
What do people want? How do I find out what people want? - dawie

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NickDouglas
I just started a blog called "Bad Idea a Day" (it's at that .com, but I'm not
trying to advertise it). I force myself to think of a product, story,
lifehack, or any idea each morning.

It's just for fun and mental practice. But so far I like my ideas, and I'm
already talking to a designer about possibly turning one idea into a product.

You could do the same with a blog, Tumblr, or Twitter account named "What
people want." Every morning, think of something people want. Do it again at
lunch. Do it again at dinner.

Make the account private if you want, but I recommend putting ideas up in
public. You're more likely to find a partner and willing free advice than to
get your idea stolen.

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kyro
I don't think forcing yourself to come up with an idea is particularly the
best way of going about it. Some of my best ideas have spawned out of pure
stream of consciousness. I think by doing what you do, you turn coming up with
ideas into a task that you limit yourself to doing only several times a day.
Morning or lunch shouldn't just be 'idea time.' Your whole life, your
experiences, your interactions should be 'idea time.'

~~~
NickDouglas
But if you're coming up with zero ideas, adding three a day is an improvement.
What you call "forcing yourself," I call every writers' room and recording
artist contract.

I didn't write much good material until Valleywag made me write twelve blog
posts a day. Only three or four were really good -- but that's three or four
more good posts a day than I was turning out before.

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kingnothing
I like to ask myself what I can develop that will make someone's job obsolete.
I haven't implemented any of these ideas yet, but it seems like a good way to
find something that should be made. If a robot or computer can do it, why
shouldn't it?

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dawie
Paul says: "Make something people want." I have read all his essays and
especially like the one about million $ ideas.

I want to make something people want, but I don't know what they want. How do
I find out what people want?

What do you want? and Paul anything you think people want?

~~~
pg
Start with what you want. That's what Woz did, and Larry and Sergey. If you
can't find an idea there, look for things friends and family want.

~~~
dawie
Thanks for the advice Paul.

