My 6-Step Strategy for Planning Coding Projects That Actually Get Used

Why hello there dear reader :)

The other day I was reflecting on my wootube channel and the content I made and I wanted to share ideas, musings and wisdom that are related to programming, yet aren’t goliath 6 hours courses lol - and I was like “James, that’s literally the point of a newsletter”.

So here we are, back with a vengeance, to share with you the above and beyond education that I have acquired through blood, sweat and tears.

If there’s anything in future that you would like me to discuss, please respond to this email and let me know you requests!

My 6-Step Strategy for Planning Coding Projects That Actually Get Used

When I started learning to code, it was a mighty success if could write some code and get it to run - let alone build out an entire project with loads of interconnected features and functionalities that is also intricately planned and designed with an amazing UI and UX so that users will actually use it.

Talk about a challenge - and overtime, with hours of practice and an abundance of failures and mishaps, I have now more or less have a common 6 step structure that I like to follow when I chase down a fleeting idea and devise a strategy to raise the idea up from the dead as a flourishing coding project.

Here is the strategy along with a case study from one of my favorite coding projects!

Step 1 - Identify the Users Pain Point

Start with the real problem. For example, I built hyr.sh to help job-seeking developers. Why? Because writing hundreds of tailored resumes and cover letters sucks.

One really important idea to understand is that you don’t want to go out building dreams. Focus on a pain point, as that will always be an easier sell.

Step 2 - Define the Solution Clearly

You need to ask yourself - How does my project uniquely solve the problem? With hyr.sh I wanted it to be a lightweight and focused resume builder and cover letter writer so you can have a polished application within 30 seconds or so of seeing the job posting. No bloat, no extra unnecessary features.

Step 3 - Map Out the Required Tech

This step involves deciding upon the core infrastructure required to effectively and cost efficiently deliver your application - ideally everything would be free if possible but that isn’t always possible.

For hyr.sh, I needed:

• Full stack app.

• Auth & database features.

• Multi page web application.

• Blog functionalities for SEO.

• API to access AI tooling.

Step 4 - Choose Your Stack Wisely

Now you know the features you want, and be sure you keep them focused and don’t invite scope creep - when you add more stuff but ultimately end up obfuscating and diluting the MVP.

For most projects I build nowadays, I like Next.js because it’s built in frontend and backend, easy-ish to deploy, allows for auth protected routes, and pairs well with firebase authentication and database services.

Step 5 - Plan the Pages & Structure

This step largely comes down to practice, but a big part of delivering a successful user app is having an app that is easy and intuitive to navigate so that a new user is guaranteed to experience the MVP.

This can be effectively managed by thinking through your page structure and in the case of a React.js or Next.js app, the componentry.

Hyr.sh has:

• User dashboard - a hub with easy navigation to their applications and immediate access to their resume.

• Job application pages - the job application aspect deserved it’s own page as there is a fair bit happening when a user creates a job application.

• Account settings - critical for any SaaS platform.

• Blog structure - for SEO wins.

The codebase is organized into these pages, components, contexts, utilities, configurations, and more - keeping it modular and scalable.

Step 6 - Check the User Flow

Finally, test your UX.

• Is it easy to go from landing page to action?

• Is the layout clear?

• If you get this right, people won’t just visit — they’ll stay.

That’s it - with all that sorted (it’s more or less a page or two of notes really) I’ll be prepared and ready to get going with my project and more importantly, I’ll deliver something really intentional that does what I set out to do - solve a users problem.

May you have a merry week ahead 🌸

James