Today Was a Prototype Grinder
Whew. Today was one of those heads-down, not-flashy-but-critical days. Most of it went into tightening the prototype and translating new user insights into something that doesn’t suck when you click around.
I’m starting to feel the edges of what this product wants to be.
What Went Down
User Interviews (2x)
- Both confirmed our theory: new users feel overwhelmed without context.
- One wanted “smart guardrails” to stay sane while setting things up.
- The other basically said: “Don’t make me think. Just help me get going.”
That’s where we dialed in the onboarding flow. Think: just enough guided setup to prevent chaos, without feeling like a tutorial prison.
Prototype Progress
- Cleaned up the Figma file. Nested components + variants = finally manageable.
- Polished the blank-state experience. You can now open the app without crying.
- It's not pixel-perfect, but it’s testable. We should be able to start interaction tests next week.
Technical Stuff
- Played the ultimate fire vs. water match: Firebase vs. Supabase.
- Firebase is a bit more out-of-the-box, but Supabase just vibes better for flexibility down the line.
- Planning to build weekend POCs to feel the friction myself.
Traffic Bump?!
- Threw a little spice into an Indie Hackers comment. Got some unexpected traction.
- ~75 new uniques hit the landing page this afternoon (👀 thank you, Product Hunt echo chamber).
- No signups yet—it’s intentional—but it’s starting to feel like we might need a “Hey, tell me more” form soon.
Advisor Wisdom
One advisor nailed it:
“Don’t try to be the whole productivity suite. Be the glue. Be the handoff layer.”
YES. That frames our value add way better. Integration > Reinvention.
What I Learned Today
How To Use Figma Components Without Wanting To Quit Your Startup
- Create nested components that share a parent — don't repeat props.
- Use variants for every small change (text/button states). Don’t create a new frame for everything—this saves you in high-iteration mode.
- Organize your asset structure early. Prototype chaos ≠ real progress.
Closing Thought
Momentum check: solid, but delicate.
We’re learning what not to build.
And honestly? That’s progress.
