Ask HN: Review my startup, TeamDoList.com

Really nice execution. I think that the core feature that is apparent when using the app (simplicity) is going to be one of the downsides of using it in a team based environment:<p>1)How do I know if someone on my team has completed a task, if you send out email notifications,I might as well use email.<p>2)How do I make the lists private to just my team?<p>3)How do I assign a todo or know who ticked that a todo has been done?<p>Its these sort of things i'd be looking for, but then you're left with another generic (if nice looking) team based todo list.

Probably the worst thing you could do to this app is collect a bunch of features from us and start implementing them -- if you do that you'll probably add priority, user assignment, better authentication, sub-tasks and eventually be like the 1000 other shared to-do lists. If this is the direction you think is best -- probably it would be better to abandon this idea.<p>A different way is to keep doubling down on what you have --find a use-case where your perspective is required and all of those other things are not -- move very quickly along that vector until you have something that might not even be described as a shared to-do list.<p>Here's an idea of what I mean. This site seems well suited to ad-hoc teams, probably distributed (not sharing an intranet for example), informal, low-security conscious -- meaning their data is either public or they don't care if it becomes public. Perhaps short-lived -- definitely unregulated.<p>For this -- I'd consider to-do lists to be done -- what else does this team need? Apply your template (easy sharing, minimal, etc) to those: wiki, document store, schedule. But, always, always do it in the style you have here or even a more radical version of it (if possible). If no one wants that, then consider that there's no market for this.<p>But before doing any of this, I'd start measuring engagement and then getting yourself in front of the highly engaged and figuring out what they are doing -- you learn a lot more talking to consumers (those that are consuming the product) than people like us.<p>As for monetization -- ad-hoc teams will be hard to get money from, but a SaaS style subscription for repeat users would be the standard way, I think. To-do list is free, but other tools are an additional cost.

Clickable link – <a href="http://TeamDoList.com" rel="nofollow">http://TeamDoList.com</a>

I'm sorry, but I'm really not interested in yet ANOTHER todo app/website/whatever. Please come up with something innovating. Creating the millionth TODO app and calling it a 'startup' is just not going to work. We have enough of these things. There's no need for it, and it certainly shouldn't be called a business, because it simply isn't.<p>(the same goes for the thousands of project management apps, hour tracker apps, wannabe social networks, twitter sentiment tools, accounting apps, photo filter apps, a/b testing websites, etc.).

So, I run a startup where we've previously faced a similar problem w/ workflow management. To combat this, we use Google Docs and collaborate on a Goals Doc. It allows us to write notes next to various tasks. And, we'll also write the results of a given activity, as well, on the doc. Lastly, I like how Google Docs is invite-only, since I only want my team to view/edit the goals.<p>To answer your qs, given the above, Docs works out better for my team. As for my personal to-do list, I just keep one within the tasks list on Gmail.

I don't want to make you feel bad or rain on your parade but you must know there are hundreds of competing apps just like this. That's not to say yours can't be successful but if you'd like it to stand out you need to differentiate yourself somehow. Right now you've basically got a todo list app that lets you share lists via a public URL. It's very simple (that's neither good or bad, it just is).<p>So considering how simple the concept is, I think there are a few things to think about that would make this valuable and stand out from the crowd.<p>First, focus on convenience. There are a billion todo lists all approaching different aspects of the task management problem and approaching it in different ways. Your approach is my favorite of all - just a list that you can check stuff off of. Its perfect. But I won't use it unless its easier and more convenient to use than any other option. So I need an app (a mobile web site will suffice which I see you already have but can use improvement). I need a way to come back in case I forget the URL of my list. I just need to be able to whip out my phone/tablet/laptop/browser and be able to get creating/checking off/reading my todos in no more than 2 or 3 steps.<p>Once you get convenience down, then work on design. You're off to a great start. There no frills, its super simple and minimal and its really great but it doesn't have that intangible thing that makes it memorable. You're definitely on the right track and I wouldn't tell you to add anything but just to refine what you have. Focus on typography and UI interaction.<p>And if this is meant for teams then I think you'll need to create a login system and some more privacy. I don't always feel comfortable putting all my todos in public even if they're only available via a special URL. A lot of things can happen to a URL. I think its great that you have a lazy login system but to me the fact that I can't save my own account and come back to it later to see all my lists and all my tasks, and see who on my team is currently sharing tasks wit me makes this feel like a one-off app. Like something you use for a day then forget about. But if I could use the app, decide I like it, then create a permanent account I'd be much more likely to return in the future and be invested in the product.<p>I don't care how many trillion todo apps we have out there, there are never enough. I like what you're doing and I'd say focus on convenience and design and if you're serious about making this for teams then give people the option to create permanent accounts. I probably won't use this today or tomorrow or next week but I did sign up for mailing list and I'm definitely excited to see what you come up with in the future.

Since you're calling it a startup as opposed to just a project, I have to ask about business model. How will you make money off this?<p>I think you'll have a very, very difficult time monetizing this, as there are already dozens and dozens of free TODO apps. Unless you can carve out a die-hard niche that is 100% against signup and login forms, it will be difficult to compete with the others that are both free and easy to use.

I like:<p>* that you built something. In a world full of talkers you're a doer! Kudos!<p>* I like the execution. I like the fact that you don't have to log in and can start creating a list right away.<p>I use emacs for pretty much everything (including todo lists) and I don't use any todo app (because I don't like switching out of emacs) so I'm not your target market. I wouldn't use this.<p>But please don't be discouraged, because not everyone is the same and there are people that would use this.<p>A couple of feature issues/feedback:<p>1. When I create a list and then come back to the page but forgot to save the link, I can't get back to my todo list. Maybe a way to know and save which lists I created would be great<p>2. If I create a list and go back and then try to create another one it doesn't add items. Maybe a bug?<p>Lastly keep plugging away. Even if you don't monetize this particular thing you're going to come across other problems that people will pay for. Ex: A todo list that allows you to add tasks and people that should do them and then tracks/nags that person to do it.<p>Good work. Keep going and thanks for sharing.

I really like this idea, to be honest. I think that ianpri makes some solid points but then again, it seems like this project isn't supposed to have those features.<p>I like that it does not require a login but a suggestion: have the user create a username for themselves that could tie them to the list. This would still make it so that nobody has to login, but yet you would be able to see who completed a certain task. Just an idea.<p>All in all I think it looks really nice, and I enjoyed the functionality and ease of making a list and letting others contribute to it. It literally takes a few seconds from landing on the site to have a functional list I can then send off to teammates.<p>Good stuff.

The ad-hoc thing is really nice for teams that seem to form spontanteously : Read as StartupWeekend, Hackathon, etc. But probably not for firmly established teams that have protocols and ways of working that are already formalized in project documentation and tools they've been using.<p>A todo list should definitely get out of your way (for the MOST part), but be intrusive enough that it helps you get the work done to be meaningfully differentiated. (just a personal opinion).<p>Keep trucking, I think this is a good tool for ad-hoc team task lists, and I'm sure you'll come up with some good use cases for that specific function.<p>And most importantly, don't let the nay-sayers get you down :-)

This is just a random thought, but I think you could avoid using some of the features mentioned by other users (e.g. deadlines, priorities) by limiting the scope of the list to weekly tasks.<p>Presumably this would limit the length of the lists, which in turn would eliminate the need for fancy features that might bloat the app.<p>If people want those other features (i.e. they are using the lists for serious planning and project management) you could then charge.<p>Just my 2 cents.

So the design is nice and I get that it's minimal. However, my impression is that teams want something a bit more full-featured. Have you looked at the competition much?<p>I've been using Asana. I also liked Wunderlist for this kind of more minimal todo-list.<p>How do you want to differentiate yourself? Right now the difference I see is that your lists are public and linkable, but I'm not sure that's something teams want (I don't).

I really like your project--very simple, and I believe this is something I see myself using. I think that the one major feature you may add is "private lists", it won't require that much work for you to implement, but you'll hit wider range of audience. Good Luck.

It's a great concept, especially the no login part.<p>A few things I'd like to see:<p>1) private lists 2) assign to-dos to certain team members 3) set up priorities 4) set up deadlines<p>Cheers, Aanarav

Why do you have the same design as: <a href="http://twitcherhq.com" rel="nofollow">http://twitcherhq.com</a>

This is just what I need! -another- web based to do list.

What problem does it solve? That's what you should ask yourself.<p>It just looks like another to-do app to me, which I might even have developed myself in about fifteen minutes. Also as others have mentioned, this is more of a project than some startup.