Scope your next project
Use a scoping worksheet to turn your idea into a clear, buildable spec.
Now it's your turn. You've learned what makes an idea buildable - start small, solve one problem, and keep it focused. In this lesson, you'll take that knowledge and put it into practice by scoping your own project.
The goal here isn't to come up with the perfect idea. It's to practice the skill of narrowing down a vague concept into something you can actually build. Even if you never build this exact project, the exercise itself is valuable.
Scope your project
Use the worksheet below to think through your idea. Answer each question honestly - if you find yourself writing paragraphs, that's a sign you need to simplify. The constraint is the point.
Remember: this isn't a test. There's no wrong answer. The worksheet is a thinking tool that helps you translate a fuzzy idea into a clear direction. When you're done, you'll have a spec you can copy and paste directly into the AI.
Don't have a project in mind? No problem. Practice with any idea - even "a simple to-do list" will teach you the process. The skill you're building is narrowing scope, not choosing the perfect idea.
Scope your idea
Answer these questions to turn your idea into something buildable:
What does it do?
If you can't say it simply, your scope is probably wrong.
Example: Recipe Saver
Here's a completed worksheet for a recipe app. Notice how it captures the core idea without overcomplicating things.
What does it do?
A recipe app for saving my favorite dishes
Who is it for?
Just for me to start, but I want to expand it for sharing with my family eventually
What are the 3-5 things it needs to do?
- Quickly save recipe links from the internet
- Store recipes in a database and allow me to reaccess them
- Allow me to search through recipes and pin my favorites
- A kanban system - try, shop, cook, done
What does “done” look like?
Once my app supports the basic features for me and I can use it for a week
Supporting assets
- Design inspired by kanban systems, jira, & linear
- Use figtree font
- Minimalist and dark, like linear
What's next?
Hold onto your spec - you're going to build this. In the next lesson, you'll learn to break it into smaller pieces. Then, you'll actually build it with AI.
Check your spec
Before you move on, make sure your spec answers these four questions:
What does the app do? One clear sentence.
What data does it store? Be specific.
What can users do? List the main actions.
What are you NOT building yet?
You have a spec!
Keep it handy - you'll use this when you start building. A clear spec makes everything easier because you know exactly what to ask the AI to help you create.
Check Your Understanding
A friend suggests adding 'AI-powered meal planning' to Recipe Saver. What should you do?