Write a One-Page Spec

The people and companies in this course are made up. Check any number against your own situation before you rely on it.

Before you open an AI coding tool, write one page that says who the product is for, the one job it does, and what done looks like. The tool will build whatever you describe, so a vague page gives you a vague app.

Your page should include

• The user and their problem in two sentences.
• Three to five things the product must do, written as actions.
• Things it won't do in version one.
• One example of a real input and the output you expect.

Worked example

Sam wants an app to track shared household chores. His spec says: for couples who argue about chores; one job, assign and tick off chores; must show who did what this week; won't do payments or reminders in version one; example, input 'Dishes, Sam, Tuesday', output a weekly board. The tool builds a usable first version instead of a bloated one.

Common mistakes

• Describing the technology instead of the user's problem.
• Listing twenty features for version one.
• Leaving out what the product won't do.

Exercise

Write your one-page spec with the four parts. Cut the feature list to five items or fewer.