Introduction
Now that I've finished Phase 1 of #100daysofnocode, it's finally time to launch a product. I've spent the past weeks completely unsure of what I want to build, but I know one thing:
I'm having a lot of fun learning about Glide.
I've used Glide recently to
- Help my sister set up a seamless customer management system for her new home services business,
- Create a personal app that helps my partner and I keep track of recipes we’d like to try, grocery shopping lists, mood boards, date ideas, our mutual J fashion closet inventory, and other shared household data
- Create a tracking tool for a massage therapist that helps them interpret and visualize trends in the data that they collect from their patient assesments
- Create a conference app prototype for the organizers and participants of a Fashion networking event I work with in Las Vegas
Glide is one of the more powerful no code platforms I've come across, and it's definitely my favorite.
You can use various data sources including Airtable, or their built in lightweight data source called Glide Tables. They also have a great community of developers who are always willing to help each other out. The learning curve for Glide is steeper than other platforms like Softr but well worth it the effort. Their pricing structure is based on the quantity of records and number of active users so they don't paywall their advanced features like some other platforms do. This makes Glide an excellent choice for learners looking to get started with no code apps and it gives you the opportunity to spend as much time as you need fine tuning your idea before you need to start funding it.
I recently created a prototype for a sport tournament app because
- I wanted to practice using Glide and build my data-product skills and
- I wanted to practice creating tools that make data collection easier and utilize action buttons to manipulate data in real time
I chose to use Quadball for my prototype because
- I played the sport (known at the time as Quidditch) years ago when I was in college & I know how the game works and the data involved
- Admittedly I don't know the rules of other sports and I didn't care to learn just for a practice exercise
- I used to plan a lot of tournaments, so in a way , iterating on an old project scratched an itch for me.
DIY Event planners and DIY software builders have a lot in common.
They both have to make the most of their time, resources and skills. They both need to build things quickly and get them out into the world. They both have to keep their costs down and not waste time or money on things that don’t make a difference in their businesses. We want to build something great without wasting time on anything else.
It's difficult to find a more DIY sport than Quadball, and the game itself is perfect for a prototype because of how many different (and unique!) variables there are. Most sports have either a card penalty system, or a penalty box but not both. Most sports don't have a specific data point that specifies which team ended the game Most sports differentiate between quaffle points and total points.
The goal was very straightforward. I wanted to create a spreadsheet-like matrix of information with all of the important data points involved in planning a tournament, and then create a mobile friendly interface that makes it easy for participants, officials, and fans to view and report information.
The prototype included features such as
Interactive mobile schedules and maps
On site and self serve volunteer assignments
Live score reporting
And a few others
check it out here:
Why we #buildinpublic
After a few hours, I realized that the prototype I'd created was actually really useful and decided I wanted to share it before moving on. I took this screenshare of my WIP and a link my airtable base and I posted it in a facebook group for quadball fans and participants.
This is where I met Michael Rodriguez. Michael was already working on the Quadball.one project when shared my prototype. As the Commissioner of Philadelphia Quidditch Conference and Director of Levio Learning, (a Youth Quadball Focused Company based in PA/NJ), Michael has identified a myriad of painful data challenges that prevent the casual fan or prospective player from finding information about events and scores without knowing the right people or being in the right facebook groups.
Michael and I discovered that we have a lot in common-a desire to learn more about no-code development and an interest in creating a software product that solves problems for people like us. Inspired by each other's efforts, we decided to team up to build Quadball.one using Airtable and Glide.
In launching Quadball.one, we hope to:
- Create a singular resource that allows Quadball fans and participants to find information and data about upcoming Quadball events, live scores, and game statistics.
- Make finding information about quadball scores and quadball events easier and more accessible to casual fans
- Increase the longevity and impact of past scores and data
- Alleviate common communication and data problems experienced by quadball event organizers, participants, and fans
- Create a tournament planning resource that is specifically designed around Quadball’s unique format and needs
- Generate enough funding to sustain the project and continue developing new features
- Promote and create educational content about the benefits of #nocode and inspire others to #buildinpublic
While it's been many years since I've consistently picked up a broom or a bludger, I've had a few opportunities this year since moving home to Chicago to participate in some pickup games. It's been nostalgic, great exercise, and a great reminder that I'll always have a soft spot for this sport and those who work tirelessly to keep it alive.
I’m also excited to have a project that inspires me to push my #100daysofnocode journey forward. I'm excited to see what happens next and I hope you are too!
