Audit the app against its core value proposition. Identify features that dilute focus, add bloat, or distract from the main loop. Run periodically or before big pushes.
Everything we build should serve this sequence:
Import your games -> Tell us your mood -> We find your game -> Play -> Celebrate
That's it. If a feature doesn't make one of those steps better, faster, or more fun, it needs to justify its existence.
"Import your pile, tell us your mood, we'll find your game." Zero tagging, zero organizing. We do the work so you can just play.
List every user-facing feature in the app. For each one, answer:
Count the number of:
Flag if any of these feel excessive for a backlog tool.
Walk through the core loop as a new user:
Flag any step where the user might get lost, distracted, or overwhelmed.
For features that don't directly serve the core loop, check if they:
Features that do none of these are candidates for removal or simplification.
Watch for these red flags:
Produce a report with:
Features that are core, well-integrated, and serving the loop.
Features that are fine now but could become bloat if expanded further.
Features that could be streamlined, hidden behind progressive disclosure, or merged.
Features that don't serve the core loop and add cognitive load. Be honest but not destructive. Consider whether the feature was fun to build vs. whether users actually need it.
Concrete suggestions: what to simplify, what to hide, what to cut, what to double down on.
Read the main page component (app/page.tsx), the key UI components, and the store to understand what's exposed to users. Cross-reference with the plan doc for feature list. Walk through the app mentally as a first-time user, a returning user, and a power user.
More features != better product. The best version of this app is one where a user imports their library, gets a great recommendation in 30 seconds, and closes the app to go play. Everything else is support structure for that moment. If we're spending more time on the support structure than the moment itself, we've drifted.