Project Planning Template

Project Overview

What Problem Are We Solving?

Describe the problem in one or two sentences. Be specific about who experiences this problem and why it matters. Avoid jumping to solutions—focus only on the problem itself.

Who Is This For?

Define the primary user. Not "everyone" or "anyone who needs X"—a specific person with specific needs. What do they do? What frustrates them? What are they trying to accomplish?

What Success Looks Like

Define concrete success criteria. Not "users like it" but "users can complete task X in under 30 seconds" or "90% of users accomplish Y without documentation." Make it measurable.

Scope Definition

Must Have (Core Features)

The absolute minimum features required for the product to be useful. If you removed any of these, the product would fail to solve the core problem. List 3-5 features maximum.

Nice to Have (Future Considerations)

Features that would enhance the product but aren't essential for the first version. These might become Must Haves in later iterations, but for now, they're explicitly out of scope.

Explicitly Out of Scope

Features you're tempted to include but have decided against. Writing these down prevents scope creep and helps maintain focus. Be specific about why they're excluded.

Technical Approach

Platform and Technologies

What are you building with? iOS native? Web app? Choose based on the problem and users, not personal preference or resume building. Justify the choice.

Key Technical Decisions

Major architectural choices that will shape the entire project. Where does data live? How do you handle offline functionality? What's the sync strategy? Document the decision and the reasoning.

Known Risks and Constraints

What could go wrong? What are the hard problems? What technical limitations might force compromises? Identify these early so you can plan around them or validate that they're solvable.

Timeline and Milestones

Phase 1: Foundation

Basic structure, core data model, essential functionality. This phase ends when you can demonstrate the core value proposition, even if it's rough around the edges.

Phase 2: Refinement

Polish, edge cases, error handling, performance. This phase makes the app feel professional and reliable. It ends when you'd be comfortable showing it to users.

Phase 3: Launch Preparation

App Store assets, documentation, marketing site, support infrastructure. Everything needed to release and support the product publicly.

Open Questions

What don't you know yet? What assumptions need validation? What decisions are you deferring? List them explicitly. Some questions can only be answered by building; others should be resolved before you start.

How to Use This Template

Fill this out before writing code. Revisit it when you're tempted to add features or change direction. Update it as you learn—it's a living document, not a contract. The value is in the thinking it forces, not in perfect predictions.

Share it with collaborators, users, or advisors. The act of explaining your plan to others reveals gaps in your thinking. If you can't articulate the plan clearly, you don't understand it well enough to build it yet.