In this engaging article, Mitchell Hashimoto shares his personal blueprint for tackling large technical projects by breaking them down into manageable, demonstrable chunks. He explains how early, visible results—whether through passing automated tests or simple CLI demos—can keep motivation high and projects moving forward, even when the eventual product is still a work in progress. Mitchell emphasizes a “sprint to demos” approach, where the objective is not perfection but progress, and he encourages developers to build what they need for themselves first, ensuring that every small win leads to more meaningful feedback and a stronger drive to complete the project.

Key Points:

• Break It Down: Divide large projects into smaller sub-tasks that yield tangible results quickly.
• Early Demos Matter: Mitchell stresses the importance of having a "good demo" to maintain excitement and provide product feedback.
• Avoid Perfection Paralysis: Rather than waiting for the perfect solution, focus on achieving a demo that shows progress, even if it means using temporary fixes.
• Incremental Progress: Use automated tests and simple interfaces to measure progress, as seen when he tracked "1 test passed," "4 tests passed," etc.
• Personal Relevance: Build functionality that you actually need; this personal investment not only keeps you motivated but ensures that the project is practically useful.
• Iterative Improvement: Start with the core functionality necessary for daily use, then iterate based on your own feedback and experience.
• Experience Counts: Seasoned engineers can better visualize the overall project structure, guiding effective decomposition into smaller tasks.

Mitchell’s method is a practical reminder that good progress is often about celebrating small wins and continuously validating your work, keeping the journey as rewarding as the destination.
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