A practical guide

How to share an idea before you build it

To share an idea before you build it, explain the situation, the people you want to help and the change you propose. Say that the idea is still a concept, choose what you are comfortable making public, and ask a specific group for one kind of feedback. A clear description helps readers understand what you are exploring; it does not prove demand or guarantee responses.

This guide is for people exploring an idea who want feedback before they have a finished product. It covers a public description and a feedback request; it does not replace advice about confidentiality, contracts or intellectual property.

Start with the problem and the first audience

Describe a situation rather than a list of features. Who encounters it, what are they trying to do, and what makes the current approach difficult? Distinguish something you have observed from something you still need to check. “Everyone needs this” is less useful than a specific person and situation.

For example, an idea might help healthcare workers coordinate shift swaps. Before calling that a widespread problem, ask workers and managers how swaps happen today and where, if anywhere, the process is difficult. The idea-description guide offers a longer worked example.

Say what exists and what does not

Label the stage plainly: concept, prototype or working product. If you have a mockup, explain whether it is interactive. If a proposed feature depends on an integration or another organisation, do not imply that integration is available. A reader should be able to tell a proposal from something they can use now.

Choose what to make public

Review the text and images before sharing. Include the information someone needs to understand the idea and respond; leave out personal details, confidential material and anything you are not authorised to publish. Once something is public, other people may copy or save it, so changing or deleting the original does not guarantee every copy disappears.

Check the privacy and publication options of the service you choose. Do not assume that a link-only page is private or that removing a page immediately removes it from every search result.

Ask for a specific response

Instead of “What do you think?”, ask one question that could change your next decision. For the shift-swap example: “If you coordinate shifts, what happens when nobody can cover a change?” For a collaborator, say what help you need, the expected time and any terms. The collaborator guide can help you write that request.

If your goal is to understand a problem rather than pitch a solution, use the customer discovery questions and ask about a recent real experience. A few interested replies are useful signals to investigate, not proof that a market exists or that people will pay.

A short sharing template

Who: I am exploring this for [specific audience].
Situation: When they try to [task], they currently [what happens].
Assumption: I think [difficulty] may matter, but I still need to check [uncertainty].
Idea and stage: I propose [approach]. Today this is [concept / prototype / working product].
Request: I would like [specific people] to help with [one question or task].

Review what you wrote before posting. Then share it where the people you want to learn from already participate, respecting that community’s rules. Follow up on relevant feedback and record what you would change or test next.

Choosing a place to share

Different places serve different stages and audiences:

• Concept: Ask people who experience the problem about their recent experiences. In a relevant community, check whether questions or project links are allowed before sharing.
• Something people can try: Show HN’s guidelines ask for something you have made that people can try; a signup page alone does not qualify. Be available to discuss it and do not ask people to upvote it.
• Product launch: Product Hunt’s guidance on unreleased products prioritises products people can explore immediately, with some exceptions for detailed pre-launch demonstrations. A signup-only product is not eligible for its homepage.

A public idea profile, an early feedback request and a product launch are different activities. Choose the format that matches what exists, and check current community rules before posting. None guarantees that the right people will see or respond to your idea.

On TinIdeas you can explore public ideas or start a private draft to describe your own idea. If an idea is approved, the original submission can be publicly accessible. Do not submit confidential information. Privacy details.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a prototype before sharing an idea?

No. You can explain a proposed solution as a concept and ask about the underlying problem. Tell readers what exists and what is only planned, so they do not expect a product they can already use. A prototype can answer different questions later.

How can I get useful feedback on an early idea?

Choose people familiar with the situation and ask about a specific recent experience. Listen for what happened, existing workarounds and differences between responses. If you ask for feedback on a proposed solution, distinguish that response from evidence that someone will use or pay for it.

Can I make an idea private again after sharing?

That depends on the service and its settings. Even if a page is removed, other people or services may have saved copies. Review the available controls before publishing and share only material you are comfortable making public.