The best time to release a pet project

Each developer did a pet project that never saw the light of day. I got a damn dozen of such projects, and this week I was close to adding another list of failures, but the release nevertheless took place. In this post I will share the results of reflection and in the end I will answer the question of when it is worth releasing the first release of the pet project.

When you initiate the next pet project, you have to understand the unfamiliar subject area. In order to realize the idea and get satisfaction from the end result, you have to consume content. This increases the level of competence in the subject area, but takes time.


Chart 1 - Change in competency over time. On the x-axis - time, on the y-axis - the level of competence in something or, for example, in the field of natural language processing.

Initially, the level of enthusiasm surpasses, but eventually decreases to zero, and the person quits the lesson. Let me remind you, we are talking about pet projects that do not imply financial rewards or fulfillment of obligations to other people.


Chart 2 - change in the level of enthusiasm over time. Along the x axis, time; the y axis is the level of enthusiasm.

If we lay the graphs on top of each other, we will see the intersection point of enthusiasm and competence. I think this point is suitable for the first release of a pet project. The further you push the release along the x axis, the higher the risk that the project will not see the light of day. The less enthusiasm, the more willingly you switch to other activities. It is possible to release the first release to the point of intersection, but the result may not be satisfactory. The earlier the release, the less knowledge about the subject area.


Schedule 3 - enthusiasm and competence.

This point is well felt when looking back at the long track of your own pet projects. I have enough enthusiasm for a week, therefore, I should plan the first release in a week. If I understand that in a week I’m not getting used to the new subject area enough to make the first version, I won’t start working on the project, or I will use tricks to maintain the level of enthusiasm.

Everyone has their own sense of time. If you have enough enthusiasm for a month - do not plan the first release in six months.

The topic for discussion, I invite in the comments.