HOW WE BUILD

1. START WITH THE IDEA

Use ChatGPT to think.

This is where we:

• explore the idea
• challenge it
• define what it is
• work on positioning
• develop branding
• make decisions
• prepare build prompts

At this stage, conversation is useful.

Infrastructure usually is not.

2. MAKE SOMETHING WE CAN SEE

When an idea is worth testing, make the smallest useful version.

A ChatGPT Site is often the quickest way for us to turn an idea into something visible and usable.

Idea → something real as quickly as reasonably possible.

Do not add infrastructure simply because it may be useful one day.

3. PUT THE CODE SOMEWHERE SAFE

Once a build becomes something we would be annoyed to lose, create a private GitHub repository.

GitHub becomes the source of truth for the code.

🐄 “Put the code somewhere safe the moment you'd be annoyed if you lost it.”

For a named Ideas Shed product, venture or tool that is becoming a real continuing build, GitHub should normally be created early.

This does not mean moving the product away from ChatGPT Sites.

4. GITHUB DOES NOT MEAN ALL THE PLUMBING

A GitHub repository does not automatically mean:

• Vercel
• a database
• authentication infrastructure
• APIs
• complicated deployment systems

If ChatGPT Sites still does the job, keep using ChatGPT Sites.

GitHub can hold the code while ChatGPT Sites hosts the product.

5. ADD PLUMBING WHEN THE PRODUCT EARNS IT

Only add infrastructure when a real requirement appears.

That might eventually include:

• Vercel
• databases
• authentication
• APIs
• payments
• native apps
• background jobs
• integrations

Simple first. Clever later.

Do not make an early product carry the architecture of a mature company before it needs it.

6. CHATGPT IS WHERE A LOT OF THE WORK HAPPENS

ChatGPT conversations may contain:

• product thinking
• positioning
• decisions
• branding
• Codex prompts
• interpretation of build progress
• decisions about what to build next

Work/Codex sessions contain the actual software work:

• editing
• coding
• testing
• building
• deploying
• fixing

We do not need ChatGPT itself to become a perfect filing cabinet.

7. COW CONSOLE KEEPS THE OPERATING PICTURE

Cow Console is the source of truth for the operating picture across The Ideas Shed.

It should know things such as:

• what the product is
• whether it is live
• current stage
• live URL
• GitHub repository
• ChatGPT Site
• relevant CHAT threads
• relevant WORK sessions
• current build
• important dependencies
• current priorities

GitHub answers: What is the actual code?

Cow Console answers: What exists and what is happening with it?

8. COW ONE KEEPS REALITY AND THE RECORD TOGETHER

Cow One is the AI Operations Manager.

She uses Cow Console as her office and operating picture.

As her tools improve, she should compare the real sources.

• GitHub: latest code/build
• Live site: what is actually deployed
• Cow Console: what we currently say is true

If those disagree, Cow One should notice.

🐄 “Cow Console says Build 37, GitHub is at Build 41 and production is Build 40. The paperwork appears to have escaped again.”

She should fix routine discrepancies where permitted and bring real judgement calls back to the human.