01 / Find the useful bit

One annoyance. One useful tool.

The best small-tool brief starts with something you already do twice. Name that repeated action before choosing a framework, model, or interface.

Look for a repeated handoff

Maybe you paste release links into the same format every Friday. Maybe you rename exported images before every upload. Write down the current steps, including the annoying exceptions. A useful first tool removes one mechanical step while leaving the decisions with you. Save a real example of the input and the exact output you would accept.

Make the boundary visible

Specify how the tool receives data, where the result goes, and what happens when input is empty. Start with a local file or pasted text. Add accounts, storage, or background processing only when the original task actually needs them. Ask your coding assistant to explain the smallest implementation and identify any dependency it wants to introduce.

Pick a finish line

Try one ordinary example, one empty example, and one awkward example. A finished utility should give a useful error instead of quietly changing data. Keep the original input available until you have checked the result. The next feature belongs on a separate list; completing this single workflow is enough for version one.

A brief to adapt
Plan a tool that turns a pasted list of issue URLs into a Markdown checklist. Show three input/output examples, including empty and malformed input. Do not edit files yet.