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Ask HN: Features you would like to see in a personal project management software

3 points by vcool07 ↗ HN
Hi, I've been teaching myself web dev. I'm looking at building something along the lines of trello/asana. But instead of building another clone, I thought of doing a bit of market research and make something that can be actually useful. Request you to let me know :

1) Do you have a pain point that the existing tools like asana/trello doesn't address, but you wished it did ? Would you pay for a Personal PM software that addresses the abovementioned issue(s) ?

2) Is a personal project management tool really useful when you are working on your own project ( as compared to using a simple whiteboard/todo list app/paper, pen) ?

3) What are the top 5 must have features in your opinion, that is required of any Personal PM software ?

4) Would you prefer the Personal PM software to be a desktop/mobile app that works offline as well instead of an online only SaaS app ?

Thanks in advance !

5 comments

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w_t_payne
I'd like to have something that looks a bit like the Trello UI, but offers a simple and straightforward path to integrate into the rest of my Python infrastructure.

I store tasks as YAML notes in my source files -- a bit like glorified TODOs - and I would like a user interface for manipulating them without having to write the entire UI myself.

vcool07
Thanks for your comments. If I understood you correctly, you want the comments marked as TODOs listed in a UI automatically , which you can track/move around. Am I correct ?
w_t_payne
Pretty much ... except instead of being in the form of a TODO, they are actually little YAML data structures embedded in comments, holding requirements, tasks, plans, test cases, records of design decisions and other bits and pieces that need to be tracked and managed.
k0t0n0
i reached a point where i have all the notes that i cannot manage in Trello. i still don't know what will be the right design to manage all this crap but it's on my watch list.
[dead] itsfrankmiller
Build an MVP. Focus on the GTD approach rather than kanban (it's just my opinion). Before giving a functionality that Asana/Trello or similar tools don't have you ought to have the functionality that they do have.

People won't use your tool just because you do something that they don't. They'll use it if your tool does what they do plus it does what they don't.

I've been in the project management market for more than 3 years now and strongly feel there's still so much potential.

1) The biggest problem I have with Trello is it's outmoded UI and you literally have to use power-ups for every single functionality that other project management tool gives in-built. You can read my candid Trello review here. https://productivityland.com/review/trello/

2. I know the potential of a tool as compared to the traditional pen and paper. It saves you loads of time and energy.

3. Start date and time, task estimates, dependencies, timeline, Gantt (may be). Personally I love the list views and ability to make changes on the go.

4. Mobile is the most untapped market in the productivity space at the moment. They must go hand in hand but if I'd one choice I'd select mobile but it needs to be more than just a checklist app.