DYW

Inspiration

As a CS student at Minnesota State University, Mankato, I'm in a project-based learning program where students collaborate in teams on semester-long software projects. One challenge I've experienced is keeping track of my contributions throughout the semester. When it's time for performance evaluations, I sometimes struggle to remember the tasks I've completed, the challenges I've overcome, and what I've learned.

I found inspiration in MyFitnessPal, an application that makes tracking daily nutrition and fitness progress a habit. That made me wonder: What if tracking professional growth were as easy as tracking fitness?

That question inspired DYW (Document Your Work), a personal reflection application designed to make documenting daily work simple, consistent, and meaningful.

What it does

DYW helps users build a personal record of their daily work through a structured reflection process. Instead of staring at an empty journal, users are guided through six reflection prompts that encourage them to think about their contributions and experiences.

The application includes:

1. Guided daily reflections: Six prompts help users document their work in a structured way.
2. Draft saving: Unfinished reflections are preserved, allowing users to return later.
3. Review before saving: Users can revisit and correct their answers before completing an entry.
4. Work history: Saved reflections are organized into weeks, making it easier to revisit previous accomplishments.
5. Contribution heatmap: A visual overview of completed reflections.
6. Reflection streaks: Encourages users to develop a consistent documentation habit.
7. Entry management: Users can edit, restart, or delete saved reflections with safeguards against accidental data loss.
8. Appearance preferences: Supports light, dark, and system themes.

How it was built it

I developed DYW as a browser-based application using JavaScript and a Vite development environment. I used Cursor and Codex as AI-assisted development tools to help implement features, troubleshoot issues, and refine the user experience. Rather than attempting to build the entire application at once, I approached development in small, testable stages.

The core workflow was built around:

1. Starting a daily reflection.
2. Answering six guided questions.
3. Reviewing and correcting responses. 4.Saving the completed reflection. 5.Returning later to review previous entries.

I implemented browser-based persistence using localStorage, allowing users to save reflections and unfinished drafts without creating an account or connecting to a backend service.

I also used Agentation during development to annotate interface elements and provide targeted feedback while refining the design.

Testing focused on ensuring that users could safely edit saved entries, resume unfinished drafts, and recover from interrupted workflows without accidentally losing their work.

Challenges I ran into

1. Defining the scope My initial vision included features such as AI-generated performance evaluations, skill tracking, and GitHub integration. However, I realized that building a complete experience around daily documentation was more important than implementing several disconnected features. I decided to focus on making the core reflection workflow reliable and easy to use.

   1. Managing drafts and saved entries One technical challenge was handling situations where users wanted to edit existing reflections while preserving their original work. I had to account for scenarios such as users abandoning edits, restarting reflections, or attempting to replace an existing entry. This required careful handling of application state and confirmation dialogs to prevent accidental data loss.
   2. Creating an intuitive user experience Since DYW is intended for daily use, I wanted the application to feel simple rather than overwhelming. I focused on guided prompts, a review step, clear navigation, and a completion experience that makes documenting work feel rewarding.

Accomplishments that I'm proud of

I'm proud of turning a personal challenge into a functional application. I built a complete reflection experience with guided prompts, draft saving, and progress tracking. I'm also proud of improving my skills in AI-assisted development, problem-solving, and user-centered design while creating something I can use in my everyday life.

What I learned

Building DYW helped me understand the importance of designing software around a specific user problem.

I learned how to break down a product idea into smaller development stages, manage persistent browser data, and design workflows that account for unexpected user actions.

I also gained experience working with AI-assisted development tools while testing and reviewing the resulting implementation. One of my biggest takeaways was that a complete, reliable user experience can be more valuable than a large collection of unfinished features.

What's next for DYW

DYW is currently a proof of concept focused on personal daily reflections.

My long-term vision is to expand it into a professional growth companion for students and working professionals.

Future improvements could include:

1. AI-assisted summaries: Turn daily reflections into performance evaluation reports.
2. GitHub integration: Connect documented contributions to commits and pull requests.
3. Skill tracking: Identify technical and professional skills demonstrated through daily work.
4. Progress analytics: Visualize accomplishments and growth over time.
5. Cloud synchronization: Allow users to access their reflections across devices.

Ultimately, I want DYW to help people confidently answer: "What have I accomplished, and how have I grown?" Because meaningful work deserves to be remembered.

Built With

• css
• react
• vite