Usually ideas arise out of frustration. I'm trying to accomplish X, but the tools to accomplish X are clunky, slow, ill-suited, etc. So I start to think I could build a solution for accomplishing X that others might find useful as well.
Ask HN: How do you start researching for a project idea?
21–30 of 43 posts
Re: Ask HN: How do you start researching for a project idea?
#22Coincidentally, I've been thinking about this as well recently. Especially your second major question: > If you completely don't have an idea, but want to work on one, how do you look for ideas? (But also the one before.) My line of thinking was there oughta be a community online where people can pitch their ideas and get opinions on it or look for collaborators, also cross-discipline. Like "hey I have this cool idea…
I’m a big fan of this concept. I’m always coming up with ideas, or more importantly problems I think tech could solve (or solve better). Some of them I might work on myself but most of them I know I’ll never touch them for a multitude reasons like lacking the technical expertise or not knowing the right people to talk to. I’d happily put these online for someone else to solve. In the end it would still be solving my…
Agreed, the focus should definitely be on exploration rather than promotion. Although I feel like allowing some level of promotion while still shaping the thing being built would attract more ambitious projects which might help give the platform a better reputation for collaboration-seeking.
Maybe allow a mix of both? Like, people can open a thread starting from a pure problem and throw in some ideas for solutions. Or start with an idea and, as part of it, describe the problem. Let people filter if they only wanna see one type. And of course people can always link threads.
Re: Ask HN: How do you start researching for a project idea?
#23Not great advice, probably, but an answer to your question: I stubbornly try to rebuild the same thing ("a search engine for food"), over and over again, and each time learn slightly more and have better (software) tools and experience available to call upon.
https://www.reciperadar.com/ is the current version of the idea, and I'm fairly happy about how it's developing. Previous iterations have included a Java-based web application (using recursive common table expressions in PostgreSQL) and dabbling with a Prolog-based web service implementation.
The current containerized architecture (which is ridiculous, I know) provides for a migration path towards Rust or golang for more resource-efficient microservices, if & when that's ever useful (or enjoyable to work on).
Re: Ask HN: How do you start researching for a project idea?
#24No idea
I tried an Ask HN with my idea, but nobody cared.
Another time, I booked Facebook ads for people to subscribe to a pre launch email list, but nobody cared.
So mostly I just build stuff that me our my friends want. Or where a prospective customer comes to me with their project idea.
Re: Ask HN: How do you start researching for a project idea?
#25I would say never actually look for problems. Certainly, never start with the solution and work back to find the problem. Train yourself to stop and think when you encounter a difficulty. Learn to ask yourself if there can be a better (faster, cheaper, automated) way. If you have an answer, THAT is your idea
Re: Ask HN: How do you start researching for a project idea?
#26The closest thing to innovation I do is scope expansion. I like to take things that exist, and look for overlaps. If 2 products are 99% the same, even if they conceptually have totally different purposes, that's an opportunity to apply the DRY principle I also enjoy sci-fi shows and often think "Ok that should really exist by now". Sometimes you see something that really is possible with current tech, but it's mostly…
>consumer level raman spectrometer
so you can distinguish between genuine Maruchan and knock-off brands?
Re: Ask HN: How do you start researching for a project idea?
#27I usually tend to think over what I (personally) would expect the project to have / be. Nothing more, nothing less. That keeps me motivated.
I started m4b-tool[1] for using it myself - and noticed, that the most features, I wanted it to have where not available in existing, free solutions. So I started to note things down, I would like to have for a utility to merge / create audio books.
Now the project is a bit bloated and I learned so much on the way to its current state, that I'm thinking over rewriting it (not in RUST, but in C# ;) but it was a joyful journey with a lot of new ideas and experiences.
Pro tip: Early shipping is very good for geetting early feedback and new ideas. Don't be afraid to publish something unpolished.
Re: Ask HN: How do you start researching for a project idea?
#28No post body was provided.
Re: Ask HN: How do you start researching for a project idea?
#29A post (not my own) I find worth revisiting in this very subject from time to time, on the various approaches to product ideation:
Re: Ask HN: How do you start researching for a project idea?
#30I would say never actually look for problems. Certainly, never start with the solution and work back to find the problem. Train yourself to stop and think when you encounter a difficulty. Learn to ask yourself if there can be a better (faster, cheaper, automated) way. If you have an answer, THAT is your idea
Certainly, never start with the solution and work back to find the problem.
I'm going to play contrarian here and say I slightly disagree. OK, I mean, yes, as a general rule you don't want to start with a solution and work backwards. That I agree with. I just don't consider it an absolute. And I think that as an exercise done occasionally it can be worthwhile to look at some "solution" (that is, some bit of potentially usable technology) and work backwards and ask "What could I do with this?" I find that that can lead to some interesting ideas in its own right.
The danger, of course, is the possibility of getting overly enamored with the technology for its own sake, and wind up building something nobody needs or wants. But things like Steve Blank's "Customer Development" process can be used to help avoid situations like that, or at least before you invest very much in such an un-needed "solution".