This is the workflow I used to build my first web app that I had a lot of success with. Originally posted on my blog at: https://nickdorrell.com/starting-smaller
Whether you're building:
-An audience
-A product
-Or just about anything
...it can be pretty daunting, especially if you're doing something new. So how do you start and complete these objectives?
I like to start by breaking things down - I'm not a fan of overly detailed plans because: a) things change b) it becomes its own form of procrastination.
When I built Tascflow, I had three different lists:
1. What am I working on today?
2. What are the steps I need to take on the first task
3. What are my "must complete" tasks for the entire project
The purpose of one is so I have clear objectives that I can guarantee get done that day.
The purpose of two is to get my ass in gear. Starting with the smallest possible thing helps me start and creates enough momentum that I don't need to repeat this step.
The third list helps me track progress on the overall project and helps prevent the project scope from growing. I will remove tasks from this list as they are completed or not necessary for launch.
This is one of my Tascflow todos in Notepad++:
The ease of opening a notepad file made it easy to do this on a daily basis. I could add little things as I noticed them, and come back to them later.
What I really like about this concept is that it applies to the micro (daily) and macro (entire development) of a project.
I've been launching regularly since 2017 and this project by far was my most consistent output and came damn close to my 1 month launch goal (33 days)
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