Every online project would answer to only 5 questions.
You have clients to please, deadlines to meet, and a lot on your plate. Staying organised and productive is key to getting results.
I’ve been involved in all kinds of projects for over 15 years, so I know just how exciting and frustrating it can be. It’s engaging, and always keeps you on your toes. There’s never a dull moment — unless you step back, and trust me, that’s not fun.
I was invited to a client’s workplace to give a talk about project ideation, from the initial idea to the final result. For that, I made a mind map to share my experiences and insights. I thought it would be a clearer way to explain this complex topic.
This ideation mind map was part of a presentation I did a while ago at a client meet. If you’re interested, you can ask for it in the comment section.
Over the years, I’ve tweaked my process, adding and removing things along the way. My goal is to keep it simple enough for everyone.
Every online project would answer these 5 questions ..
- what is it?
- who is going to use it?
- how does it look?
- what does it do?
- how to do it?
Each question has its own role and specific implementation techniques. If you can answer all five questions positively, you have a 90% chance of making your idea happen. But remember, that doesn’t mean it will be successful in the market — it just means it’s possible to do.
1. What is it?
This is the core of your project. It has to be contained within only one sentence. Keeping it concise helps avoid scope creep and mixed messages. Trust your first instinct, but feel free to refine it with some brainstorming.
If you don’t clearly define the foundation of your project, you’re asking for trouble later. In our excitement to jump into the tech details, we often overlook the essential groundwork. Sure, coding can be fun, but it’s just one piece of the puzzle.
Skipping the important initial steps is like going out to eat without clothes — it’ll grab attention, but probably not the kind you want. ;)
2. Who’s going to use it?
The second question is about the beneficiary — who will actually use your product? I like to call this “role playing project management.”
It’s a fun way to imagine your users and really get to know them. Creating a profile of your ideal user can uncover insights about your project that you might not have considered before.
A fun part of this step is identifying three key traits of your ideal user. Think about questions like:
- How often do they go to the movies?
- What kind of car do they drive?
- What toothpaste do they use (or do they even use it)?
You might wonder how this relates to your project, but if you can’t picture your user, they likely don’t exist in a meaningful way for your work.
3. How does it look?
This is about supporting your project effectively. Remember, an online project isn’t just a website — It often includes other channels. Most projects will start with web, but it’s becoming essential to include other viewport support too.
At this stage, you’ll decide on the types of content you’ll use — text, images, animations, video, or audio. This is essential and will influence the final outcome.
Many call this “provisioning,” but I think of it as “how does it look.” You’ll also outline the structure of your project — the landing page, input forms, content pages, and how they connect. This is wire-framing.
While you’re doing that, also it’s a good idea to begin crafting your SEO strategy. Identify target keywords and key content areas before adding any content.
4. What does it do?
Slowly, we’re getting there. The fourth question is all about the heart of your project. If wire-framing is like building the skeleton, this is where you add the flesh and blood.
Here, you’ll create a list of features. Start with the basics, like “I want a link bar at the top with these links,” and move up to more complex ideas, like “this workflow will improve user experience and keep users engaged.” It’s all about figuring out what your project needs to thrive.
I often found that in this stage of a project you can create some very basic unit tests. Don’t worry, it’s straightforward — just list what you want to do and the expected results. Sometimes It can get more complex, but this method is really helpful, especially if you’re switching teams often.
5. How to do it?
Now, we’re finally ready to dive into the project. But first, we need to plan. Up until now, we haven’t had a solid plan in place. It’s time to set milestones, pick our technologies, start coding, and get ready for the launch.
This is the most exciting part of our project, and many entrepreneurs jump straight into it. Now you understand why we had to chose around question no 3 the types of content we will use. Because based on those choices we are choosing technologies right now.
From here on out, you can use everything you’ve learned about planning, coding, and launching. It’s what you do every day, but now you can do it confidently, without second-guessing yourself. You’ve made your decisions and tackled all the questions that might have held you back. That feels really good.
One more thing ..
Once you launch the project, it’ll be fun to revisit that first question: “What is it?” You might discover some surprises! 😉
Also, feel free to share your feedback — it is actually useful? It needs something more? Something less?
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