Make something that helps others make something.
For most of my career I’ve been making tools. Often, tools that just help me or us do our job better. For internal consumption only.
But sometimes, the tool is the end game. It’s what we’re making for someone else — the point of the business.
Here’s what makes a good tool:
- Intuitive (for the target audience — ie, it’s not for everyone, so it doesn’t have to be intuitive for everyone)
- Works (can’t sorta work, require support, or break often, etc)
- Makes life better across the variables of time, effort, quality, and repeatability
A good tool is always worth making. But here’s what makes a great tool:
- Makes possible what was previously impossible
- Exponentially increases productivity or quality
- Can’t imagine life without it
- Delightful to use
For a roofer, a hammer is a good tool, but an air-nailer is a great tool.
For an accountant, a calculator is a good tool, but a spreadsheet or Quickbooks are great tools.
For a writer, a typewriter is a good tool, but a word processor is a great tool.
For a software developer, a code editor is a good tool, but ChatGPT is a great tool.
Look around. How can you make life better for someone?
