Stress-tests your business idea before you invest real time and money. The AI plays devil’s advocate across five critical dimensions — market need, value proposition, revenue model, competition, and feasibility — asking the hard questions investors, customers, and reality will eventually ask. You get a viability scorecard at the end with clear next steps.
Recipe Name: RCP-000-000-002-SOCRATIC-VALIDATOR – Socratic Validator
RCP-000-000-002-SOCRATIC-VALIDATOR
Stress-test any business idea, product concept, orstrategic initiative before committing significantresources. This recipe transforms AI into a rigorouschallenger that systematically questions yourassumptions across market need, value proposition,feasibility, and competitive differentiation. Geta preliminary viability assessment with identifiedstrengths, weaknesses, and critical unknowns.
Requirements
How To Start
STEP 1: Describe Your Idea or Initiative
- Clearly describe what you want to validate. Include:– What is the product, service, or initiative?– Who is the target audience?– What problem does it solve?– How will it generate value or revenue?Example triggers: #H->AI::Directive: (Run the Socratic Validator recipe for: I want to launch an AI-powered meal planning app for busy parents that creates weekly grocery lists and recipes based on dietary restrictions. Revenue from $9.99/month subscription.)The more detail you provide, the more thorough thevalidation will be.
STEP 2: Undergo Structured Challenge
- The AI will systematically challenge your ideaacross five critical dimensions:1. MARKET NEED – Is there real demand?2. VALUE PROPOSITION – Is it compelling and unique?3. REVENUE MODEL – Is it sustainable and scalable?4. COMPETITION – Are you truly differentiated?5. FEASIBILITY – Can you realistically deliver?For each dimension, the AI will:– State your implicit assumption– Pose 2-3 critical questions– Present potential counter-arguments– Request evidence or examplesAnswer honestly. "I don't know" is valuable data.
STEP 3: Receive Viability Assessment
- After the structured challenge, the AI will provide:– Overall viability score (Strong/Moderate/Weak)– Key strengths identified– Critical weaknesses exposed– Assumptions requiring validation– Recommended next steps before proceedingThis is a preliminary assessment to guide furtherresearch, not a final verdict.
How AI Reads This Recipe
When this recipe is triggered, the AI adopts therole of a Socratic questioner. The AI should:1. PARSE the challenge description from parameters2. IDENTIFY the core problem or decision at stake3. FORMULATE probing questions that: – Challenge underlying assumptions – Explore alternative perspectives – Request evidence for claims – Reveal potential blind spots4. ASK only one question at a time5. BUILD each follow-up on the user's response6. TRACK the logical thread of the dialogue7. SYNTHESIZE insights after 5-10 question rounds8. CONCLUDE with actionable recommendationsThe AI should NOT give direct answers or adviceuntil the questioning phase is complete. The valueis in guiding the user to discover insights throughtheir own reasoning process."""WPRM_FIELD_RECIPE_SHORT_DESCRIPTION = """Use the Socratic method to analyze any businesschallenge through structured critical questioning.
When to Use This Recipe
Use this recipe when you:– Face a difficult business decision with no clear answer– Feel stuck or overwhelmed by a complex problem– Want to challenge your own thinking before acting– Need to identify blind spots in your reasoning– Want to explore a strategic choice from multiple angles– Are preparing for a high-stakes meeting or pitch and want to stress-test your positionDo NOT use this recipe when you need quick factsor straightforward information. The Socratic methodis for exploration, not simple Q&A.
Recipe FAQ
Q: How long does a typical Socratic dialogue take?
A: Plan for 10-20 minutes. Simple issues may resolve
in 5 minutes; complex strategic decisions might
take 30 minutes or multiple sessions. Q: What if I don’t know how to answer a question?
A: Say so honestly. The AI will rephrase or explore
a different angle. “I don’t know” is valuable
information that reveals knowledge gaps. Q: Can I use this for personal decisions?
A: Yes. The Socratic method works for any decision
requiring critical examination — career choices,
investments, relationship decisions, etc. Q: What if the AI gives me an answer instead of
asking a question?
A: Redirect by saying: “Please ask me a question
about that rather than answering directly.” Q: How is this different from just asking for
advice?
A: Direct advice gives you the AI’s answer. The
Socratic method helps you discover YOUR answer
through guided questioning, resulting in deeper
understanding and ownership of the conclusion.
A: Plan for 10-20 minutes. Simple issues may resolve
in 5 minutes; complex strategic decisions might
take 30 minutes or multiple sessions. Q: What if I don’t know how to answer a question?
A: Say so honestly. The AI will rephrase or explore
a different angle. “I don’t know” is valuable
information that reveals knowledge gaps. Q: Can I use this for personal decisions?
A: Yes. The Socratic method works for any decision
requiring critical examination — career choices,
investments, relationship decisions, etc. Q: What if the AI gives me an answer instead of
asking a question?
A: Redirect by saying: “Please ask me a question
about that rather than answering directly.” Q: How is this different from just asking for
advice?
A: Direct advice gives you the AI’s answer. The
Socratic method helps you discover YOUR answer
through guided questioning, resulting in deeper
understanding and ownership of the conclusion.
Actual Recipe Code
(Copy This Plaintext Code To Use)
# ===========================================================# MERGED RECIPE-ID: RCP-000-000-001-SOCRATIC-PROBLEM-SOLVER# ===========================================================SOCRATIC_PROBLEM_SOLVER = Recipe( recipe_id=( "RCP-000-000-001-SOCRATIC-PROBLEM-SOLVER-v2.00b" ), title="Socratic Problem Solver", description=""" Guides AI to use the Socratic method for critical analysis of any business challenge. """, category="CAT-000-STANDALONE", subcategory="SUBCAT-CRITICAL-THINKING", difficulty="Easy", version="2.00a", parameters={ "challenge": { "type": "string", "required": True, "description": "The problem or decision" }, "context": { "type": "string", "required": False, "default": "", "description": "Additional background" }, "max_questions": { "type": "integer", "required": False, "default": 10, "description": "Max questions before synthesis" }, "focus_areas": { "type": "list", "required": False, "default": [], "options": [ "assumptions", "risks", "alternatives", "evidence", "stakeholders", "timing" ], "description": "Areas to emphasize" } }, prompt_template=""" #H->AI::Directive: (Execute Socratic Problem Solver recipe) #H->AI::Context: (Challenge: {challenge}) # ========================================== # BEHAVIORAL RULES (apply throughout) # ========================================== RULE 1: Ask only ONE question at a time. Do not combine multiple questions into a single response. Wait for the user to answer before asking the next question. RULE 2: Do NOT give direct answers, advice, or solutions until the questioning phase is complete and you reach the Insight Synthesis step. The value of this recipe is in guiding the user to discover insights through their own reasoning. Your role during the questioning phase is to ask, not to tell. # ========================================== # STEP 1: PROBLEM FRAMING # ========================================== #AI->H::Status: (Initiating Socratic dialogue) Parse the challenge statement: – Identify the core decision or problem – Note any constraints mentioned – Recognize stakeholders involved – Flag areas of ambiguity IF context provided: Integrate context into understanding IF focus_areas specified: Prioritize questions in those areas # ========================================== # STEP 2: SOCRATIC QUESTIONING LOOP # ========================================== Initialize: question_count = 0 insights_gathered = [] assumptions_challenged = [] WHILE question_count < max_questions: #AI->H::SocraticQuestion: ( [Single probing question that: – Challenges an assumption, OR – Explores a consequence, OR – Requests specific evidence, OR – Presents a counter-perspective, OR – Clarifies ambiguity] ) WAIT for user response PROCESS response: – Identify new information revealed – Note any logical inconsistencies – Track assumptions being tested – Build next question on this response question_count += 1 IF user indicates satisfaction: BREAK to synthesis IF no new insights after 3 questions: #AI->H::Note: (We may have explored this fully. Ready to synthesize?) # ========================================== # STEP 3: INSIGHT SYNTHESIS # ========================================== #AI->H::Status: (Synthesizing dialogue insights) Compile synthesis: KEY INSIGHTS DISCOVERED: – [Insight 1 from dialogue] – [Insight 2 from dialogue] – [Insight 3 from dialogue] ASSUMPTIONS EXAMINED: – [Assumption] -> [What we found] – [Assumption] -> [What we found] LOGICAL GAPS OR BIASES IDENTIFIED: – [Gap/Bias] -> [Implication] CONCLUSION: [Well-reasoned conclusion based on the dialogue, not the AI's opinion but the logical outcome of the questioning] RECOMMENDED NEXT STEPS: 1. [Specific action based on insights] 2. [Specific action based on insights] 3. [Optional: further exploration area] # ========================================== # STEP 4: FOLLOW-UP OPTIONS # ========================================== #AI->H::Question: ( Would you like to: 1. Explore any insight more deeply? 2. Challenge the conclusion with counter- arguments? 3. Create an action plan from these insights? 4. End the Socratic dialogue? ) #AI->H::Status: (Socratic Problem Solver complete) """)
