The “Open Do Close” Rule That Changed How I Build Tools
Source: Dev.to
The “Open → Do → Close” Rule
When I started building small browser tools, I assumed the hardest part would be writing the code. It wasn’t.
The real challenge was understanding why people close tools so quickly—not because the tool is bad, but because the experience before the tool is exhausting.
The Pattern
The tools I use most follow an invisible rule:
Open → Do the task → Close
No accounts, no forced sign‑ups—just the task. Seeing this pattern completely changed how I build.
Why Tools Lose Users
When you open a tool for a small task, you often encounter:
- Account creation
- Email verification
- Cookie acceptance
- A product tour
- Plan selection
- Preference setup
You haven’t even started the task yet. By the time the tool is ready, you’re mentally tired and close the tab. This is where most tools lose users—before any value is shown.
What Trust‑worthy Tools Do
Tools that are used frequently for quick tasks don’t try to “convert” you immediately. They let you:
Open → finish the task → leave
No pressure, no friction. Ironically, these are the tools we trust the most.
My Design Rule
When building my own utilities, I adopted a single rule:
The user must be able to complete the task within seconds of opening the page.
This translates to:
- No login
- No forced signup
- No feature clutter
- No marketing noise
- No interruptions before the task
Just the tool, ready to use.
The Result
People started trusting the tools without any explicit request. The rule works because it respects user intent: when someone opens a tool, they have a very specific goal and don’t want a relationship, dashboard, feature list, or tutorial—they just want the task done.
Timing of Sign‑ups
We often think, “If users sign up, we can retain them.” In reality, users never reach the part worth retaining if friction appears too early. Curiosity drives return visits, and friction kills curiosity.
Sign‑ups aren’t bad; the timing matters. The right moment to ask for a sign‑up is after:
- The user has completed the task
- They’ve seen the value
- They want to save progress or history
At that point, sign‑up feels helpful, not annoying.
Pre‑launch Checklist
Before shipping any tool, I ask:
- Can a user use this in under 10 seconds?
- Is anything blocking the task?
- Is there anything here that serves me more than the user?
- Can the entire experience work without an account?
If the answer is “no,” I remove the offending element.
Lessons Learned
- The tools people love are not the most powerful; they are the most respectful of time.
- Removing unnecessary elements leads to higher usage, not because the tool is feature‑rich but because it is friction‑free.
- More features ≠ better tool; less friction = better experience.
- Experience is what people remember.
Discussion
Do you design tools around features first… or around how fast someone can finish the task?