Ask HN: How do you get ideas for projects?

It varies. Often times I find myself doing something completely unrelated and an idea will pop into my head. It has even happened while sleeping (I woke up with an idea just begging to be explored).

The only consistent thing I've noticed is that ideas come to me when I am struggling or unhappy. Those are the ideas of the 'this could be improved' variety.

If you aren't coming up even with those, well, you can get outside help for ideas. Try attending a startup weekend. Listen to other people's ideas. What do you like? What don't you like? Why? Could you do it better? Start asking yourself (or even others) questions about them and see where it takes you.

Hello! It's common to be out of ideas so I've tried to collect everything about ideas here: http://www.ideaoverload.com/

Happy idea hunting!

I don't know, I have a lot of ideas for projects, the problem is to find the right one to work on. I think it's the compromise between ideas you like to work on and things people need.

Ideas for projects (hobbies) are often different than ideas for products (startup)

I look at the problems people face.

What I face, what others face, what customers face.

Then, I try to imagine how it should be. I get input from someone who deals with the problem every day if I don't think I know enough about the subtle details.

Now I have a chance to build something, how it should be. I try to solve it.