Building Todoist: past, present and future

Todoist is used by millions of people, but it didn’t start that way. Its history is filled with random events and calculated actions, all of which we are still learning from today. This is the first part of this talk. The second part is about a secret ingredient: the amazing remote team that enabled all of it, how it came to be and how it works on a daily basis.

Transcript

1. BUILDING TODOIST PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE
2. Gonçalo Silva Android & Product at Doist @goncalossilva goncalo@doist.com
5. Birth 2007 Side-project by Amir Salihefendic Initial release
6. Birth 2007
7. Friends Friends of friends Birth 2007
8. Plurk Wedoist Hibernation 2008 – 2010
9. More friends More friends of friends Random people online A business? Hibernation 2008 – 2010
10. Android iOS Mobile 2011 – 2012
11. Mobile 2011 – 2012
12. Mobile 2011 – 2012
13. Created a business 500.000 users 1 to ~10 people Mobile 2011 – 2012
14. Karma Tablets Enhancements 2013
15. 1M users ~10 to ~15 people Enhancements 2013
16. Todoist Next Android Wear Todoist Business Growth 2014
17. Growth 2014
18. Growth 2014
19. 3M users ~15 to ~25 people Growth 2014
20. Major redesign Todoist 10 for iOS Todoist for Apple Watch Todoist’s Material Design Todoist Preview for Windows 10 Explosion 2015
21. Explosion 2015
22. Explosion 2015
23. Explosion 2015
24. Explosion 2015
25. 6M users ~25 to ~40 people Explosion 2015
26. Boards for Windows 10 Todoist for Windows Phone Business updates Todoist for iOS 10 and Apple Watch 3 Todoist for Android N and Android Wear 2.0 AI Twist ? 2016
27. ? 2016
28. ? 2016
32. Code and design Design across platforms Design within each platform Consistency
33. Use established patterns Use popular libraries Consistency Code
34. Consistency Design across platforms
35. Consistency Design within each platform
36. Available (almost) everywhere Web wrappers if needed Ubiquity
37. Ubiquity Mac app
38. Prioritize ruthlessly Go the extra mile Target all users User experience
39. User experience Go the extra mile for all users
40. In-person usertesting.com Script and observe Don’t freak out User experience User testing
42. For problems, understand them deeply For feature requests, ask “What’s the problem you’re trying to solve?” User experience Talk to your users
43. Get the word out (social networks, niche sites and blogs) Build a list of contacts, nurture it Show people what they can become with your app / service Marketing
45. Solve your own problems Passion
47. Team
49. Team Completely bootstrapped Completely remote 50 people all over the world
50. Team
51. Team Enhance certain things Employ new things Remote, how?
52. Team Independent Communicative Passionate The right people
53. Team Test things out Dedicate a mentor Constant feedback Onboard them well
54. Team Pay handsomely Perks (that make sense) Vacations, holidays, sick days, etc Meaningful work with modern technology Let the best idea win Treat them well
55. Team Trust Their time, their place Promote initiative and creativity Give plenty of ownership Let them shine
56. Team Asynchronous planning Asynchronous discussions Asynchronous work Asynchronous tools Asynchronous, always
57. Team Schedule in advance Random chit-chat Synchronous, sometimes
58. Team Show last week’s work Plan this week’s work Discuss problems Meet weekly
59. Team One-on-one Personal Frustrations Ambitions Meet monthly
60. Team Plan for the quarter, top-down Global, shared vision OKRs
61. Team Conferences Retreat (if you can) Meet in person
63. Consistency Ubiquity User experience Marketing Passion Team
64. Thank you @goncalossilva goncalo@doist.com