What would you build if 12 places of lived experience were your curriculum?
Build Contract
| # | Feature | Function | Outcome | Job | State |
|---|
| 1 | Art Journey deck (12 slides) | PromptDeck with one slide per place, memory prompts, sketch cue | Structure that invites revisiting, not filing | Honour | Gap |
| 2 | Place slide content | Memory prompts, decisions made/not made, colours, song, sketch | Each place becomes a canvas seed | Honour | Gap |
| 3 | Discovery Questions (5 cards) | Bridge life experience to business thinking without jargon | Pam sees her life as unfair advantage | Discover | Gap |
| 4 | Business Idea cards (5) | Five possibilities explored through friction-wedge-proof | Options, not ultimatums | Discover | Gap |
| 5 | Tight Five deck (5 slides) | Map chosen idea across Principles/Performance/Platform/Protocols/Players | One idea tested against the framework | Build | Gap |
| 6 | Players slide (5 groups) | Customers, Suppliers, Helpers, Owner, Rules mapped per idea | See the ecosystem a business requires | Build | Gap |
| 7 | Single-page scroll, mobile-first | Responsive layout, phone primary, tablet secondary | Pam explores on her phone, shares on tablet | Deliver | Gap |
| 8 | Warm personal design | Terracotta palette, hand-drawn feel, gift not product | Feels like a birthday present, not a SaaS tool | Deliver | Gap |
Principles
What truths constrain this?
The Job: When you've lived 12 places and made a thousand decisions, help honour that journey AND find what to build next — so the next chapter has direction, not just activity.
| Trigger | Current Failure | Desired Progress |
|---|
| Birthday, milestone, empty nest | No structure for reflection | 12 places mapped with memory, colour, and meaning |
| "What should I do next?" | Keeping busy without direction | One business idea explored through a real framework |
| "I'm not creative / don't know business" | Self-limiting belief blocks exploration | The framework proves she already has the raw material |
| Rich life experience, no framework | Wisdom trapped in anecdotes | Life experience reframed as unfair advantage |
| Desire to share, not just consume | Hobbies without an audience or purpose | Canvas on the wall, idea worth discussing |
Hidden objection: "I'm not creative." The scrapbook process proves otherwise — choosing colours, songs, and memories IS creative work. The word "art" arrives after the fact, not before.
Hidden objection: "I don't know business." The five discovery questions are written in life language, not MBA language. If you can spot where people waste time or money, you understand business.
Hidden objection: "Too late to start." Twelve places of experience is a curriculum most founders would pay for. The framework makes this visible.
Why now: Birthday gift. The camper trip to revisit places creates a natural deadline and shared journey. Dad as companion, not teacher.
How do we know it's working?
Priority Score
| Dimension | Score | Evidence |
|---|
| Pain | 4 | Processing a rich life into meaning. No structure for reflection. No bridge to purpose. |
| Demand | 3 | Audience of one (Pam), but the pattern applies to anyone at a life transition. |
| Edge | 4 | Platform exists (PromptDeck, Tight Five). 12 real places with real memories. Can't be faked. |
| Trend | 3 | Life-design and second-act entrepreneurship growing. Ikigai, encore careers, purpose economy. |
| Conversion | 4 | One canvas painted, one idea explored, one Tight Five completed = success. Clear, achievable, measurable. |
| Composite | 576 | High personal edge and clear conversion criteria offset modest demand scale. |
Success Criteria
Functional:
| # | Criterion | Verification | Job |
|---|
| F1 | 12 place slides render with memory prompts | Visual check | Honour |
| F2 | Each place has colour palette and sketch prompt | Content review | Honour |
| F3 | 5 discovery questions feel warm, not clinical | Pam reads and nods | Discover |
| F4 | 5 business ideas generated from questions | Content exists | Discover |
| F5 | Tight Five deck maps chosen idea across 5 dims | Structure check | Build |
| F6 | Players slide names 5 real stakeholder groups | Content review | Build |
| F7 | Works on phone (375px) without horizontal scroll | Device test | Deliver |
| F8 | Aesthetic reads as gift, not software | Five-second test | Deliver |
Outcome (Target: Birthday):
| # | Criterion | Target | Now |
|---|
| O1 | Canvas painted | 1 canvas from the scrapbook process | 0 |
| O2 | Business idea chosen | 1 idea explored through Tight Five | 0 |
| O3 | Shared journey with dad | Camper trip revisiting places | Planned |
| O4 | Pam creates her first T5 | Completed with all 5 dimensions | 0 |
Business Dev
| Layer | Decision | Assumption | Evidence Needed |
|---|
| ICP | Pam (audience of one) | The pattern generalises to life transitions | Pam's reaction |
| Offer | Birthday gift, not product | Warm framing removes "I'm not creative" barrier | Engagement vs abandonment |
| Channel | Direct (dad delivers it) | Personal delivery beats app store discovery | One user, one moment |
| Proof | Canvas on wall + T5 completed | Tangible artifact = proof of progress | Photo of canvas |
| Conversion | Pam picks one idea, does the T5 | Framework is accessible without coaching | Completed without hand-holding |
What do we control directly?
Components
| Component | Exists | Wire | Build |
|---|
| PromptDeck | Yes | — | — |
| Slide | Yes | — | — |
| SlideDepth | Yes | — | — |
| Place data model | — | — | Yes |
| Art Journey deck | — | — | Yes |
| Discovery cards | — | — | Yes |
| Business Idea cards | — | — | Yes |
| Tight Five template | Yes | Adapt | — |
| Warm colour palette | — | — | Yes |
Build ratio: 60% composition (PromptDeck, Slide, T5 framework), 40% new content (place data, discovery questions, warm design).
Commissioning
| Feature | Schema | API | UI | Tests | % |
|---|
| Art Journey deck (12 slides) | — | — | Gap | — | 0% |
| Place slide content | — | — | Gap | — | 0% |
| Discovery Questions (5 cards) | — | — | Gap | — | 0% |
| Business Idea cards (5) | — | — | Gap | — | 0% |
| Tight Five deck (5 slides) | — | — | Gap | — | 0% |
| Players slide (5 groups) | — | — | Gap | — | 0% |
| Single-page scroll, mobile-first | — | — | Gap | — | 0% |
| Warm personal design | — | — | Gap | — | 0% |
Protocols
How does the system coordinate?
Two Journeys, One Bridge
ART JOURNEY (looking back) BUSINESS DISCOVERY (looking forward)
───────────────────────── ──────────────────────────────────────
12 places 5 discovery questions
↓ ↓
Scrapbook per place 5 business ideas
↓ ↓
One canvas that demands painting Pick one idea
↓ ↓
Phygital (canvas + digital record) Tight Five (5 slides)
\ /
\ /
↘ ↙
THE BRIDGE
"What do you know from
living 12 places that
most people don't?"
Art Flow
| Stage | Input | Output | Who |
|---|
| Remember | Place name + prompts | Memories, decisions, feelings | Pam |
| Collect | Memories | Scrapbook page per place | Pam |
| Distill | 12 scrapbooks | One canvas composition | Pam |
| Create | Canvas composition | Painted canvas | Pam |
| Share | Canvas + digital deck | Gift on the wall | Pam |
Business Flow
| Stage | Input | Output | Who |
|---|
| Ask | 5 discovery questions | Raw answers from life | Pam |
| Explore | Answers | 5 business ideas | Pam |
| Choose | 5 ideas | 1 idea worth exploring | Pam |
| Map | Chosen idea | Tight Five (5 dimensions) | Pam |
| Test | Tight Five | "Would I actually do this?" | Pam |
Build Sequence
| Step | What | Effort | Depends On | Acceptance |
|---|
| 1 | Spec + content writing | 1 day | — | All 12 places with prompts |
| 2 | Prompt deck (5 slides) | 0.5d | Step 1 | Slides render, story flows |
| 3 | Index decision surface | 0.5d | Step 2 | 10-second comprehension |
| 4 | Art Journey deck | 2 days | Step 1 | 12 slides with warm design |
| 5 | Discovery + Idea cards | 1 day | Step 1 | Questions feel like conversation |
| 6 | Tight Five template | 1 day | Step 5 | Framework adapted for life context |
| 7 | Mobile-first styling | 1 day | Steps 4-6 | 375px, no scroll, gift aesthetic |
Risks
| Risk | Mitigation |
|---|
| "I'm not creative" stops Pam early | Scrapbook is choosing, not creating. Low barrier entry. |
| Business questions feel like homework | Written in life language, not MBA language. |
| Too many places, overwhelm | One slide per place. No obligation to do all 12. |
| Canvas never gets painted | The process IS the gift. Canvas is bonus, not gate. |
| Dad over-coaches | Companion, not teacher. Questions, not instructions. |
Players
Who creates harmony?
Job 1: Honour the Journey
| Element | Detail |
|---|
| Struggling moment | "I've lived so many places but it's all just... memories in my head" |
| Workaround | Photo albums, occasional reminiscing, no structure |
| Progress | 12 places mapped with colour, song, memory, and meaning |
| Hidden objection | "That was a long time ago, does it really matter?" |
| Switch trigger | Birthday gift creates permission to look back without it feeling selfish |
Job 2: Find What's Next
| Element | Detail |
|---|
| Struggling moment | "I keep busy but I don't have a thing, you know?" |
| Workaround | Hobbies, volunteering, keeping the house running |
| Progress | One business idea explored through a framework that doesn't condescend |
| Hidden objection | "I don't know business, that's not me" |
| Switch trigger | Discovery questions reframe life experience as business intelligence |
Job 3: Create Something Tangible
| Element | Detail |
|---|
| Struggling moment | "I want to make something but I don't know where to start" |
| Workaround | Craft groups, Pinterest boards, unfinished projects |
| Progress | One canvas painted from a structured process, hanging on the wall |
| Hidden objection | "I'm not an artist" |
| Switch trigger | Scrapbook process proves she already chose colours, songs, compositions |
ICP: Pam
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|
| Archetype | Life-rich explorer at a transition point |
| Shared pain | Wisdom trapped in memory, no framework to extract or apply it |
| Psycho-logic | "If it feels like homework, I won't do it" |
| Switch cost | Zero (it's a gift, no subscription, no commitment) |
| Evidence needed | Engagement: does she open slide 2? |
Five Stakeholder Groups (per business idea)
| Group | Prompt |
|---|
| Customers | Who would pay for this? What pain do they have that you understand? |
| Suppliers | What do you need that you can't make yourself? |
| Helpers | Who do you know that would want to help? Why would they? |
| Owner | What would you need to believe to commit 10 hours a week? |
| Rules | What regulations, costs, or realities would you face? |
Data Appendix: 12 Places
| # | Place | Region | Memory Prompts | Colour Palette | Sketch Prompt |
|---|
| 1 | Kaeo | Far North | First memories. Bush. River swimming. The sound of rain on a tin roof. | Deep green, river blue, rust, cream | The view from the front step |
| 2 | Pointers Lane | Far North | The lane itself. Neighbours. Barefoot summers. Freedom without a map. | Dust gold, fern green, sky blue, bark brown | The lane stretching ahead |
| 3 | Te Karaka | East Cape | School friendships. Rural rhythms. The smell of cut grass. | Paddock green, earth brown, cloud white, red | The school gate |
| 4 | Hauraki Plains | Waikato | Wide open space. Farm life. The feeling of being small in big country. | Gold, horizon blue, mud brown, white | The plains at sunset |
| 5 | Ardmore | South Auckland | Growing up. New friends. The shift from country to something bigger. | Grey-green, asphalt, sports-field green, tan | The crossroads |
| 6 | Coogee | Sydney | Ocean. Independence. The first time living truly on your own terms. | Ocean teal, sandstone, white foam, coral | The beach walk |
| 7 | Tokoroa | South Waikato | Community. Raising kids. The warmth of a small-town network. | Pine green, mill grey, warm orange, cream | The main street |
| 8 | Otford | Sydney | Cliff walks. Space to think. The decision you didn't make. | Sandstone, deep blue, bush green, mist grey | The cliff path |
| 9 | Whangarei | Northland | Back to the north. Familiar but different. What changed was you. | Harbour blue, pohutukawa red, fern, sand | The town basin |
| 10 | Hamilton | Waikato | City life. Opportunity. The trade-offs of convenience. | River green, urban grey, garden bloom, white | The river path |
| 11 | Whangaparaoa | Hibiscus Coast | Peninsula life. Water everywhere. The kids growing up. | Gulf blue, shell pink, lawn green, driftwood | The view from the peninsula |
| 12 | Whangamata | Coromandel | Home. The place that chose you. Where the next chapter starts. | Beach gold, pohutukawa red, ocean blue, flax | The beach at dawn |
Context
Questions
What would you build if 12 places of lived experience were your curriculum?
- Which of the 12 places taught the lesson you keep giving others for free — and is that the business?
- If the hidden objection is "I'm not creative," does the scrapbook process dissolve it or just defer it?
- What's the difference between honouring the past and being stuck in it — and which side does this framework land on?
- If dad's role is companion not teacher, what does he do when Pam gets stuck on discovery question 3?