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Film-style poster for the Assumption Map for Mentors presentation

A guide for mentors: Assumption Map for Mentors

How to send the Assumption Map, read the answers and talk them through.

English

What this guide covers

What this guide covers

What this guide covers

What it is

What must hold for it to work

Your mentee lists an idea’s assumptions and rates each for importance and uncertainty.

When to send it

Send it before building or spending

It helps most before time or money goes into an idea.

  • A new idea before the first build
  • A big bet a hire, a launch, a price
  • A stalled plan when nobody knows what to test

An honest frame

Guesses first, then a test

The ratings are guesses; the point is to find the one to test first.

116 startups in a randomised trial: founders taught to state and test assumptions did better Camuffo and others, 2020

Sending it

Send it from your pairing

It takes a minute, and your mentee gets an email.

Open your pairing

Choose Assign a tool and find the Assumption Map.

Try it as your mentee

Fill it in yourself first; nothing is saved or sent.

Name the idea

Say which idea to map, so the list stays on one.

Open your pairing

Choose Assign a tool and find the Assumption Map.

Try it as your mentee

Fill it in yourself first; nothing is saved or sent.

Name the idea

Say which idea to map, so the list stays on one.

Reading the answers

Start in the top-right corner

Important and untested assumptions are the ones to test first.

  • Riskiest assumption the highest score out of 25
  • Important and untested how many sit in the corner
  • Tests with a success criterion success decided before the test

Questions to ask

Ask about the ratings

People who ask follow-up questions are liked more (Huang and others, 2017).

  • Which assumption would end the idea if it turned out false? then: is it in the corner?
  • Which rating are you least sure of, and why? then: what would change it?
  • What result would make you change the plan? then: can you write it down now?

Feedback that helps

Question the rating, not the founder

Feedback can backfire, so ask about evidence rather than judge the idea.

1 in 3 Over a third of feedback effects lowered performance in one large review Kluger and DeNisi, 1996

One step

One test, one bar, one date

Plans in the form "if this happens, then I do that" help people act.

94 Tests found that if-then plans help people reach their goals Gollwitzer and Sheeran, 2006

After the meeting

Keep it all on Mentornity

The map, your comments and the next steps stay in one place.

Read it at a glance

The riskiest assumption and its score come first.

Add next steps

Write what will be done, by whom and by when.

Ask to fill it again

After the tests, rate again and see what moved.

Read it at a glance

The riskiest assumption and its score come first.

Add next steps

Write what will be done, by whom and by when.

Ask to fill it again

After the tests, rate again and see what moved.

Map one idea this week

Choose a mentee about to build something and send the map first.

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