I started this as a reply from here. But I couldn’t post a comment or reply (dunno why), so here are my thoughts... I hope it helps more than one of you.

Use a Kanban board, a Eisenhower Matrix and a cementery, here’s my explanation on how to use it.

Kanban

Required: On this column, add all the tasks or things you need to do for your game that you initially thought about. The cool mechanics, the characters, everything as you initially imagined the game. Anytthing in this column, is just an idea in your head, nothing more.

Upgrade: On this column, add new things that you didn’t think about before. Or you can also use it to add things that you’ve already completed but you think you can improve by adding more things. So, things in this column may be new ideas in your head, or things that you’ve already worked on, but now you think you can add more things or improve.

In Process: These tasks are things you’ve started to work on, and you are currently wrking on.

IMPORTANT: If when you are working on something you come up with new ideas that you think can improve your game, DON’T DO THEM YET, just add them to your upgrade column for now.

Review: Some things, after you have completed them, need to be reviewd, either by you or to get a feedback from players or friends. While the task may seemed finished, its good practice to leave them on this column, at least for a small period of time while you get confirmation that the work done is good.

Complete: You can move here all tasks or things you’ve finished and that you’ve tested already.

After you have set up all of your tasks, or a few of them, then proceed with creating your Eisenhower Matrix:

Eisenhower

Se here’s what to do depending on each quadrant:

Important and Urgent: Do things as soon as you can, make sure you keep it simple, don’t hesitate to add things to the “Upgrade” column in your kanban board while in this process.

Not Important and Urgent: Delegate means that you can ask someone else to do it for you, even if that some one else is also you. Meaning, you can postpone it to do it later after you’ve finished whatever comes first. What I mean to say is that if you are working solo, then whatever lands on this quadrant will remain here, until you need to move it to “Important and Urgent”.

Important and Not Urgent: These are things you can plan on ahead. Don’t give it much of your time, you’ll eventually work on it, just not right now. All you have to decide is when.

Not Important and Not Urgent: Most of your tasks from “Upgrade” will probably die here. If there’s something that you really really like and want to add, but it’s not important for your game, you should put it in the cementery, but forget to add it in your current project.

Things in your cementery are cool ideas that you could not implement on your current project, but maybe, next time you are looking to do a new project, you can dig up the cementry and revive something that you think you’d like to work on.

The last advice I can give you is, whenever you are in doubt... kiss:

Keep

It

Stupid

Simple

Meaning, things will only become more difficult if you try to add on new ideas. keep record of your original idea, and stay loyal to it. Its cool to have new and improved ideas, but give each one its own time.

I hope this helps. If you think differently, please, let me know why.