Before a first build
Use the sheet when the urge to code is ahead of the evidence, and let a weak dimension delay the sprint.
FEASIBILITY LAB
Feasibility study
Before anyone builds, this tool checks an idea from six directions: market, technical, financial, operational, legal, and phasing. You leave with a verdict: go, go with conditions, or stop for now.
Each direction has three plain questions. Score 1 to 5 or choose “I don’t know,” then write one short piece of evidence. The meaning of every score sits under the question.
How to read this sheet
A score without evidence is only a preference. The result should say what is still unknown and what to do next.
- The meaning of each score is written under the question. After you score, write one real piece of evidence: an interview, a price, a team skill, or a legal limit.
- “I don’t know” shows up in the result as an open question. Find evidence for that question before you build.
- The result lists the weak spots. Take that item to the validation canvas or the bank draft, and delay the build.
The sheet stays on this device. A read-only link carries the sheet inside the address and is not sent to a server.
Go deeper
Why you’ll love this
A feasibility study checks whether an idea survives six tests before anyone builds it: market, technical, financial, operational, legal, and phasing. Nova Lab asks three plain questions on each test, keeps the 1–5 meanings visible, and treats “I don’t know” as an open question rather than a guess. The result names the weak spots and the next step: go, go with conditions, or stop. It is a decision sheet, not a bank business plan.
How to jump in
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Name the idea and sector
Write the idea in one line and the sector it sits in, so scores attach to a specific bet rather than a vague feeling.
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Score six dimensions with evidence
Pick 1 to 5 using the meaning written under the question, or choose “I don’t know.” Then write one short piece of evidence so the score is not a guess.
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Read the verdict and export
Review the radar chart and the evidence table, then print or save CSV, Markdown, or JSON for the next meeting.
What you walk away with
- Six dimensions on one sheet instead of scattered notes
- Every score’s meaning stays visible, and “I don’t know” is listed as an unknown
- Radar chart and evidence table for the meeting
- The sheet stays on this device, with no required upload
Where it shines
Class and startup workshops
Students hand in the same six dimensions and defend the verdict with the evidence they wrote down.
Comparing several ideas
Each idea is its own sheet. Tick two to four sheets and read the averages and the radar on one page.
Quick answers
How is this different from a business plan?
A business plan is a longer financial document for a bank or an investor. This scorecard is a decision sheet: six tests, evidence, and a go, conditional, or stop verdict. Use the finance calculators on this site when you need break-even, runway, or market size numbers.
Where should the scores come from?
From evidence, not optimism. Market scores need a real customer conversation. Technical scores need an honest read of team skill. Financial scores need a cost and price sketch. Legal scores need the license and the data you would collect. Schedule scores need a calendar, not a wish.
What if one dimension is weak and the rest are strong?
A score of 1 or 2 is a weak spot. One weak spot keeps the verdict conditional even when the average is high. Two weak spots, or an average under 3, say stop for now. “I don’t know” stays out of the average and shows up in the list of unknowns.
Where is the study stored?
Only in this browser on this device. JSON export is the local backup. The bank draft is a separate tool, and that study is not stored on a server either.
Can I send this to an investor as-is?
No. Investors usually want market size, a revenue model, and a financial plan. Use the verdict as a list of questions to answer next, not as a formal proposal.