UMich Student Builds AI Work Journal App with Father

A sophomore at the University of Michigan has developed a new web application over the past three months, working in collaboration with his father. The student, who is currently studying UX design, utilized the project as a learning opportunity for Cursor, shadcn/ui, and Next.js. The resulting application is a work journal that generates private AI-powered insights and creates scheduled summaries. These summaries can be shared with team members or managers, or made public, as demonstrated by the student. The developer expressed surprise at the rapid advancement of "vibe-coding" tools over the last six months and is actively seeking feedback on the design and coding implementation.

The application was built as a practical learning exercise focused on modern development technologies. The student specifically targeted Cursor, shadcn/ui, and Next.js to enhance his technical skill set while pursuing his UX design degree. The development timeline spanned exactly three months, with the student collaborating closely with his father throughout the process. This partnership allowed for a unique blend of educational exploration and practical application development.

During the development cycle, the student observed significant progress in the tools available to developers. He noted that vibe-coding tools have advanced considerably over the last six months. This rapid evolution of development environments likely influenced the project's scope and the technologies chosen for implementation. The focus on these specific tools suggests a strategic approach to learning industry-standard frameworks.

The core functionality of the web app centers on a work journal system. The application utilizes artificial intelligence to generate insights based on user input. These insights are private to the user, ensuring data security while providing valuable analysis. The system also automates the creation of summaries on a scheduled basis, removing the manual burden of report generation.

The application offers flexible sharing options for the generated summaries. Users can choose to share scheduled reports with their team or manager, facilitating workplace transparency and collaboration. Alternatively, users have the option to make their summaries public. The student utilized this feature to showcase his own work on the project, providing a live example of the application's output.

The developer has actively sought community input to refine the application. By publishing the project, he invited feedback and suggestions regarding both the design and coding skills demonstrated in the build. This approach highlights a commitment to iterative improvement and professional growth. The request for feedback was directed toward the broader development community to gather diverse perspectives on the application's potential.

The project was shared on a popular technology news platform, where it garnered initial engagement. The post received a modest number of points and a small number of comments, indicating early interest from the community. This engagement provides a foundation for the developer to gather technical critiques and user experience suggestions for future iterations of the work journal app.

This project represents a significant step for a University of Michigan student bridging the gap between academic study and real-world application development. By leveraging modern tools like Next.js and AI integration, the student has created a functional product that addresses workflow tracking needs. The collaboration with his father adds a unique dimension to the development story, emphasizing the value of shared learning experiences. As the student continues to refine the app based on community feedback, the project stands as a testament to the accessibility of powerful development tools for current students.