The mind of a beginner is great
Because only afterwards do you know what it actually takes.
A simple idea that wasn't so simple
About a month ago I started building Memstory because I was frustrated with most language-learning applications on the market. They often seem optimised for engagement rather than learning, which means there is a lot of emphasis on streaks, rewards and gamified progression but surprisingly little emphasis on reading, repetition and sustained exposure to the language itself.
Building the tool I wanted to use
My idea was simple enough. I wanted a tool that would allow me to read stories, click unfamiliar words and gradually build vocabulary through repeated encounters rather than forced exercises. In other words, I wanted something I would actually enjoy using myself.
The hidden complexity beneath the surface
At the time, the project seemed relatively small. A story reader, a vocabulary database and a memory drill did not sound particularly ambitious, especially compared to some of the other projects I have worked on. Looking back, I realise that this assumption was based almost entirely on not understanding what was hidden underneath the surface.
That, incidentally, is one of the great advantages of being a beginner.
Experienced people are usually very good at estimating complexity because they have encountered it before. They know where systems tend to break, where shortcuts create future problems and where apparently simple ideas conceal substantial amounts of work. Beginners lack that perspective, which means they routinely underestimate what a project will require. While this is often presented as a weakness, I am increasingly convinced that it is also one of the reasons interesting things get built in the first place.
Had somebody shown me the complete roadmap of Memstory on the day I started, I suspect I would have spent considerably more time thinking and considerably less time building.