, and capital efficiency.
Step 5: Calculate Weighted Score
Duration: 5 minutes. Calculate weighted total. Thresholds: ≥3.8 = GO, 3.0-3.7 = CONDITIONAL GO, 2.5-2.9 = PIVOT, <2.5 = NO-GO. Red flag override: any dimension scored 1 triggers automatic review.
Quality Benchmarks
| Metric | Minimum | Good | Excellent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dimensions with evidence | > 6/10 | > 8/10 | 10/10 |
| Sub-questions answered | > 1 per dim | > 2 per dim | All |
| Time to complete | < 120 min | < 90 min | < 60 min |
Error Handling
| Error | Cause | Recovery |
|---|---|---|
| Cannot find market size data | Market too new or niche | Use bottom-up: count customers x deal size |
| All dimensions score 3 | Insufficient research | Force-rank best 3 and worst 3, re-score |
| Founder insists GO despite NO-GO | Confirmation bias | Document objectively, suggest experiments |
Cost Breakdown
| Component | Free | Paid | At Scale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web research | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Market data | $0 (Census, BLS) | $39/mo | $500/mo |
| Scoring template | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Anti-Patterns
Wrong: Scoring 4-5 on every dimension
Confirmation bias kills feasibility checks. Every idea has at least 2 weak dimensions. [src1]
Correct: Score with evidence, not enthusiasm
Require at least one data point per dimension. No data = score of 2.
When This Matters
Use immediately after classifying a startup idea, before investing time in market research or product development. This check saves founders 4-8 weeks by killing ideas with fundamental feasibility problems.