Ask HN: I have an idea | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: I have an idea

5 pointsMarlonPro8 comments

Hackers,

I have an idea about this app. What should be my first step? I have 0 experience in coding.

1. Do I need to learn to code first until I learned enough to build MVP. 2. Or, build my POF and seek a help from somebody who can code.

Be gentle :-)

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I'll be honest: I have never really learned how to code through books or lessons and then started a project. I've always had an idea and then decided which language was best to create it in. If I didn't know how to code it, I'd learn as I went. Plan out your app on paper and then look up how to create the app. For me, this was the best way to learn a new language. It helps me keep my interest. If you get stuck just seek help through a friend who knows the language, on google, or in stackoverflow.

The whole "validate your idea" thing has merit, but in the end it's really what you the entrepreneur think that matters. I think the most common saw here that people use is, “If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.” - Henry Ford [1]

My take on your first thought is to start wireframing and creating mockups of the screens. That stuff is way more valuable to you right now anyway. Work on coming up with the user experience, the "things the app does", the logo, the elevator pitches, etc. The more you spend on that up front, the less time the various other parts will take you. And you just might find that, when you show a mockup to someone, they say, "My friend Dave has been looking for something to do ever since he sold his company. You should talk to him - let's meet him next week for lunch." The next thing you know, you and Dave have co-founded an amazing company and he's doing the coding while you do the business side of things.

[1] Ahem... http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2011/08/henry_ford_never_said_the_fa...

If you're seriously interested in learning to code, then steps 1 and 2 can be done in parallel. Having a clear idea of every stage of interaction -- pencil and paper are a great tool -- is essential either way. If you end up hiring a coder, there will be less surprises if you have a solid spec ahead of time. Of course, ideas will surface as you begin seeing working prototypes, so you'll want to plan your time / money accordingly.

Thanks for all the replies. I appreciate that. The first step that I'd take if I am serious in pursuing this is to validate the idea, as some of you suggested. If the idea does not seem viable, I'd build it anyway if only to learn how to code. Again, thanks!

No point in learning how to code unless you think you can keep your interest level up. If not, take the second path, especially if you can pay someone to code it. If not paying, the idea should be very compelling to a potential partner who can code.

Be for you do ANY coding. VALIDATE your idea to see if people actually want it.

Throw up a craigslist ad launchrock connect with your target audience via facebook Find other services that are similar and talk to their customers.

I upvote this. Validating the idea should come before anything else. By validating isn't talking to friends and waiting to hear "nice idea": you need to research more than that, users, markets, competition, etc.

Neither. Go validate the idea first.

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