1️⃣Day 1 - Validate your problem and define your MVP's Scope

Stellar Community Fund reviewers expect you to explain clearly which problem you are you solving, for whom, and how. This first part is characterized by understanding the problem and working on it. It will allow you to get a clear problem statement and to complete the SCF Award Submission Form.

Define the problem

Here is an example from the "Aldamin" sample design sprint.

Avoid describing solutions; describe problems instead.

The Miro file provides space for you to do the same.

Don't worry about being neat!

Refine the problem

Once you've brainstormed the problems you're trying to solve, choose the most important ones to focus on first. Remember that you're asking for one to two months of funds to develop your solution.

Choose between one and three problems you'd like to focus on.

Next, write down a succinct problem statement that encapsulates the essence of what you're solving

Take your time and think of a powerful problem statement that'll catch the eye of reviewers

Define the Personas

It is important to understand who you are working for and what objective you are pursuing. To answer the question "for whom," you can use a tool called a User Persona.

Take your time and think of a powerful problem statement that'll catch the eye of reviewers

Golden Path

The golden path encompasses the entire user journey within a product. You have to complete the entire process that the user or users perform to achieve the goal of your product.

The golden path should have broad, high-level steps that the user must complete to achieve your application’s most important (golden) path.

The golden path does not contain alternative paths or edge cases, it is the path that in a perfect world all your users would take

User Story Map

Once you've defined your golden path, copy it into the next section and start defining the concrete steps and edge cases you need to cater to for each "broad" part of the golden path.

For instance, "client visits page and signs up" is a broad statement that involves a lot of concrete work:

• Creating a landing page

• Registration

• Sign in

• Forgot password

• Profile page

This level of detail is favored by reviewers who want to ensure you have a clear idea of what you are building.

Each step of the golden path must be broken down into more concrete steps and edge cases contemplated in that part of the journey

Summarize your Project

The Stellar Community Fund reviewers expect you to summarize your project in a one-sentence pitch. Make it memorable!

Try to use short, impactful statements that make it clear what your project is about.