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Product buildingNº 01

Ship the ugly version: a one-week launch checklist

Perfect is a very comfortable place to hide. The checklist I use to get a first version in front of real people within a week.

Shimanto1 min read

The first version of anything I have built was embarrassing. That is the point. You learn more from one week with real users than from three months of polishing in private.

Here is the checklist I use to force a launch inside a week. It is not about cutting corners on quality. It is about cutting scope until the core idea is testable.

Days 1–2: shrink it

  • Write the problem in one sentence a stranger would understand.
  • List every feature you want, then delete everything that does not prove the core promise.
  • Decide the single action that means "this worked": a signup, a purchase, a reply.

Days 3–5: build the spine

  • Use boring, proven tools. This is not the week for a new framework.
  • Fake what you can by hand behind the scenes. Automate later, once people care.
  • Make it work on a phone. That is where most people will first see it.

If you are not a little embarrassed by version one, you launched too late.

— Common founder wisdom

Day 6: prepare the launch

  • One clear landing page: problem, promise, proof, one button.
  • A short demo video or a few screenshots.
  • A list of 20 specific people or places to share it with.

Day 7: ship and listen

Launch in the morning so you can respond all day. Talk to everyone who tries it. Write down every confused question, because each one is a free lesson in positioning.

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  • #Launch
  • #Checklist

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