Assumptions are beliefs you hold about your users, market, or product that you treat as true — even though they haven’t been validated yet. These assumptions often shape early decisions about what to build, who to target, and how your solution should work. Because they’re unproven, they can introduce risk if they turn out to be incorrect.
Validating assumptions early helps founders reduce uncertainty and avoid building features people don’t want or won’t use.
Examples:
A travel-tech founder assumes travel bloggers want peer-validated recommendations when choosing new places to visit.
A marketplace startup assumes local businesses are willing to contribute reviews or information in exchange for visibility.
A parenting app assumes parents prefer a simple, map-based interface over traditional lists.
These assumptions guide product decisions — but they still need to be tested with real users to ensure they’re accurate.
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