The “Open Do Close” Rule That Changed How I Build Tools

Avatar photoByAdil

When I started building small browser tools, I thought the hard part would be the code.

It wasn’t.

The hard part was realizing why people close tools so fast.

Not because the tool is bad.
But because the experience before the tool is exhausting.

That’s when I noticed a pattern in the tools I personally use the most.

They all follow the same invisible rule:

Open → Do the task → Close

No accounts.
No onboarding.
No setup.
No friction.

Just the task.

And once I saw this pattern, it completely changed how I build.

The Problem With Most “Simple Tools”

Here’s what usually happens when you open a tool for a small task:

  • Create an account
  • Verify email
  • Accept cookies
  • Watch a tour
  • Choose a plan
  • Fill preferences

You haven’t even started the task yet.

By the time the tool appears, you’re already mentally tired.

So you close the tab.

This is where most tools lose users — before the value is shown.

The Tools We Actually Love

Think about the tools you use often for quick tasks.

They don’t try to “convert” you immediately.

They let you:

Open → finish the task → leave

No pressure. No friction.

And ironically…

Those are the tools we trust the most.

What I Changed in My Own Tools

While building my own small utilities, I made one rule:

The user must be able to complete the task within seconds of opening the page.

That meant:

  • No login
  • No forced signup
  • No feature clutter
  • No marketing noise
  • No interruptions before the task

Just the tool, ready to use.

And something interesting happened.

People started trusting the tools without me asking for it.

Why This Works (Psychology, Not Code)

This works because it respects user intent.

When someone opens a tool, they have a very specific goal.

They don’t want:

  • A relationship
  • A dashboard
  • A feature list
  • A tutorial

They want the task done.

The moment you help them do that quickly, trust is built automatically.

The Mistake Builders (Including Me) Make

We think:

“If users sign up, we can retain them.”

But what actually happens is:

They never reach the part worth retaining.

Friction too early kills curiosity.

And curiosity is what brings people back.

When Signup Actually Makes Sense

Signup is not bad.

But the timing matters.

The right moment to ask for signup is after:

  • The user has completed the task
  • They’ve seen the value
  • They want to save progress or history

Now signup feels helpful, not annoying.

The “Open → Do → Close” Checklist

Before shipping any tool now, 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 things.

What I Learned

The tools people love are not the most powerful.

They are the most respectful of time.

And the more I remove, the more people use them.

Not because they are feature-rich.

But because they are friction-free.

Final Thought

We often think:

More features = better tool

But in reality:

Less friction = better experience

And experience is what people remember.

Curious to hear from other builders:

Do you design tools around features first…
or around how fast someone can finish the task?

Similar Posts