1.2 Scoping the Problem
Identify problems worth solving in your tutoring practice.
Why Scoping Matters
The biggest mistake people make when building their first tool is trying to build too much. You do not need a full CRM, a scheduling system, a payment processor, and a messaging platform all at once. You need one thing that works.
Finding Your Problem
Think about your tutoring practice and answer these questions:
- What takes the most time that is not actual tutoring?
- What falls through the cracks — missed messages, forgotten sessions, lost contact info?
- What would make you look more professional to parents and students?
The MVP Mindset
MVP stands for "minimum viable product." It means: what is the smallest thing you can build that actually solves a real problem?
For this course, our MVP is:
- An intake form — so new students can sign up without you managing a back-and-forth over text
- An admin dashboard — so you can see all your students, log sessions, and track hours in one place
That is it. No payments. No scheduling. No chat. Just intake and management.
Scoping Exercises
Before moving on, write down:
- The three biggest pain points in your current workflow
- Which one of those pain points the intake form and dashboard would solve
- One feature you are tempted to add that you should leave out for now
Next: 1.3 Choosing Your Tools — picking the right frameworks without getting overwhelmed.