Your first useful version
One person, one situation, one complete flow, and one question to investigate.
Download the worksheetThe MVP walkthrough · Free companion resources
Build your first useful prototype.
Choose one useful job for your app idea. Build it with AI, improve one thing, and plan a real attempt with someone.
Worksheet, both prototype versions, and the exact prompts. No signup or API key needed.
Follow the same small steps.
You can try the actual examples in your browser, then apply the worksheet and prompts to your own idea.
The first prototype
Enter a task, review a fixed sample action, and start a five-minute session. This version has no editing control.
Try the first version ↗The revised prototype
Edit the next action before or during the session. Check that the message updates and the clock keeps running.
Try the revised version ↗Both prototypes use the fixed response labelled “Sample response.” They have no AI connection, account or saved history. The HTML files are unchanged copies of the actual AI outputs shown in the video.
The exact requests we gave AI.
The first request describes the person and the flow. The second names one concrete change and the behaviour that should stay unchanged.
1. Build the first prototype
Build a single-page prototype called Pigeon for someone working on their own app after work. Help them turn a vague task into one small action they can try now. Include a task field labelled "What are you trying to do?", a "Find one action" button, the suggested action, and a five-minute work timer with Start and Pause controls. Keep the chosen action visible while the timer runs. For this prototype, use a fixed sample response: "Write one sentence describing who your app helps." Label it "Sample response". No AI connection, account, or saved history yet. Use a quiet paper background, black text, lime accents, and a simple layout.
2. Make the action editable
Make the suggested action editable before and during a work session. Use an always-visible text field labelled "Your next action". When I change it to "Write one sentence about my travel app's first user", the "Working on" message must show that exact sentence. Editing must preserve the remaining time and must not start a second timer. Keep everything else the same. Keep the response labelled "Sample response".
For your idea, replace the example person, situation and result. Inspect the output, request one specific change, and repeat the same attempt.
6:12 · English · Captions available
How to Build an MVP with AI: Idea to First Prototype
Watch the full walkthrough on YouTube ↗The user-test scenario in the video is illustrative, not a validation result. The starter kit includes the example code, prompts, worksheet and the DM Sans font with its SIL Open Font License. These are learning prototypes.