January 22, 2026 / Development · Indie Product
Dev Notes: From Idea to First Usable Version
How I control the scope of a first version while leaving room to adjust during implementation.
The easiest mistake in a first version is not doing too little. It is trying to prove too many things at once.
Validate the Main Path First
I usually start by writing the shortest path a user takes from entering the product to getting a useful result. Only the features needed by that path belong in the first stage.
Technology choices follow the same principle: prefer familiar, stable, maintainable tools so energy can stay focused on the parts that truly affect the experience.