What or how to get ideas for a project?

Question

Hello, I am a little bit lost. I haven't got ideas for a new projects. If I get a task or already written specifications of project, then I can develop it from the scratch. But when I have to come with idea. I have none... How do developer should come with an idea? Maybe someone has a tactic or some great approaches to overcome this "lack of idea" problem? Please share if you can.

P.S. - This question came up because I got a task at university to make any project which will use at least 6 design patterns in it. So if someone have and idea for this problem i will also be grateful for any comment or answer! :)

Answer 1

This kind of question has been asked quite a few times already. Taking a look at some of these might get you some ideas :

• Ideas for University Computing Society run Open Source Project
• Computer science final year project ideas
• Educational project ideas
• Computer science undergraduate project ideas

My personnal preference (for a web application, at least, as I'm a web-developper) would be a blogging-software :

• It is not that hard
• Every body knows what it does -- not "functional" question ; only technical ones
• There are a lot of things you can implement to get a great tool ; only depends on the time you have :
  • If you have lots of time, you'll be able to do something quite complete.
  • If you don't have much time, you'll still be able to get something that works, even if it doesn't have every functionnality you can think about

Still : have fun !
That's the most important part ;-)

Answer 2

First, don't get hung up on the 'quality' of your idea. There are so many ways to measure that you cannot come up with an objective truism. There are also many reasons to pursue an idea which are valid; educational, financial, motivational and more.

Think of problems in your own life that you care about that are not solved. Problems related to your work, your hobbies and more. I am 99% confident they exist. Solve them.

Answer 3

You can always contact your local charity/save-the-world organization of choice and ask them if they need volunteer help building an application (that would typically be a web application these days).

Answer 4

Do you have thze 100% right and always nice working software for everything you want to do with computers?

If not - you have plenty ideas for projects ;)