How One Solo Developer Filters Endless Ideas Before Writing a Single Line of Code

A solo studio founder has shared the decision-making framework he uses to evaluate new product ideas before committing any development time. Every idea must first pass a one-sentence test: if the smallest useful version cannot be described in a single sentence without the word 'and', the idea is considered unformed and discarded. Ideas that survive this filter are then held for several days to distinguish genuine interest from short-lived novelty. Concepts that duplicate existing products in the studio's lineup are folded into improvement notes rather than treated as new builds. The approach is designed to prevent scope creep and keep the solo developer focused on projects small enough to actually ship.