We've been shipping course products for over a decade, and over that time have noticed many patterns and practices that are useful with every project.

A well-researched plan is helpful for any business, whether you're a solo entrepreneur or part of a team.

Consistently setting and revising expectations is important.

• Vision: Define the mission and the overarching summary. What's the mood board look like? The general ambiance and vibe?

• Scope: What's the magnitude of this project? Its boundaries? Who's responsible for what? How much time and energy can they commit?

• Topic: What's the specific subject matter? Who's the intended audience?

• Venue: Where will this course be hosted? Which platform or domain will be used? How will learners access it? What's live and what's self-paced?

• Timeframe: When does it start and when is the launch planned? How will updates be managed? Is there an end date? Will it grow?

The vision serves as the bedrock, the central idea.

A moodboard is useful for capturing the vibes that will signal a feel for your course and the outcomes that learners will achieve.

Who is this for?

With that in mind, consider the course product's overall scope as dictated by the vision.

Is this a single course, a series, or a collection of self-paced courses?

How big do you want to go?

• Is it a single course, a series, or a collection?
• What is the size of the marketplace initially, and how can that grow?

• Is this a solo creator project, or are there multiple instructors involved?

• How big is this thing gonna be?

Topic choice is about understanding the audience's needs and interests. It should be clear and precise.

Crispy.

• Who's this for?
• What skill level?

• Their current knowledge?

• Why would this matter to them?

• What super power will you give them?

Narrow it down.

A broad, all-encompassing offer can lead to disconnection with the audience, affecting sales negatively.

Focus on concrete solutions to real problems, avoiding hypothetical scenarios.

This requires research. We like Amy Hoy's sales safari in this house. Also see The Mom Test and Deploy Empathy.

Scope and Topic will help dictate the venue choice.

What's the domain?

Selecting a domain name is crucial but don't let it hinder progress. It's better to choose one and proceed, keeping in mind that changes are possible but can be cumbersome.

Short and sweet dot coms that are as topical as possible is the optimum.

Something easy to remember and type.

Come to a consensus, try a few on, and pick the one that matches the vision, scope, and topic so this decision is in the rear-view mirror.

Set the kickoff date, milestones, launch date, and future launch plans.

Expectations evolve over time and each of these provides an opportunity to reflect and revisit.

The vision and scope massively influence the timeframe.

Viewing courses as one-time projects can often produce an initial sales spike, followed by an inevitable gradual decline.

A long-game approach with sustained growth and regular updates can be an alternative.

Neither is "better" - but it's important to understand where on the one-off to long-game gradient the scope and vision of this product lies.

Don't spend too long answering the above questions!

Your answers can change as you make progress on the work. 15-20 minutes is the most your first draft should take, but your honest intial thoughts on these questions will help articulate and align your idea with the final product you want to release.

This exercise will benefit you first and foremost, your collaborators/team, and eventually the learners that will buy your product.