
Ask HN: How to comunicate more clearly my project idea? - singold
I&#x27;m working on a project to build a web application that takes spreadsheets from users and automagically (asking some questions to the user) makes a custom webapp for the same uses that the original spreadsheet [0]<p>I find it pretty difficult to comunicate this idea to people, in the sense that it is difficult for them to understand what I mean. In general, they misinterpret something (for example thinking that I offer a consultancy service, or that I&#x27;m going to make an app for a specific vertical) or they ask questions until they understand and at the end they say &quot;you should have said X&quot; and I said X but with one or two different words from other people&#x27;s &quot;you should have said Y&quot;.<p>I don&#x27;t want to blame them, because I think is a limitation from my side of the conversation, but I don&#x27;t know how to improve on this, and that is what I need help with.<p>I&#x27;ve tried repeating the concept with different words or using more or less examples but it is like they need to discover it themselves to really understand and I feel like theres nothing I can do to help that understanding.<p>Thanks in advance for any comments or advice<p>[0] Corresponding ApplyHN submission https:&#x2F;&#x2F;news.ycombinator.com&#x2F;item?id=11458094
======
kjksf
Make a demo that shows the process in action.

If you can't make a demo: people are better at understanding concrete vs.
abstract. "Honda Civic" is better than "car" is better than "transportation
device".

What that means in your case: describe the app by describing a concrete use
case. Pick a concrete example instead of talking in abstract. Presumably you
already have compelling examples of specific spreadsheets turned into web
applications.

If you describe 2-3 concrete examples, they'll generalize themselves but it's
much more difficult for people to start with generic explanation and imagine
concrete examples.

~~~
singold
I've tried different examples, buy never multiple in the same conversations, I
like the idea of they generalizing it themselves.

This was the kind of advice I was looking for, things that I haven't thought
of, thanks for your reply!

------
ahazred8ta
try: " _I_ have a website / webservice that takes _YOUR_ spreadsheet, and
turns it into something that can be put online, and lets anyone plug _THEIR_
numbers into something that works just like _YOUR_ spreadsheet, on a webpage.
_And then_ ... "

