Pol Probe Advisor
Pick the cheapest Proof of Life probe that tests your hypothesis—interactive guidance across five probe types so you validate risk before overbuilding.
Overview
PoL Probe Advisor is an agent skill most often used in Validate (also Idea research) that selects the right Proof of Life probe among five types from hypothesis, risk, and resources.
Install
npx skills add https://github.com/deanpeters/product-manager-skills --skill pol-probe-advisorWhat is this skill?
- Interactive skill matching hypothesis, risk, and resources to one of five Proof of Life probe flavors
- Optimizes for cheapest prototype that surfaces the harshest truth—not comfort tooling
- Built for narrow hypotheses and specific risks rather than full product launches
- PM-oriented scenarios: demand tests, onboarding hypotheses, risky AI concepts
- Type: interactive advisor with intent-driven questioning flow
- 5 Proof of Life probe flavors covered in the advisor
Adoption & trust: 1.1k installs on skills.sh; 5k GitHub stars; 2/3 security scanners passed (skills.sh audits).
What problem does it solve?
You know you should validate before building but keep picking prototypes that are easy for you—not the experiment that actually kills the risk.
Who is it for?
Solo builders and PMs with a stated hypothesis who need a disciplined pick among PoL options before sprinting on features.
Skip if: Post-launch growth experiments, deep technical QA, or teams that already locked a validation plan with signed metrics.
When should I use this skill?
You need to eliminate a specific risk or test a narrow hypothesis and are unsure which PoL validation method to use.
What do I get? / Deliverables
You leave with a matched PoL probe type and rationale so the next validation step is the cheapest test of the harshest truth.
- Recommended PoL probe type with rationale
- Alignment between learning goal and validation method
Recommended Skills
Journey fit
Spans multiple journey phases - primary shelf plus alternate fits below.
PoL selection is canonical on validate when narrowing what to learn before build commitments. Scopes which validation artifact to run against a stated hypothesis—core scope and de-risking work.
Where it fits
You have an onboarding hypothesis and ask which PoL probe falsifies drop-off cheapest.
Before building an AI demo, you align probe choice to the single risk that would kill the concept.
Early demand uncertainty triggers interactive selection among the five probe flavors.
How it compares
Use instead of jumping to a landing page or MVP by habit—this is probe selection, not experiment execution.
Common Questions / FAQ
Who is pol-probe-advisor for?
Product-minded solo builders and indie PMs who run Proof of Life checks and want interactive help choosing among five probe styles.
When should I use pol-probe-advisor?
In validate when scoping what to learn first; in idea when framing a risky concept—e.g. demand for a feature, onboarding friction, or an unproven AI workflow.
Is pol-probe-advisor safe to install?
It is conversational guidance only with no automatic code or payment actions; review the Security Audits panel on this Prism page like any third-party skill.
SKILL.md
READMESKILL.md - Pol Probe Advisor
## Purpose Guide product managers through selecting the right **Proof of Life (PoL) probe** type (of 5 flavors) based on their hypothesis, risk, and available resources. Use this when you need to eliminate a specific risk or test a narrow hypothesis, but aren't sure which validation method to use. This interactive skill ensures you match the cheapest prototype to the harshest truth—not the prototype you're most comfortable building. This is **not** a tool for deciding *if* you should validate (you should). It's a decision framework for choosing *how* to validate most effectively. ## Key Concepts ### The Core Problem: Method-Hypothesis Mismatch **Common failure mode:** PMs choose validation methods based on tooling comfort ("I know Figma, so I'll design a prototype") rather than learning goal. Result: validate the wrong thing, miss the actual risk. **Solution:** Work backwards from the hypothesis. Ask: "What specific risk am I eliminating? What's the cheapest path to harsh truth?" --- ### The 5 PoL Probe Flavors (Quick Reference) | Type | Core Question | Best For | Timeline | |------|---------------|----------|----------| | **Feasibility Check** | "Can we build this?" | Technical unknowns, API dependencies, data integrity | 1-2 days | | **Task-Focused Test** | "Can users complete this job without friction?" | Critical UI moments, field labels, decision points | 2-5 days | | **Narrative Prototype** | "Does this workflow earn stakeholder buy-in?" | Storytelling, explaining complex flows, alignment | 1-3 days | | **Synthetic Data Simulation** | "Can we model this without production risk?" | Edge cases, unknown-unknowns, statistical modeling | 2-4 days | | **Vibe-Coded PoL Probe** | "Will this solution survive real user contact?" | Workflow/UX validation with real interactions | 2-3 days | **Golden Rule:** *"Use the cheapest prototype that tells the harshest truth."* --- ### Anti-Patterns (What This Is NOT) - **Not "build the prototype you're comfortable with":** Match method to hypothesis, not skillset - **Not "pick based on stakeholder preference":** Optimize for learning, not internal politics - **Not "choose the most impressive option":** Impressive ≠ informative - **Not "default to code":** Writing code should be your last resort, not your first --- ### When to Use This Skill ✅ **Use this when:** - You have a clear hypothesis but don't know which validation method to use - You're unsure whether to build code, create a video, or run a simulation - You need to eliminate a specific risk quickly (within days) - You want to avoid prototype theater ❌ **Don't use this when:** - You don't have a hypothesis yet (use `problem-statement.md` or `problem-framing-canvas.md` first) - You're trying to impress executives (that's not validation) - You already know the answer (confirmation bias) - You need to ship an MVP (this is for pre-MVP r