The First Principles Framework takes an existing model, process or industry solution and breaks it down in four steps: first into objectively true fundamental components, then into the arbitrary assumptions that have crept in, then into a rebuild grounded only in those fundamental truths, and finally into an assessment of what actually stands in the way of implementation. The method traces back to the principle of first principles thinking and deliberately separates what is physically, logically or economically necessary from what is simply "how it's done."
\nThe skill suits founders, product owners and strategists who suspect an industry operates inefficiently, or who want to question prices and processes rather than optimize them incrementally. It is a thinking tool, not a business plan: it delivers a structured analysis and a rebuild proposal, but it does not replace market validation, a viability calculation or a conversation with real customers. Whether an identified "fundamental truth" is really immutable remains a judgment call you need to verify yourself.
\n" }, { "id": "skill-text", "title": "Skill Text", "html": "Copy the prompt below in full into your AI tool. As a file: fundament-geruest.en.json
\n" } ], "schritte": [ { "nr": 1, "titel": "Name the model", "beschreibung": "The existing model, process or industry solution to be fundamentally questioned is named.", "rolle": "mensch" }, { "nr": 2, "titel": "Deconstruction", "beschreibung": "The model is broken down into its fundamental, objectively true components.", "rolle": "automatisch" }, { "nr": 3, "titel": "Assumption check", "beschreibung": "Genuine necessities are separated from pure industry convention.", "rolle": "automatisch" }, { "nr": 4, "titel": "Rebuild from zero", "beschreibung": "A new approach is built exclusively on the fundamental truths.", "rolle": "automatisch" }, { "nr": 5, "titel": "Finished approach", "beschreibung": "The new approach is ready, together with an assessment of implementation barriers and a plan for an initial prototype.", "rolle": "ergebnis" } ], "herausgeber": "Voyage Digital", "version": "2.0", "stand": "2026-07-26", "umsetzung": [ { "titel": "Set up the skill", "text": "The skill text is copied and pasted into an AI tool." }, { "titel": "Name the model", "text": "The model, process or industry solution is described, together with what makes it seem irrational." }, { "titel": "Check the result", "text": "The deconstruction and rebuild are checked for plausibility and radicalness." }, { "titel": "Plan a prototype", "text": "The most promising approach is turned into a concrete test." } ], "zutaten": [ "Problem", "Model" ], "beispielSzenario": "For example: AI consulting typically costs between 1,500 and 3,000 euros per day in the market. The First Principles Framework breaks this pricing model down using first principles: what is objectively necessary for a company to successfully adopt AI? What fundamental truths apply to learning, behavior change and technology adoption? From these fundamental truths, a radically different consulting model emerges, independent of how consulting traditionally works.", "eingaben": [ { "feld": "Existing model, process or industry solution to be questioned", "pflicht": true }, { "feld": "What is troubling or seems irrational about it", "pflicht": false }, { "feld": "Context: industry, costs, time required, process steps", "pflicht": false } ], "ausgabe": "A four-phase analysis: the deconstruction into fundamental truths, the assumption check with at least three arbitrary industry assumptions, a complete rebuild from zero, and an assessment of implementation barriers and testing options.", "prompt": "# DESCRIPTION\nRadically breaks down an existing solution or industry practice into its fundamental truths and builds a new approach from zero, detached from convention and \"best practices\".\n\n# INPUT\n- Existing model, process or industry solution to be questioned (required)\n- What is troubling or seems irrational about it (optional)\n- Context: industry, costs, time required, process steps (optional)\n\n# OUTPUT\n- Phase 1, Deconstruction: fundamental, objectively true components\n- Phase 2, Assumption check: arbitrary assumptions of the industry\n- Phase 3, Rebuild: solution from zero, based exclusively on the fundamental truths\n- Phase 4, Implementation assessment: barriers, prototype potential, disruptive potential\n\n# CONTEXT\n- Placeholders for use: COMPANY, INDUSTRY, TARGET AUDIENCE\n- Underlying foundation: first principles thinking, physics-based reasoning, disruptive innovation, foundations of epistemology\n- Important constraint: keep fundamental truths clearly separate from conventions. Physical and logical laws form the basis, not opinions or habits.\n- The assistant explicitly flags its own assumptions as an assumption where facts about the user's situation are missing, instead of presenting them as established.\n- Address the user in a professional manner throughout.\n\n# WORKING INSTRUCTIONS\n## Step 1: Deconstruction\nWhat are the fundamental, objectively true components of this problem? Set aside industry-standard procedures and \"best practices\" for now. What is physically, factually or logically necessary? Which fundamental truths, physical, psychological or economic, hold unconditionally?\n\n## Step 2: Assumption check\nWhich assumptions of the current solution are actually arbitrary? Why does it cost X, why does it take Y, why does it work this way? Which costs, timeframes and steps are truly unavoidable, and which rest only on habit?\n\n## Step 3: Rebuild\nStart over using only the fundamental truths from phase 1: what would the solution look like? Which components are actually required? What differs radically from the existing solution?\n\n## Step 4: Implementation assessment\nWhich barriers stand between the first-principles approach and reality, real obstacles or just habit? How could the solution be tested as a prototype? Where would the disruptive potential lie?\n\n# DEFINITION OF DONE\n[ ] Fundamental truths are clearly separated from conventions\n[ ] At least three arbitrary assumptions of the industry are identified\n[ ] A completely new solution approach is built from zero\n[ ] Concrete barriers and testing options are named\n[ ] The disruptive potential is articulated\n[ ] The rebuild differs clearly from the status quo\n\n# CONVERSATION START\nWelcome to the First Principles Framework. Describe the existing model, process or industry solution you want to fundamentally question. What is troubling about it, or what seems irrational to you?", "einrichtung": { "intro": "Step-by-step guides for ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot Studio and Langdock.", "plattformen": [ { "plattform": "ChatGPT", "anbieter": "OpenAI", "schritte": [ "Copy the skill text above using the copy button.", "Click your profile picture and select \"Skills\".", "Click \"Create skill\" and paste the copied text as the instruction.", "Adjust inputs, outputs and format where your case requires it.", "Save the skill. It is available in all chats from that point on." ], "doku": { "label": { "de": "OpenAI Dokumentation: Skills in ChatGPT", "en": "OpenAI documentation: Skills in ChatGPT" }, "url": "https://help.openai.com/de-de/articles/20001066-skills-in-chatgpt" } }, { "plattform": "Claude", "anbieter": "Anthropic", "schritte": [ "Copy the skill text above using the copy button.", "Open claude.ai and go to \"Skills\" in your profile.", "Create a new skill and paste the copied text as the instruction.", "The skill works in claude.ai, in Claude Code and through the API.", "Available on the Pro, Max, Team and Enterprise plans." ], "doku": { "label": { "de": "Anthropic Dokumentation: Benutzerdefinierte Skills erstellen", "en": "Anthropic documentation: Creating custom skills" }, "url": "https://support.claude.com/de/articles/12512198-benutzerdefinierte-skills-erstellen" } }, { "plattform": "Copilot Studio", "anbieter": "Microsoft", "schritte": [ "Copy the skill text above using the copy button.", "Open Copilot Studio and create a new agent.", "Paste the copied text as the instruction.", "Connect knowledge sources and tools where needed.", "Publish the agent for yourself or for your organisation." ], "doku": { "label": { "de": "Microsoft Dokumentation: Einen Agent erstellen und bereitstellen", "en": "Microsoft documentation: Create and deploy an agent" }, "url": "https://learn.microsoft.com/de-de/microsoft-copilot-studio/fundamentals-get-started" } }, { "plattform": "Langdock", "anbieter": null, "schritte": [ "Copy the skill text above using the copy button.", "Open the sidebar and click \"Add skill\".", "Paste the copied text directly as the instruction.", "Connect the skill to integrations such as Gmail or Slack where needed.", "Save the skill and release it for yourself or your team." ], "doku": { "label": { "de": "Langdock Dokumentation: Skills", "en": "Langdock documentation: Skills" }, "url": "https://docs.langdock.com/de/product/chat/skills" } } ] }, "itemIcon": "blocks", "recommended": [ { "slug": "chancenraum-konzept", "category": "skill", "name": "The Opportunity Space Concept", "teaser": "Turns a seemingly disadvantageous situation into its own opportunity space, working out what becomes possible precisely because of it instead of searching for the obvious problem solution.", "domaene": "Strategie & Entscheidung", "itemIcon": "map" }, { "slug": "ideen-manoever", "category": "skill", "name": "The Idea Maneuver", "teaser": "Generates at least 10 ideas for a given question across multiple creativity techniques and rates each one for feasibility and impact.", "domaene": "Strategie & Entscheidung", "itemIcon": "lightbulb" }, { "slug": "umkehr-manoever", "category": "skill", "name": "The Reversal Maneuver", "teaser": "The Reversal Maneuver takes your biggest business constraint and inverts it completely into a concrete competitive advantage, target audience, and business model, instead of merely softening the disadvantage.", "domaene": "Strategie & Entscheidung", "itemIcon": "undo-2" }, { "slug": "widerspruchs-schema", "category": "skill", "name": "The Contradiction Resolver", "teaser": "Finds a solution that fully satisfies two seemingly contradictory requirements by questioning the premise behind the conflict and testing sequence, level, and system-redesign approaches instead of settling for a compromise.", "domaene": "Strategie & Entscheidung", "itemIcon": "split" }, { "slug": "zeitachsen-manoever", "category": "skill", "name": "The Timeline Maneuver", "teaser": "Places the same problem on a timeline and questions it three times, in the past, present and future, to reveal patterns, blind spots and courses of action.", "domaene": "Strategie & Entscheidung", "itemIcon": "calendar-range" }, { "slug": "strategie-sparringspartner", "category": "assistent", "name": "The Strategy Sparring Partner", "teaser": "Checks strategy drafts with the same rigor you would apply to code before a release, systematically attacking assumptions instead of confirming them.", "domaene": "Strategie & Entscheidung", "itemIcon": "milestone" }, { "slug": "annahmen-protokoll", "category": "skill", "name": "The Assumption Protocol", "teaser": "The Assumption Protocol exposes a belief layer by layer, from its surface justification down to the root assumption beneath it, and shows honestly which layers actually hold up.", "domaene": "Strategie & Entscheidung", "itemIcon": "help-circle" }, { "slug": "business-case-geruest", "category": "skill", "name": "The Business Case Builder", "teaser": "Turns a project idea, its costs and expected benefits into a complete business case with ROI, payback period, three scenarios and a reasoned go or no-go recommendation.", "domaene": "Strategie & Entscheidung", "itemIcon": "trending-up" }, { "slug": "domino-raster", "category": "skill", "name": "The Domino Grid", "teaser": "The Domino Grid traces a planned action across five levels of consequences to reveal where the real strategic opportunity actually lies.", "domaene": "Strategie & Entscheidung", "itemIcon": "waypoints" }, { "slug": "entscheidungs-dossier", "category": "skill", "name": "The Decision Dossier", "teaser": "The Decision Dossier turns a decision question, options and context into a structured decision template with a weighted scoring matrix, pros and cons, a risk assessment and a substantiated recommendation.", "domaene": "Strategie & Entscheidung", "itemIcon": "scale" }, { "slug": "gegenrede-protokoll", "category": "skill", "name": "The Devil's Advocate Protocol", "teaser": "The Devil's Advocate Protocol deliberately argues against your strategy or decision to expose risks, questionable assumptions and blind spots before you commit resources.", "domaene": "Strategie & Entscheidung", "itemIcon": "messages-square" }, { "slug": "muster-dossier", "category": "skill", "name": "The Pattern Dossier", "teaser": "Collects a series of decisions, projects, or content and exposes the overarching pattern behind them, including the actual unconscious strategy, real selection criteria, and blind spots.", "domaene": "Strategie & Entscheidung", "itemIcon": "grid-2x2" }, { "slug": "rueckpfad-manoever", "category": "skill", "name": "The Backcasting Maneuver", "teaser": "Describe your ideal end state and let the AI work backward step by step to today, surfacing the path a forward plan would miss.", "domaene": "Strategie & Entscheidung", "itemIcon": "corner-up-left" }, { "slug": "steelman-schema", "category": "skill", "name": "The Steelman Framework", "teaser": "The Steelman Framework takes the deliberate counterposition to an idea, strategy or decision, first summarizing it in its strongest form and then testing it with substantial counterarguments from multiple perspectives, exposed blind spots and worst case scenarios, before closing with a strengthened argument and a clear recommendation.", "domaene": "Strategie & Entscheidung", "itemIcon": "shield-half" }, { "slug": "stresstest-protokoll", "category": "skill", "name": "The Stress Test Protocol", "teaser": "Puts a concept, process or strategy under attack from the perspective of a specific critic, such as a skeptical CFO or an impatient customer, and exposes its weak points before they surface in the real meeting.", "domaene": "Strategie & Entscheidung", "itemIcon": "activity" }, { "slug": "business-case-dokumentierer", "category": "assistent", "name": "The Business Case Documenter", "teaser": "Turns a project idea, an investment or an initiative into the form decision makers actually read: benefits, costs, risks and a clear recommendation, cleanly structured and free of jargon.", "domaene": "Strategie & Entscheidung", "itemIcon": "trending-up" }, { "slug": "gegenargument-sparringspartner", "category": "assistent", "name": "The Counterargument Sparring Partner", "teaser": "Tests a thesis or decision by formulating well-founded counterarguments and systematically questioning assumptions, evidence and logic.", "domaene": "Strategie & Entscheidung", "itemIcon": "shield-half" }, { "slug": "wettbewerbskraefte-pruefer", "category": "assistent", "name": "The Five Forces Analyzer", "teaser": "Analyzes an industry systematically using Michael Porter's five competitive forces and derives a well founded assessment of market attractiveness.", "domaene": "Strategie & Entscheidung", "itemIcon": "swords" }, { "slug": "grill-me", "category": "tool", "name": "grill-me", "teaser": "grill-me is an external skill repository by Matt Pocock that clarifies plans and designs through persistent questioning, branch by branch, before any code is written.", "domaene": "Strategie & Entscheidung" }, { "slug": "feedback-route", "category": "workflow", "name": "The Feedback Route", "teaser": "A daily automated report that sorts incoming customer feedback by sentiment and topic and immediately flags critical cases to the team.", "domaene": "Kundensupport & Service", "itemIcon": "message-square-quote" } ] }