# Regret Log — Rejected Approaches

_What was tried, evaluated, and discarded — and why._
_Claude reads this before proposing solutions to avoid re-proposing already-rejected ideas._
_Format: append new entries at the bottom. Never delete._

| Date | Approach | Why Rejected |
|------|----------|--------------|
| Starter | Iterating on a prototype without a written hypothesis | "Learning theater" — burns time generating motion that doesn't reduce risk. Every prototype iteration must answer a specific question with a yes/no testable result. Use the `prototype-hypothesis` skill before any discovery-mode change. |
| Starter | Mixing build-to-learn and build-to-earn conventions | Discovery work uses different conventions than delivery work. Production conventions (plans, tests) slow discovery. Discovery conventions (skip error handling, hardcoded data) break in production. Declare the mode at session start using `build-mode.md`. |
<!-- Add entries as approaches are evaluated and rejected -->
<!-- Example: | 2026-01-15 | Polling every 5s for updates | Too much server load - use WebSocket instead | -->
