Help me develop app ideas for [TARGET USERS] who are trying to solve [PROBLEM OR JOB]. Their current workflow and alternatives are [CURRENT ALTERNATIVES]. I can realistically bring these assets or constraints: [ASSETS AND CONSTRAINTS]. My goal is [BUSINESS OR PERSONAL GOAL]. First, identify the job-to-be-done, the triggering moment, the cost of leaving it unsolved, and the reasons current alternatives fail. Do not assume people want an app if a service, spreadsheet, integration, or habit would solve the problem better. Generate 8 distinct concepts. For each, provide: a plain-English name; one-sentence promise; primary user; specific trigger; core workflow in 3 to 5 steps; minimum lovable version limited to one main use case; the existing alternative it replaces or complements; why a user would switch; likely acquisition channel; monetization hypothesis; and the riskiest assumption. Score each concept 1 to 5 for pain intensity, frequency, willingness to pay, reachability of users, competitive differentiation, and feasibility with my constraints. Explain every score in one sentence. Rank the top 3 and recommend one to validate first. For the recommendation, write a seven-day validation plan with 5 customer interview questions, a smoke-test landing-page headline, and a measurable pass/fail threshold. Separate facts I supplied from hypotheses. Self-check that no concept depends on invented market data or vague AI features without a concrete workflow. Ask up to 3 clarifying questions only if a required input is missing.
Fill in
| Placeholder | What to enter | Example |
|---|---|---|
| [TARGET USERS] | Describe a narrow group of people, their role, and context. | Independent bookkeepers serving 20 to 80 small-business clients |
| [PROBLEM OR JOB] | State the outcome they need or recurring problem they face. | Collect missing monthly receipts and categorize expenses before reconciliation |
| [CURRENT ALTERNATIVES] | List how they solve the problem today, including manual workarounds. | Email reminders, client portals, shared Google Drive folders, and manual follow-up |
| [ASSETS AND CONSTRAINTS] | Provide relevant skills, distribution, budget, timeline, data access, and technical limits. | A former bookkeeper, a part-time developer, $3,000, and access to 30 bookkeeping firms |
| [BUSINESS OR PERSONAL GOAL] | State what success should achieve, such as revenue, learning, or internal efficiency. | Find a paid SaaS idea that can reach $5,000 monthly recurring revenue |
How to use
- Replace each bracket with evidence from conversations and observed workflows.
- Paste the prompt, then compare the concepts against your actual distribution and build limits.
- Interview people before building; use the recommended concept's questions without pitching a solution first.
- Follow up with: "Turn the selected concept into a one-page product brief with non-goals and acceptance criteria."
Variations
B2B SaaS ideas
Use this when selling to a team with a defined buyer and workflow.
Generate 6 B2B SaaS concepts for [USER ROLE] at [COMPANY TYPE] who struggle with [WORKFLOW]. They currently use [CURRENT TOOLS], and I have [ADVANTAGE OR ACCESS]. For each concept, name the economic buyer, daily user, system of record, integration dependency, measurable ROI, minimum workflow, buying objection, and first design-partner test. Rank them by urgency, budget ownership, implementation friction, and ability to reach buyers. Do not invent market statistics; label assumptions. Ask up to 3 questions only if an input is missing.
Mobile app ideas
Use this when phone-specific context is essential to the product.
Propose 7 mobile app concepts for [AUDIENCE] in moments when they need [MOBILE-SPECIFIC JOB]. Account for [PHONE CONTEXT], such as location, camera, notifications, offline use, or short sessions, and avoid features better suited to the web. For each, give the trigger, one-screen first-use experience, recurring loop, required permissions, privacy concern, retention risk, and smallest testable version. Use [DISTRIBUTION OPTION] to judge acquisition. Recommend one concept and a two-week prototype test. Flag any feature that lacks a clear mobile advantage.
Idea refinement
Use this after you already have one rough concept.
Stress-test this app concept: [APP IDEA]. The target user is [TARGET USER], the painful moment is [TRIGGER], and the proposed workflow is [PROPOSED WORKFLOW]. Identify the strongest alternative, switching costs, hidden operational work, privacy or compliance concerns, failure points, and reasons users may not return. Then rewrite the concept as a narrower first version with one promise, three must-have capabilities, three explicit non-goals, and one validation experiment. Distinguish supplied facts from assumptions and ask up to 3 questions only if needed.
Tips
- Start with a recurring costly moment, not a technology or broad industry; “help small businesses with AI” is not a buildable problem.
- Treat integrations, data access, and workflow change as product constraints, not implementation details to solve later.
- A useful first version has one user, one trigger, and one completed outcome; extra personas usually hide unresolved prioritization.
- Validate switching behavior with a real request for time, data, money, or an introduction, not a compliment about the idea.
FAQ
Can AI generate an app idea worth building?
It can produce useful hypotheses and expose patterns in your notes. It cannot prove demand without conversations and a test with target users.
How many app ideas should I pursue?
Choose one problem area, test the highest-risk assumption in the strongest concept, and keep the rest as a backlog.
Should I ask for competitor research too?
Yes, but verify competitors and claims yourself. The more valuable question is why the target user has not adopted the existing options.