Week 2: Making a mobile diary

The Experiment
Over Christmas 2023, I read Matthew Dicks’ Storyworthy. One concept that stuck with me was his idea of “Homework for life” a single-line diary—a simple way to capture the highlights of your life every day. It’s not about feelings or long reflections, just a quick note about what happened.

I loved the idea. I wanted a way to look back on my life, improve my storytelling and to measure what I’d been doing (it’s also a good gratitude reflection). Between January and August last year, I managed to keep up with it pretty well. But, as simple as it sounds, the process had way too much friction.

Every night I’d have to:

1. Remember to do it.
2. Turn on my computer.
3. Find the Google Sheet.
4. Open it and type something in.

As you can imagine, it didn’t take long for these steps to feel like a chore. I needed something easier—something on my phone that would make it frictionless.

The Process and Outcome
Here’s how I tackled it:

1. Picking the Right AI tool:
   My online friends kept recommending Claude for development, so I decided to give it a shot. I thought about using Replit, but I wanted something lean and quick. This wasn’t about creating the perfect app; I just wanted a quick and dirty solution.

2. Exploring Options:
   I asked Claude for ideas, and it came back with three approaches:

   • Use a Google Form.
   • Use Google Apps Script to automate the process.
   • Build an app.

3. The Apps Script option seemed like the best balance: some effort and customisation, but without the learning curve of building an app (which would be nice, but too much for the scale of the project).

4. Trial and Error:
   This is where things got fun (and occasionally frustrating). Claude’s initial explanation was a little sparse—it assumed I knew way more about coding than I actually did. For example, I had no idea how to host an image for the app, and the lack of details sent me into a rabbit hole. It turns out that due to some Android settings it isn’t possible to create an image or an icon to use on the homescreen (this would have been better to find out before 8 iterations 🙃)

However the back-and-forth process with Claude was enjoyable. I’d make changes, update the script, test it, and then go back to Claude for advice. Slowly, I pieced everything together.

5. The Final Product:
   The result is simple and it works.
   • A link sits on my phone’s desktop.
   • When I click it, a web page with a single field pops up with a question: What’s your highlight today?
   • I type my answer, and it automatically populates the Google Sheet with my entry and the date.

No fuss, no friction—just a super quick way to capture my day.

6. The Bigger Win:
   Beyond the diary itself, this process taught me:
   • about Google Apps Scripts, which was totally new to me.
   • Building my own tool felt rewarding in a way I didn’t expect.

Key Takeaway
AI isn’t just for massive, game-changing projects—it can help you build small, personal tools that make your life better. With the right guidance, you can simplify your processes, create something functional, and feel pretty accomplished in the process.

Pro Tips for Beginners:

1. Start Small: You don’t need to build an app from scratch. Google Apps Scripts, Google Forms, or similar tools can be great starting points.
2. Iterate With AI: The trial-and-error process with Claude was surprisingly fun. Don’t expect perfection on the first try—use AI to refine as you go.
3. Reduce Friction: Focus on making your solution as simple and accessible as possible. For me, that meant putting a Chrome link directly on my phone’s desktop.

Want to Try It Yourself?

• Ask an AI (like Claude or ChatGPT) for options to build your tool.
• Use Google Apps Script for automation—it’s powerful without being overwhelming.
• Focus on making something functional and frictionless.

Join me as I do 52 AI experiments in 2025. From teaching me to DJ to analysing interviews I’m documenting all I learn.