The Real Timeline
Week 1-2: "This is going great!"
Week 3-4: "Wait, that's harder than we thought."
Week 5-6: "Everything is on fire."
Week 7-8: "Actually, maybe we can launch."
Week by Week
Week 1: Discovery & Setup
Days 1-3: Finalize requirements Days 4-7: Architecture decisions, repo setup, tech stack
What goes wrong: Requirements keep changing What to do: Lock requirements. No changes without scope discussion.
Week 2: Core Feature (First Pass)
Days 1-5: Build the core feature Day 5: First deployment to staging
What goes wrong: "This is taking longer than expected" What to do: Core feature scope is sacred. Don't add features.
Week 3: Authentication & Payments
Days 1-3: User auth (signup, login, password reset) Days 4-5: Stripe integration
What goes wrong: Stripe edge cases. Webhook failures. What to do: Test payment flows extensively. Edge cases take time.
Week 4: Dashboard & Polish
Days 1-4: Build main dashboard Day 5: User testing with 3-5 users
What goes wrong: "Users don't understand it" What to do: Watch users struggle. Fix UX problems immediately.
Week 5: Email & Notifications
Days 1-3: Email templates, notifications Days 4-5: Testing, bug fixes from user testing
What goes wrong: Emails go to spam. Notifications are confusing. What to do: Test with real email providers. Keep notifications minimal.
Week 6: Edge Cases & Errors
Days 1-3: Error handling, loading states Days 4-5: Mobile responsiveness
What goes wrong: Edge cases everywhere What to do: This is always longer than expected. Budget extra time.
Week 7: Testing & QA
Days 1-4: Full testing pass Day 5: Bug fixes
What goes wrong: More bugs than expected What to do: Two-week budget for every bug. Some never get fixed.
Week 8: Launch
Days 1-2: Final polish Days 3-4: Soft launch (waitlist) Day 5: Public launch
What goes wrong: Launch day panic What to do: Nothing new. Only fixes. Ship it.
The Hard Truth
Week 4 and Week 8 are always hardest.
Week 4: Reality sets in. Scope looks different. Users struggle.
Week 8: The product is almost ready. Temptation to add more is highest.
How to Survive
- Budget 20% extra time for everything
- Watch users weekly (not just at the end)
- Lock scope at Week 2 (no additions)
- Accept "good enough" over "perfect"
- Communicate early about delays
MVP timelines aren't predictable. But they're survivable.
