History knows a lot of examples when brilliant ideas were conceived in a garage and started in a somewhat chaotic manner. But it also knows just as many examples of equally brilliant ventures failing because of simple mistakes and a general lack of a systematic approach. I suggest you have a look at four basic steps that can get you some decent insurance against chaos. Get yourself and your team through them — and build your project’s foundation layer by layer. And remember: Amat Victoria Curam, Victory Loves Preparation.
Question 1: Who Needs Your Project?
Identifying your target audience is a critical step that should never be skipped. Without this, your project is at risk of failure even before it starts. You may ask why defining a target audience is of any matter for a developer. The answer is simple and straightforward. Your audience is the fundamental factor that defines everything else, from technology stack to product features. When you know who is going to use your product and how they will use it, you can optimize it accordingly.