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Weekly Update 🎉: First Real Users Are In!

Weekly Update 🎉: First Real Users Are In!


TL;DR:

  • We began early user testing and interviewed 8 users
  • Core functionality is strong, but UX needs major improvements
  • Launched new content strategy for @patbuildsanapp with strong early engagement
  • Focus this week: add more test users, post 2–3x weekly, finalize dev shop support

Hi Everyone,

This past week was a big one. We finally got the app into real users' hands for the first time, and it was a mix of nerves, excitement, and lots of learning.

Development Updates

We focused heavily on user testing and ran interviews with 8 test users. It was eye-opening. After months of building, I realized how much I had learned to tiptoe around the app’s weak spots, but new users didn’t have that bias, and that exposed some critical UX issues.

The good news: most users understood the core idea and were impressed by the enrichment capabilities.

The challenge: the app feels clunky in places, and the UX needs serious work.

Here are the key areas that stood out:

  • Onboarding Flow: Universally confusing. Users want a clearer explanation of how the app works. Plus, there’s a bug that blocks access if they don’t complete onboarding. This is a top priority to fix.
  • Lists: Users gravitated toward list creation right away, but since you need a save to create a list, many got stuck. We’ll remove that dependency and fix bugs in list sharing, maps, and collaboration.
  • In-App Comms: Users often freeze during save processing. We need better feedback, instructions, and reassurance throughout the app.
  • Save Enrichment: Still buggy. Addresses are mostly accurate, but map placements are often off, and some data feels like noise.
  • Related Content: This feature has real potential but the current design buries it. We need to showcase this better.
  • Text and Internet Search Hybrid: Users want to use both. The current separation is clunky. A more fluid, hybrid experience is needed.

There’s a lot more to improve, but every new tester helps sharpen our priorities for v2.

Growth Updates

We kicked off a new content strategy for @patbuildsanapp with three core formats:

  1. Founder Story: Candid, casual updates directly from me. Think behind-the-scenes voice memos.
  2. Using Nabb in the Wild: Mini-vlogs showing how people use Nabb to plan real outings. These are more polished and story-driven.
  3. Nabb Product Updates: Feature walkthroughs, how-tos, and bug transparency. This builds trust and makes users feel part of the journey.

Early results look promising. View counts are holding steady, but shares are way up, which is a great sign that this format is resonating.

This Week’s Focus

  • Continue test user invites: We are rolling out slowly but aiming for 100 active users in August. These users should know they’re testing a work-in-progress and that their feedback is gold.
  • Post more content: We are pushing for 2 to 3 posts a week, up from 1 every two weeks.
  • Finalize dev shop terms: Locking in ongoing support to squash bugs, iterate quickly, and keep momentum going now that we are live.

Looking Ahead

Getting the app into people’s hands was our first major milestone. It is nerve-wracking to ship something that is still rough, but seeing people want to use it, and hearing how it could be better, is the best validation we could ask for.

This is the worst the app will ever be. We are just getting started, and the only direction is up.

Let’s keep building something people cannot live without.

Pat

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Pat