Personal Growth Log

Introduction

To track growth in specific skills. Users are able to get a view of their growth on a growth graph.

In this past 2+ years of my career, I realized it is important to look back and connect the dots. When I first started, I have almost zero soft skills and technical knowledge to begin with. In spirit of the Growth Mindset, I had took on some challenging tasks, which includes stretching beyond my capabilities, taking on (then) daunting tasks and business problems, spending time breaking down into smaller puzzles, and accumulating information and insights to solve them. On certain days, I felt that I hit a plateau, and on some, I felt like it is a breakthrough.

I realized, through personal experiences, that growth is not a linear graph. It takes time for breakthroughts, and internalizing struggles, learnings, as well as being able to look back and reflect. I hope this tool can help me achieve this objectives

Methodology and Approach

Principles

1. Use personal own experience as a reference, as I will be the main user
2. Some factors that I would like to document is: breakthroughts, feelings, tips, challenges
3. The app should be easy to use so I can be consistent on the inputs
4. The app should store and record an input by the dates.

Scope of MVP

The MVP of the app will have features for user to:

• enter a new entry
• edit an entry
• view all entries
• delete an entry

Technology Utilized

1. HTML and CSS for frontend web design
2. Flexbox for website to be responsive
3. MEN (MongoDB, Express, Node.JS)to design backend for application
   • MongoDB Atlas Cluster, to store database. It is hosted on Azure
   • Express for controller and repository
   • node.JS
4. chart.js to show the time graph of learning
5. moment.js to show dates
6. Heroku to host the application

User Journey

User Journey 1

1. Input by date and the fields
2. Input a score (ranged 1-3) based on self-accessment of a particular field
3. Submit button
4. Store entry into db
5. View entry

User Journey 2

1. View all documented entries
2. Continue adding entries
3. View most recent by date - WIP

User Journey 3

Visualize rates to show progress over time

Limitations

1. Dates are not able to be sorted chronologically.
2. Y-axis of the graphs are not ideal
3. There should have more spectrum of "ratings". Currently, app only limits to three "ratings"
4. CSS to make app more palatable

Wishlist

1. To be available in iOS and Android so users can use it on mobile phone
2. Recommended learning paths and platforms for users to access
3. Have tags for certain categories
4. have multiple users logging in their growth journies. And then, aggregate the "ratings" by day

Learnings

I learnt so much! If I can put them all on this app, I think it would be a plateau for the longest time, before finally having "turning points". Also, it is about asking the right questions on google and with people. I only manage to implement 30% of the original idea, but I plan to continue the project for my personal learning and internal company hackathons.