Engineer with 16+ years building scalable systems and leading technical initiatives. I've worked across banking, gaming, government, and startups, solving complex technical problems while mentoring engineers and working closely with product teams. Strong in Java, Golang, TypeScript, Rust, and Kafka. Open to remote work with Asia-Pacific timezone overlap.
Engineer with 16+ years building scalable systems and leading technical initiatives. I've worked across banking, gaming, government, and startups, solving complex technical problems while mentoring engineers and working closely with product teams. Strong in Java, Golang, TypeScript, Rust, and Kafka. Open to remote work with Asia-Pacific timezone overlap.
Interesting challenge was designing for minimal distractions while keeping setup simple for parents. Timer-locked navigation so kids can see what's next but can't start other tasks or switch profiles. Also refactored from schedule-centric (nightmare to maintain) to task-definitions as first-class citizens, which made creating schedules way easier
React Native/Expo + Firebase. On the App Store after months of dogfooding with the family
I did consider that early on, but decided against it for now. Adding social features would be a privacy nightmare (especially with kids involved) and would significantly complicate both the UX and codebase
Fair points, and I appreciate the candid feedback. The demo tasks were chosen to showcase different task types (timed, photo-proof, etc) rather than being prescriptive about what kids should do. But I can see how it reads as "tiger parent starter pack"
For context: my older son genuinely enjoys chess and piano, and this structured schedule approach was recommended by their child psychologist. We tried paper-based scheduling but it didn't stick, so my wife asked me to build an app to help
Your point about useful adult skills is well taken. The hope is they internalise the habit of planning and following through, so eventually they can set their own schedules. We'll see how it goes
Ah we're pretty similar in that regard. Officially their screen time is 30min on weekdays (excluding the app usage and chess.com) so the app basically digitise that whiteboard + timer concept
Photo proof actually was my wife's idea. She wanted to verify the task quality when she wasn't at home - similar to your audit capability
I guess the 12year old battles will be coming for me next.. Not exactly looking forward to the puberty haha
Glad that works for you! We tried paper-based routines but they didn't stick for us. The timer helps them realize tasks take less time than they think, and the photo proof solves disputes about task quality when sometimes their "done" meant rushed with minimal effort :D
Thanks! Glad it resonates. The app is designed specifically for kids with a simplified UX and parent mode, so it might feel too basic for adults. However, the core concepts (ordered tasks, focus timer, photo completion) could work. Worth trying the trial to see if it fits :)
In this case, navigation means in-app navigation. When a task timer is running, kids can't switch to other tasks, go back to the main screen, or change profiles. They have to complete the current task first
The goal is to keep them focused on one thing at a time without the temptation to jump around :)
Yeah, that's a valid concern. We use an older spare iPhone for this, which worked out well. iOS doesn't have a "Kids Corner" equivalent unfortunately - you'd need to use Screen Time restrictions to lock down the device (block apps/calls/etc) but still need to unlock the phone
Thanks! This was my wife's idea and I thought it's interesting but was skeptical at first. But after we started using it, it actually helped a lot! Much less whining/crying and a lot less stressful for my wife and I
So at least it works for my family, and just like you said, it's a huge win by itself :)
Remote: Yes (open to hybrid/onsite in Singapore)
Willing to relocate: No
Technologies: Java, Golang, TypeScript, JavaScript, Rust, Node, PostgreSQL, Kafka, Ansible, Kubernetes, Terraform, React Native, Expo, React
Resume: https://ronaldsuwandi.com
Email: [email protected]
Engineer with 16+ years building scalable systems and leading technical initiatives. I've worked across banking, gaming, government, and startups, solving complex technical problems while mentoring engineers and working closely with product teams. Strong in Java, Golang, TypeScript, Rust, and Kafka. Open to remote work with Asia-Pacific timezone overlap.