Learning From My Side Project Mistakes

What if the biggest obstacle to finishing your side project isn't time, but perfectionism?

Learning From My Side Project Mistakes
#1about 3 minutes

Learning from the mistakes of past side projects

The speaker introduces the theme of analyzing failed side projects to extract valuable lessons, drawing parallels to world-changing ideas.

#2about 1 minute

Establish a clear purpose and goals from the start

Starting a project without a clear 'why' and measurable goals can lead to a loss of motivation and eventual abandonment.

#3about 2 minutes

Avoid perfectionism by focusing on good enough

Getting bogged down in minor details like a login page prevents real progress, so it's better to prioritize an MVP over a flawless product.

#4about 2 minutes

Prevent scope creep by keeping the initial project small

It's difficult to say no to your own ideas which leads to scope creep, so focus on a minimal, manageable scope to ensure completion.

#5about 2 minutes

Filter user feedback to stay true to your vision

While feedback is valuable, trying to implement every suggestion can bloat the UI and complicate the product, so you must filter it carefully.

#6about 2 minutes

Overcome tech stack paralysis by using familiar tools

Over-analyzing choices between frameworks and platforms leads to paralysis, so it's more effective to use familiar technologies to build faster.

#7about 2 minutes

Be cautious of proprietary tech and vendor lock-in

Using proprietary platforms like Firebase can create vendor lock-in and introduce security risks if you're unfamiliar with their best practices.

#8about 2 minutes

Avoid unnecessary costs on unvalidated project ideas

Spending money on domain names and hosting for unvalidated ideas is a common pitfall, so leverage free tiers and delay purchases.

#9about 1 minute

Key takeaways for successful side project development

The talk concludes by summarizing key lessons like prioritizing progress over perfection and using boring, familiar technologies.

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Matching moments

Learning from failed side projects and abandoned ideas
00:02 MIN

Learning from failed side projects and abandoned ideas

Learning From My Side Project Mistakes

Key takeaways for building successful side projects
14:28 MIN

Key takeaways for building successful side projects

Learning From My Side Project Mistakes

Overcome tech stack paralysis by using familiar tools
09:25 MIN

Overcome tech stack paralysis by using familiar tools

Learning From My Side Project Mistakes

Adopting a mindset to turn ideas into reality
32:08 MIN

Adopting a mindset to turn ideas into reality

Coffee with Developers - Leah Culver

Finding joy and learning through unproductive side projects
24:30 MIN

Finding joy and learning through unproductive side projects

Building a Browser-Based Karaoke Game with Web Speech API

Common pitfalls of internal platform engineering
06:41 MIN

Common pitfalls of internal platform engineering

Forget Developer Platforms, Think Developer Productivity!

Finding joy and learning through unproductive side projects
24:30 MIN

Finding joy and learning through unproductive side projects

Building a Browser-Based Karaoke Game with Web Speech API

How good intentions lead to broken legacy projects
04:02 MIN

How good intentions lead to broken legacy projects

Defeat that legacy monster! Guerilla refactoring with web standards

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