Shipaton Made Me Realize I Was Building the Wrong Way

Shipaton's experience taught me I was building the wrong way. Initially, I joined the competition thinking it was a straightforward startup plan. However, after participating, I realized the importance of asking different questions about app design and development. Initially, I relied heavily on AI for design ideas, but Shipaton made me understand that AI designs often fail when actually implemented.

I learned to ask AI to help create a product, rather than simply designing an image. Shipaton also exposed me to successful apps that were doing well in terms of monetization, design, onboarding, paywalls, and user experience. This made me realize that I had been building within a small bubble and not considering these aspects before.

The competition highlighted the importance of monetization, design, onboarding, paywalls, and user experience in apps. Seeing other developers' work, especially those using different tools and resources, made me realize the limitations of my own skills and resources. I had to learn to build something different and not just try to compete with others.

One of the most significant lessons I learned was not to compare myself to others. I realized that focusing on winning the competition and getting prize money was not the main objective. Instead, I should focus on delivering my best and making an app that I am proud of. Engaging with the Shipaton community was invaluable. I learned a lot from the feedback given by other developers on Discord and X. This feedback helped me improve my app's design and functionality.

I also learned that the name "Book of Me" was unavailable, and "Lifebook" was already taken, leading me to choose "Book of Me" instead. Overall, Shipaton taught me to build for the resources I have, not the vision I imagined. I now focus on creating unique interactions and experiences that align with my app's theme and leave users with a positive feeling.