Without a splash

Just over a week ago I launched Retrospective Timelines in the App Store. In fact, “launched” may be too strong of a word. I released the app on Sunday Dec 1, 2019 with little fanfare and even less of an idea of what I was doing. Over the months leading up to version 1.0 I had a lot of ideas about how the launch could go. I thought about trying to build up some excitement for the app and I considered reaching out to press in advance.

Every time I thought I was close to shipping the app something would change that would cause a delay. Sometimes a SwiftUI update would break something I had previously finished. Other times I would start to think about solving a problem in a new way. Knowing myself pretty well, I began to recognize that I could keep working on version 1.0 indefinitely without ever shipping a thing. I needed get something out and I needed to do it soon.

In early November I decided that I had to ship something by Dec 1 and I began to work backwards from that. I did everything I could to finish the features I was building, although I had to pull a few things at the last minute. By the time had the app in a suitable state for shipping I was running out of time on my deadline. I knew that I had no chance of getting attention on such short notice so I decided not to even try.

Retrospective Timelines hit the App Store and I mentioned it on Twitter. Aside from that, there was no launch.

Over the next few months I hope to get some attention on the app. I’m convinced that a lot of people could benefit from thinking accomplishments and I hope to get the app in their hands. As I add new features I’ll continue to talk about the app on Twitter and on my podcast Project Update.

In the future maybe I’ll be able to learn how to launch the “right way” but for now this will have to do. At least it’s out there and in some weird way that’s the most important thing right now.