I usually start coding straight away, but I'm starting to get a bit more organised because I'm finding I lose interest shortly thereafter.
How do you organise your personal projects? Do you treat them like a client project with deadlines, and write documents on requirements? What helps you through a personal project beyond the desire/motivation to create something?
Latest comments (7)
Hi. In NO way do I treat personal projects like work.
I discovered that motivation came and go. Also, between coding a personal project and watching a movie / read a comic, the competition is hard. So I try to keep my personal projects as fun and as low friction as possible.
So I strive on simplicity. My games are text / command line first.
Requirements are listed in a Google spreadsheet.
I'm using a monorepo so I can very easily reuse my own code without having to push to npm.
I don't write commit messages.
I look for "quick setup" tools, like the parcel bundler.
I forbid myself from using complicated/advanced libs unless it's really fun.
I allow myself to side-track and code fun stuff even when not the highest priority for a MVP.
I totally agree. I've switched from a todo app on my phone/laptop to using a notepad, and it's much more accessible. Plus I don't need to charge it ;p
Nice one, Arto. Seems like using a notepad/journal is a good way to go.
I write all my project ideas in a notebook (with the date). Physical notebook is usefull to complete and add idea at any time (before sleep for exemple). Write and draw (with a pen) help me to structure my project and make it less virtual. With a nice interface I get more chance to develop it.
If I already find my idea, I say to myself "I needed this project XX month ago, I still need it now, let's go". It helps me to start and find motivation. (I often improve the original idea).
To keep the project alive I start with the most complicated part and the less funny to finish with view/style (CSS, I can spend hours playing with CSS). Starting with the complicated help me to quickly define if this project is possible.
I don't use Kanban (Trello or Taiga) but it's always small projects, during a weekend. I just do ToDo lists. So I can not really help you on this point.
(And when I want to learn something new, framework or language, I can find a lot of project idea in this notebook. Deadtree notebook are awesome :))
Thanks for sharing! I'm using a notebook as well, and it's proved very useful.
I do not treat them like a client project, because in a way I hate deadlines. So I just love the fact that anytime I have the time and I am in the mood, I can do some progress... :)
What helps me to finish something is to make a working something quickly and publish it! And if others see, try out, comment on your project and they like it and use it, you will again have the motivation to go on and fix bugs, add new features, etc. :)
I'd love to have that outlook! Thanks for sharing. I like that idea of getting it out there in an earlier state. I could spend way too long fiddling with details that will go unnoticed.