My First App: The Project Planner
The number one reason first apps never ship isn’t code — it’s scope. AI tools will happily build whatever you ask for, which makes it easier than ever to ask for too much. This planner forces the decisions that professional teams make before writing anything: who it’s for, the three features that matter, what “done” actually means, and a real ship date. Fill it in before you open Claude Code or Cursor. Ten minutes here saves a week of wandering.
1 · The idea
What problem does it solve, and for whom? (Real person you know = best answer)
2 · The one-sentence pitch
“It’s an app that helps ________ do ________ without ________.”
3 · Features
Must-have (max 3 — be ruthless)
Nice-to-have (version 2 — not now)
4 · What does it need to remember?
List the data your app stores (e.g., tasks, scores, streaks). No real names or addresses.
5 · My toolkit
6 · Definition of done
7 · Ship it
Ship date (2–3 weeks out, max):
First demo audience: