An App in 17 Minutes? Nonsense!

2025-03-12 • Mariusz Jażdżyk

An App in 17 Minutes? Nonsense!

You’ve seen those posts: “I made an app in 17 minutes with Claude 3.7!” And so what?

It works, looks nice, and is "cool"... and that's it. But does it solve a real problem? Does it truly support the business? Honestly? Probably [not] yet.

I’ve often created "cool" things that were technically interesting, but over time, they ended up in one category: GADGET.

A gadget is something that doesn’t truly serve the end user—though it theoretically could. Gadgets appear even in large, expensive projects, often just so they can be… quietly turned off. Sound familiar? 🤷‍♂️

For an app to have real value, it needs to address a GENUINE need. And that requires a product-driven approach, understanding the user, and respecting the audience.

Does this mean that AI coders have no future? Quite the opposite! Software engineers and coders will simply need to become product-oriented with architectural knowledge. In this role, they’ll become ten times more efficient.

Without this? We’re looking at a world full of gadgets… or a colorful, sweet future filled with worthless candies. 🍭

---

Author: Mariusz Jażdżyk

Lecturer at Kozminski University, author of the book “Chief Data Officer,” specializing in building data-driven organizations. He supports startups in the practical implementation of data strategies and AI solutions.