[personaldev] Intellectual sandboxes

[nasu_dengaku]

Some of you have been asking what I'm planning to do work-wise.  Basically, my plan is to spend the next six months or so converging on a new idea for a business.  I'm going to start by creating an intellectual sandbox which allows be to brainstorm widely and play around, and then I will gradually start to focus in on what's most likely to succeed.  Here's how I break it down:

Phase 1:  Gather & play
-    Go to lots of meetups and conferences on different topics of interest.  Meet experts in various fields and talk to them.
-    Play around with lots of different technologies and pieces of content.
-    Create a big cluster chart of areas of interest.
-    Maintain lists of complaints about the world as it is as well as ideas

Phase 2: More targeted play
-    Pick up skills and do small projects in areas of interest.
-    Do more targeted brainstorms with others around specific projects.

Phase 3: Focus
-    Evaluate various efforts, and pick most promising one.
-    Areas to consider around a promising business idea:
     -    Where I can most leverage my existing skills
     -    Where I’m most passionate
     -    Short time to proof of concept?
     -    Short path to profitability?
     -    Who else I find that shares passion for the idea
     -    Competitive landscape