Agent skill · product strategy · deanpeters
pol-probe
Define a Proof of Life probe to test a risky hypothesis cheaply. Use when you need harsh truth before building real product.
Why this skill is useful
Provides a structured framework for defining and documenting lightweight validation experiments that the AI wouldn't generate on its own.
What it needs
About 7k tokens when loaded. Last updated 2026-07-17. 6,302 stars on the source repository.
What this skill does
Purpose Define and document a Proof of Life (PoL) probe—a lightweight, disposable validation artifact designed to surface harsh truths before expensive development. Use this when you need to eliminate a specific risk or test a narrow hypothesis without building production-quality software. PoL probes are reconnaissance missions, not MVPs—they're meant to be deleted, not scaled. This framework prevents prototype theater (expensive demos that impress stakeholders but teach nothing) and forces you to match validation method to actual learning goal. Input Works best with: The hypothesis or risk you need to test. Also useful: What evidence would change your mind, available time/resources, and what you've validated already. Anything supplied with the invocation itself — text after the skill name, a pasted context dump, or an appended ARGUMENTS: line — counts as answers already given. Use it and skip whatever it covers; don't re-ask. Arriving empty-handed? That works too. The skill asks for the hypothesis and the riskiest assumption inside it before designing the probe. Example invocation: Define a PoL probe: we believe restaurant managers will photograph invoices daily if it auto-updates food costs. Key Concepts What is a PoL Probe? A Proof of Life (PoL) probe is a deliberate, disposable validation experiment designed to answer one specific question as cheaply and quickly as possible. It's not a product, not an MVP, not a pilot—it's a targeted truth-seeking mission. …
How to use it
Reference it in AdaL, Claude Code, Cursor or any coding agent — nothing to install:
@skills deanpeters/pol-probe