Role
Product designer / Developer
Context
SOLO is an app that I designed, vibecoded and published in the Apple App Store.
The problem
There was not really a problem to solve beyond my own curiosity. I have always enjoyed building things, from Lego as a child to physical products during my time as an Industrial Designer.
When I transitioned into digital product design, I became dependent on developers to bring ideas to life. Over time, that sense of crafting and ownership started to fade.
With the arrival of AI and coding agents, that changed. I am now able to build and ship my own ideas independently, which brought back that original motivation to create.
The idea
A few years ago, I became obsessed with specialty coffee and bought my own home barista setup. I quickly realized that a simple tool to help follow brewing recipes would be useful.
Depending on the desired outcome, both the coffee dose and the ratio can vary, and calculating the right amount of water is not always simple. On top of that, having to open a separate app to track extraction time felt inconvenient.
I searched the App Store for alternatives but could not find anything that solved the problem cleanly. Most apps tried to do too many things, which made them cluttered and difficult to use.
So I decided to build my own.
Some inspiration I gathered for the project.
The process
While working on the design, I defined a few guiding principles to get the best possible outcome.
Keep it simple
Focus on doing one thing well. There was no need to add unnecessary features that would overcomplicate the experience.
Work on the craft
Most existing apps in this space have very basic design. They rely on standard components and focus only on functionality. This felt like a clear opportunity to differentiate through thoughtful design and attention to detail.
Personality
Design is not only about function. Products should leave an impression, and feel delightful. I wanted SOLO to feel like more than just a utility.
The app
So, what it's SOLO?
SOLO is an app that helps you follow coffee recipes. When brewing coffee, you typically control three variables: coffee dose, brew ratio, and extraction time. For some values, calculating the amount of water is simple. For others, mental math becomes less intuitive.
SOLO allows you to select your coffee dose and ratio in a smooth and intuitive way. It instantly calculates the exact amount of water you need and includes a built in stopwatch to track extraction time.
Simple, intuitive, and delightful by design.