Maze
Run small unmoderated prototype tasks with consent and basic completion analytics
A consolation build is possible, but the paid product's decisive value sits outside a solo rebuild. For Maze, run small unmoderated prototype tasks with consent and basic completion analytics. The hard boundary is participant panel, prototype integrations, testing infrastructure, analytics, and recruitment, plus participant network, synthesis workflow, and collaboration.
Build verification: not recorded. How we judge buildability
What you give up
- participant panel, prototype integrations, testing infrastructure, analytics, and recruitment
- large participant panel
- recording and transcription infrastructure
- advanced research repository
- enterprise governance
Why people still pay
People still pay for Maze because people pay either for access to participants or for a research repository that keeps evidence usable across an organization. The recurring cost buys recruitment, consent, scheduling, media storage, transcription, tagging consistency, notifications, search, and retention, not just the visible interface.
Your build guide
The stack, security requirements, and agent rules for a focused replacement.
Before you start
- PostgreSQL
- public HTTPS deployment
- Resend API key
- optional video-call links
Use these project rules and optional skill references alongside the prompt. Review each skill before adding it to your agent; the AGENTS.md export includes the same guidance.
Project rule, data: Model tasks, projects, schedules, dependencies, and completion events; store source IDs and timestamps for each.
Project rule, behavior: Create public and private feedback intake with consent text and optional contact details.
Project rule, recovery: If Resend API key is unavailable, keep the source record and show a recoverable error instead of a fabricated result.
Implementation plan
Phase 1, architecture and data
Use Next.js 15, TypeScript, PostgreSQL, Drizzle ORM, and Resend. Model tasks, projects, schedules, dependencies, and completion events; store source IDs and timestamps for each.
Phase 2, implement
Create public and private feedback intake with consent text and optional contact details.
Phase 3, implement
Support posts, votes, comments, tags, statuses, owners, and duplicate merging.
Phase 4, review and output
Add a research note type with evidence links, quotes, themes, and confidence. Provide email notifications, moderation, export, deletion, and an audit log.
Phase 5, recovery and acceptance
If Resend API key is unavailable, keep the source record and show a recoverable error instead of a fabricated result. Verify this invariant with a saved fixture: An invalid input or interrupted operation must retain the source and show a recoverable state; exported records must reload with the same IDs. State the practical limit: participant panel, prototype integrations, testing infrastructure, analytics, and recruitment.
Build me a focused feedback boards, interviews and product research workflow for the personal core of Maze. Requirements: - Use Next.js 15, TypeScript, PostgreSQL, Drizzle ORM, and Resend. Model tasks, projects, schedules, dependencies, and completion events; store source IDs and timestamps for each. - Paid product context: Run small unmoderated prototype tasks with consent and basic completion analytics. Build only this DIY scope: Run small unmoderated prototype tasks with consent, collect structured feedback with basic completion analytics, merge duplicates, connect evidence to themes, and publish a transparent research view. - Create public and private feedback intake with consent text and optional contact details. - Support posts, votes, comments, tags, statuses, owners, and duplicate merging. - Add a research note type with evidence links, quotes, themes, and confidence. Publish a read-only roadmap or findings page using only explicitly public items. - Use a local web page with input, progress, review, and export views. Required input or access: public HTTPS deployment; Resend API key. Keep credentials in .env. - Recovery: If Resend API key is unavailable, keep the source record and show a recoverable error instead of a fabricated result. - Acceptance: with one labelled sample, show the input, saved intermediate state, and exported result; verify this invariant: An invalid input or interrupted operation must retain the source and show a recoverable state; exported records must reload with the same IDs. - Out of scope: participant panel, prototype integrations, testing infrastructure, analytics, and recruitment; large participant panel. Keep this a personal, inspectable workflow. - Include a README with setup, a sample input, required keys or permissions, data location, and the supported scope.
$ open in your agent (prompt prefilled, you press enter), copy the prompt or copy AGENTS.md · generated from this app's build plan
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Questions about Maze
Can you build your own Maze with AI?
A full replacement is not the recommended project. A consolation build is possible, but the paid product's decisive value sits outside a solo rebuild. For Maze, run small unmoderated prototype tasks with consent and basic completion analytics. The hard boundary is participant panel, prototype integrations, testing infrastructure, analytics, and recruitment, plus participant network, synthesis workflow, and collaboration.
What does the Maze build prompt cover?
The prompt starts with this scope: Run small unmoderated prototype tasks with consent, collect structured feedback with basic completion analytics, merge duplicates, connect evidence to themes, and publish a transparent research view. Full-product capabilities excluded from the comparison include: participant panel, prototype integrations, testing infrastructure, analytics, and recruitment; large participant panel; recording and transcription infrastructure. Follow the implementation plan and its prerequisites before expanding the build.
How do I use the prompt, AGENTS.md and agent skills?
Start with the Maze prerequisites and stack, then copy the prompt into your coding agent. Save the project rules as AGENTS.md in the project root. Linked skills are optional packages or source instructions for specific tasks; review their current contents and install only those matching the chosen stack. A skill does not supply API credentials or verify the finished app.
How long will this Maze project take?
The catalogue estimate is closest consolation build: one sitting for the limited scope. Setup, integration approvals, debugging, deployment and ongoing maintenance can add time. This is an estimate, not a delivery guarantee.
What would I give up by replacing Maze?
participant panel, prototype integrations, testing infrastructure, analytics, and recruitment; large participant panel; recording and transcription infrastructure; advanced research repository; enterprise governance. People still pay for Maze because people pay either for access to participants or for a research repository that keeps evidence usable across an organization. The recurring cost buys recruitment, consent, scheduling, media storage, transcription, tagging consistency, notifications, search, and retention, not just the visible interface.
What price is this guide comparing against?
The recorded Starter plan is $99/mo (monthly), checked 2026-07-31. Check the linked pricing source before buying. Building your own also has hosting, API and maintenance costs; the recorded amount is not a guaranteed saving.
What can I use instead of building Maze?
UXtweak Free: One small unmoderated prototype study at a time; results vanish from the dashboard after two weeks. Check each option's license, hosting needs and feature limits.