---
title: "Create a project"
url: "https://docs.alisx.com/how-to/ideate/create-a-project/"
---
# Create a project

Start an Ideate project so that people can add what they know to one place. A project belongs to your active account, the one named at the bottom of the navigation pane.

## Prerequisites

- Ideate access on your active account. Without it you can open projects shared with you but not create your own. Usage on the project is measured against that account, which is invoiced at the end of the month; see [Accounts and billing](https://docs.alisx.com/explanation/accounts-and-billing.md).
- For the CLI variant, `alis` installed and signed in, and the right account selected (`alis accounts list`, then `alis accounts select accounts/<id>`).

=== "Console"

    1. Open <https://console.alisx.com/ideate> and choose **Projects**.
    2. Click **New project**.
    3. Fill in **Create a new project**:
        - **Project title**: short and memorable.
        - **Description (optional)**: a sentence or two on what the project is about, to give Alis a head start.
        - **Contributions (optional)**: click **Attach files**, or drop documents, transcripts or recordings the project should start from.
    4. Click **Create project**.

    A new chat with Alis opens inside the project, and Alis helps you shape it. The description and files become the project's first contribution.

=== "Console, with Alis"

    Open a chat with Alis at <https://console.alisx.com/chats> and tell Alis about the idea, the problem you have noticed or the half-written brief. Alis shapes it into a project, and the project appears under **Projects**.

=== "CLI"

    There is no command that creates an empty project. Instead, pass `--new-project "<title>"` to whichever `add` command carries the first contribution:

    ```bash title="Terminal"
    alis ideate add note --new-project "Customer onboarding redesign" --file kickoff-notes.md
    ```

    ```bash title="Terminal"
    alis ideate add files --new-project "Customer onboarding redesign" review-recording.mp4 --note "Recording of the onboarding review, 12 June"
    ```

    Each prints the new project and its first contribution. The project goes into your active account.

## Set the project goal

A goal keeps Alis, the interviews and the artifacts pointed at the outcome you care about.

1. Open the project's **Home**.
2. Under **What should this project achieve?**, click **Set project goal** and pick the starter closest to your goal, or tell Alis in your own words.
3. Later, click **Review project goal** on Home to review it. Select any part of the text and leave a comment to change it.

The goal is stored as the project's **Project goal** artifact and is what Alis works from.

## Related

- [Add notes and contributions](https://docs.alisx.com/how-to/ideate/add-notes-and-contributions.md)
- [Upload recordings and documents](https://docs.alisx.com/how-to/ideate/upload-recordings-and-documents.md)