4 ms·
Ask HN: How to comunicate more clearly my project idea?
I'm working on a project to build a web application that takes spreadsheets from users and automagically (asking some questions to the user) makes a custom webapp for the same uses that the original spreadsheet [0]
I find it pretty difficult to comunicate this idea to people, in the sense that it is difficult for them to understand what I mean. In general, they misinterpret something (for example thinking that I offer a consultancy service, or that I'm going to make an app for a specific vertical) or they ask questions until they understand and at the end they say "you should have said X" and I said X but with one or two different words from other people's "you should have said Y".
I don't want to blame them, because I think is a limitation from my side of the conversation, but I don't know how to improve on this, and that is what I need help with.
I've tried repeating the concept with different words or using more or less examples but it is like they need to discover it themselves to really understand and I feel like theres nothing I can do to help that understanding.
Thanks in advance for any comments or advice
[0] Corresponding ApplyHN submission https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=11458094
- kjksf 10y agoMake a demo that shows the process in action. If you can't make a demo: people are better at understanding concrete vs. abstract. "Honda Civic" is better than "car" is better than "transportation device". What that means in your case: describe the app by describing a concrete use case. Pick a concrete example instead of talking in abstract. Presumably you already have compelling examples of specific spreadsheets turned into web applications. If you describe 2-3 concrete examples, they'll generalize themselves but it's much more difficult for people to start with generic explanation and imagine concrete examples.
- singold 10y agoI've tried different examples, buy never multiple in the same conversations, I like the idea of they generalizing it themselves. This was the kind of advice I was looking for, things that I haven't thought of, thanks for your reply!
- ahazred8ta 10y agotry: "I have a website / webservice that takes YOUR spreadsheet, and turns it into something that can be put online, and lets anyone plug THEIR numbers into something that works just like YOUR spreadsheet, on a webpage. And then ... "