I've a few ideas I'm kinda between two. Basically I ask to myself the follow questions:
1. Is the market big enough? 2. Are you solving a problem or fabricating one?
How about you? What are the questions do you try to answer before start something?
Cheers!
Update: To be honest I'm more interested in small niches and community rather the big mass but the first point still relevant I guess.
The niche project is backed by money and a partner. It's free to the students. As much as it's a niche, we're doing quite well, in our 2nd year and are generally succeeding. We hope to bring some money in by next year.
The 2nd project which is more mass market is not free to the customer. We've struggled with finding a price point; the system has been redesigned multiple times and is currently going through it's 3rd redesign and we're having trouble getting the word out.
To answer your question, I feel both of my side projects are great ideas. The problems are always money related. Money for marketing is what it comes down to and how to market it / convey value.
I act based on gut instinct. If I feel a project is a good idea; i do it, in hopes of making money from it.
Some ideas are good, but aren't realized. They need to be thought out more or the focus changed or ... Those sit in the back of my head till i've figured out an angle.
To me, programming is just time on my end. I can build anything someone wants me to build, front to back (full stack) but wasting time is of no interest to me. If i feel it doesn't extend my experience / resume, if i feel it has no potential to make money or the space is to crowded, I don't do it.
Money isn't everything, but we all need to survive. I (personally) can't spend 6 months building a system if it has no possible return attached to it
The money is a good point, of course we all want to do something that succeeds and the profit plays a big role here. Thanks for the input!