People often treat a unique app or business idea as if it has value by itself. It usually doesn’t. The idea is the easy part. Planning and execution make up the other 99%.
Before I put serious time into an idea, I try to answer a few questions:
- Who is the user, and do I know that this group exists?
- Is the user also the customer?
- Will the customer pay for the product?
- What is the smallest version that can test the idea?
- How will I know whether that version worked?
- How will people find it?
- What will it cost to build, operate, and support?
- Why would someone choose it over an existing option?
- Who can fill the gaps in my knowledge?
- How much time, money, and energy can I spend before I need to stop?
The MVP question deserves extra attention. It is very easy to build too much before learning whether anyone cares. In some cases, an SLC is a better target: simple, lovable, and complete.
A good idea can survive changes to its first implementation. A weak idea often needs a detailed plan to keep anyone excited about it.
The useful question is not whether you have a good idea. It is whether you can answer these questions and build a useful first version before you run out of time, money, discipline, or interest.