Shipping notes from week one

This week was about the small decisions that keep a product calm. I focused on clarity and speed, and I avoided adding new surface area without a clear reason.

The goal was not to add features. The goal was to make the existing flow feel inevitable and easy.

Keep the surface small

A small surface is easier to learn and easier to trust. I removed extra steps and cut every sentence that did not help a user move forward.

This also reduces the cost of change. When the surface is small, improvements are faster and feel safer.

npm run typecheck
npm run lint
npm run build

Use friction as a signal

If a flow feels slow, I treat it as a signal. I stop and ask why it exists. Many times the answer is that a step can be removed.

The best fix is often a shorter path, not a fancier component.

function shouldRemoveStep(step) {
  return step.timeCost > 60 && step.value < 0.2;
}

Keep the plan clear

The plan is the heart of Trailward. It should be visible and easy to trust. I am pushing every design choice toward that clarity.

Next week is about refining the same loop and listening to early users.