---
title: "Make Your First Useful AI Project: A Searchable Directory"
description: "Use fictional sample files, a complete brief, a working reference and five checkpoints to build and keep your first searchable directory."
author: Power of AI
date: 2026-09-06
url: https://powerofai.ca/essentials/first-project
---

# Make Your First Useful AI Project: A Searchable Directory

Use fictional sample files, a complete brief, a working reference and five checkpoints to build and keep your first searchable directory.

This exercise uses only fictional records. The working reference is an authored example, not a recorded AI run. Your assistant may produce a different design that meets the same checks.

## 1. Define a small finish line

Make a directory that searches names or skills and filters by skill. Use the five fictional records unchanged. You should be able to open one HTML file locally without an account or network connection.

## 2. Prepare a practice folder

Create a new empty folder. Download the CSV and brief into it. Share only that folder or attach those two files to your assistant. Check what it can actually read before asking it to build.

## 3. Build one useful interaction

Use the supplied brief. If your assistant cannot create files, ask for the complete HTML and save it as index.html in a plain-text editor. Open it in your browser. The reference below is an authored example you can inspect; your own layout may differ.

## 4. Check the actual result

With empty search and All skills, count five records. Search ALEX: expect Alex Chen. Search gardening: expect Alex and Morgan. Select Gardening and search Alex: expect one record. Search zzz: expect an explicit empty state. Clear search and reset All: expect five. Reload the file and check again.

## 5. Keep the work and a handoff

Save the CSV, brief, your editable index.html and a notes.txt listing the checks you actually ran, failures and next change. Copy the folder somewhere you control. Reopen the copied HTML with the network off. Do not mark a check passed merely because the assistant says it passed.

## Download the starter files

- [Fictional volunteers CSV](/examples/first-project/volunteers.csv)
- [Project brief](/examples/first-project/project-brief.md)
- [Finished reference HTML](/examples/first-project/index.html)

## Working reference

Search names or skills and combine the search with a skill filter in the interactive example. These five records are fictional; input stays in this page and is not saved or sent to an AI.

- Alex Chen: Gardening, Saturday
- Sam Patel: Writing, Evenings
- Jordan Lee: Cooking, Sunday
- Morgan Bell: Gardening, Weekdays
- Taylor Brooks: Driving, Saturday

[Prepare this mission](/mission-control?lesson=first) | [Understand access and privacy](/essentials/access-and-privacy).