Update 08/22/24
Dear community,
I’ve got a road map now: it follows a set of rough deadlines that I have for my project from this point forward as I count down to October 1, 2024 (the launch day for my app)!
- Week of August 26: Work on the LYFA CWC+ module challenges and certificates, finishing through the Databases course
- Week of September 2: Power through the App Store course and get a working model of my app complete (though very much in a beta stage)
- Week of September 9: My CWC+ subscription ends and I’m flying on my own! I’ll go back over the app creation process, refining and testing my model, bringing it all the way to the design stage
- Week of September 16: This week I will design my app including all the screens, buttons, and other UI
- Week of September 23: Now it is time for me to apply to the Apple Developer Program! From now until October 1, I will be running my app on a device and using it frequently to test for any issues or missing features
- LAUNCH: October 1, 2024: My plan at this moment is to first release the app on TestFlight, not the App Store. This is because I would like to receive feedback from users who feel like their input matters (especially since I am so new to all of this)
Lastly, if y’all have any tips for me, I would really appreciate it! I’m a little nervous about launching my first app, but once it happens, I’m sure everything will only get easier from there! 
That is, unless I have to fix thousands of bugs… 
Anyways, take care! My next update may be sooner than in a week depending on how things are going
-Michael 
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Update 08/29/2024
Good evening! I’ve been working hard on the LYFA module challenges. I had to resubmit my Foundations course challenge because I sent a file that was only compatible with Xcode 16.1 beta 
. My Networking course challenge is underway (in fact, I’m almost finished). It took a LOT of work to get the API setup (I used NASA’s Mars Photos API), but I think I have everything mostly under control. Really, the only two things I have left are the photo detail view, and the search parameters/filters.
Anyways, I started an application for MIT today! Wish me luck 
Take care,
-Michael 
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Focus Survey!
I just created a survey to gather feedback about focus habits. It’s totally anonymous and will really help me narrow down my feature set.
By the way, since I’m here, I’ll just add that I have submitted my iOS Networking App Challenge for review. Hopefully everything comes through, but I will be working on the Databases assignment soon as well.
-Michael
Update 09/06/2024
I just completed and submitted the Databases project! I’m a little behind on my schedule, but I have high hopes given how much work I have put into my app already. I watched the Analytics video in the App Store course and was able to get the analytics working for my Project Tracker app. I’m not sure if I will use it for the Grow app though.
I attached some pictures of the ToDo app I built for the Databases course challenge! It’s running natively on my Mac. There is support for dark mode based on using the @Environment(\.colorScheme) var scheme property.
Have a great day.
-Michael
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Update 09/13/24
My app is slowly but surely creeping into the design stage.
The ToDo app I created for the Databases challenge has really inspired me and I am thinking of integrating the task functionality with my app; users can then turn on Focus Mode and select the task they would like to focus on while the other tasks gracefully disappear for the time being. (I’m not yet sure whether I want to integrate this task functionality, but we’ll see.) While in Focus Mode, a task title and subtitle/specifics as well as a timer and Help button will be visible. I’ll probably allow the user to block everything except the website/app they would like to focus on.
Anyways, details aside, this is what I plan to include in my app:
- Focus on anything one thing at a time
- Show countdown/up for session with ability to start break
- Break time suggestions (take a walk, drink water, etc)
- View focus duration/sessions history
- Receive awards for staying off phone
- Modify app features through in-app Settings
- Share progress with friend
- Possibly pull events from Calendar/Reminders for in-app display
This is not a final list, but it’s pretty close. I think the ability to track progress through a growing lotus or other means is something I may have to realistically implement in future versions of the app at this point. I shall have to wait and see.
There are some rather rough mockups of my app in the attached screenshots as well as some behind-the-scenes work. SURPRISE! I am renaming my app to Shadow Task! The new app icon represents a target (indicating a single point of focus) and is compatible with iOS 18’s ability to display app icons in dark, light, and tinted modes. The app itself will probably have a gradient fill background, but I haven’t reached the design stage yet so that is tbd.
Looking back, this whole process has taken a very l o n g time! This journal was started back in March (granted Summer happened in-between). Oh well. I have learned a whole lot.
Both my Foundations and Networking challenges have been Approved and I should be able to receive certificates from both through CWC.
Have a nice weekend!
-Michael
BREAKING NEWS!!
So, I just had a huge idea inspiration for my app!! Building on the grounds of focus, productivity, and wellbeing, I created a mockup of how the app might work using Figma! It has three huge buttons on the Home screen that are resources for Focus, Activity (if you’re bored and don’t know what to do besides scroll through tic tok), and Motivation; these link to screens relevant to each task. 
The Focus screen allows the user to create a task (such as “Landscaping”) with a detailed description of what specifically they will be doing (such as “Plant grass seed in the areas underneath our big tree in front”), and then they can set a timer to go along with it if needed. The screen will flow into an extremely simple layout to help the user focus (the app can be locked if necessary). I may decide to implement Live Activities now or in the future so the user can keep track of the time on their Apple Watch or iPhone without heading to the app. The focus sessions will be logged once completed!
The Activity screen presents the user with a list of different non-electronic ways to spend one’s time (such as going on a hike or sketching a drawing). The user selects the “+” button to choose one. This action hides all the rest of the activities and I’ll probably implement the same simple UI that appeared in the Focus view where the title is prominently placed and all other app features are hidden. This view can be closed at any time without losing work, but it will be paused when this is done.
The Motivation screen allows the user to create three different rewards per day (or something like that) from which one will be randomly selected and presented to the user at a certain time of day or after the user logs that the day’s work has been completed. Furthermore, there will be quick suggestions for the user when they are stuck on a task (such as switching to something else or moving to a different environment.
Whew! Sorry for such long descriptions! 
That’s all for now! You can check out the screenshots. Here is the Figma prototype link: https://www.figma.com/proto/FkzmUn1ft8p7wHvYCMAU7H/App-Interface-Design?page-id=158%3A403&node-id=276-169&node-type=frame&viewport=-148%2C1401%2C0.33&t=XyTyzUZ2Vz6kYclK-1&scaling=scale-down&content-scaling=fixed&starting-point-node-id=276%3A169
-Michael
