This started as a side quest from building an app, but it turned into something bigger than I expected.
I knew building an app wasn’t just coding. I knew there was planning involved, structure, and thinking things through. But my mindset was more like, “oh, this would be a good idea,” without really thinking deeply about the user.
My app idea came from baking. I wanted something that helps troubleshoot when things go wrong, but not just what to fix, more like understanding the why behind it. I learned baking through science, so that’s how my brain naturally approaches problems.
As I started learning more about design thinking, it shifted how I approach building.
One of the biggest things I learned is to really keep the user in mind. Not just assuming something is a good idea, but asking if it actually solves a real problem. Is it useful? Does it make sense for someone else, not just me?
I also learned the importance of building with intention. Just because something sounds like a good idea doesn’t mean it should be built. It made me slow down and think about the purpose behind what I’m creating.
Another takeaway was being realistic and practical. Do I have the tools and resources to build this right now? Am I overcomplicating the solution? That helped me stay grounded instead of going too far into ideas I can’t execute yet.
Thinking long term added another layer. Will this solution still make sense later? Can it scale, or is it only useful in this moment? That question alone made me rethink how I approach building.
I think this is why staying curious matters so much. The more I learn, the more I start to understand different perspectives, not just as someone building something, but as someone using it too.
And honestly, it gave me a lot more respect for people who design apps. There’s so much thought behind something that feels so simple on the surface.