Embrace Silly Software for Creative Learning and Impactful Engineering

Key Quotes

"I think I use silly software in two ways. One is like I just learned a concept, I want to apply it somehow and kind of practice, but I want to make it kind of fun instead of just building another to-do app or a calculator app or something. And so one example of that was I wanted to learn about WebSockets, and so that's when I built the Mux's Worst Video Player that we can talk about a little later. But I wanted to see how can I use this technology to make something that's really cursed and terrible and fun and funny. And so that's one way, is like starting with the technology."

Christina Martinez explains that she uses "silly software" as a method for applying newly learned concepts in a more engaging way than traditional practice projects. Martinez highlights that this approach allows for creative exploration of technologies like WebSockets, as demonstrated by her participation in the "Mux's Worst Video Player" competition. This method serves as a fun and memorable way to solidify technical understanding.

"And then the second way is starting with an idea that I wanted to get to. So the Babel plugin that you were talking about, it started with just a joke Instagram video from someone else, like a guy named Justin, and he was making a joke about what if people could code in Gen Z slang? And I was like, "I bet you could totally make that happen." And so I found a way to make it happen by figuring out what tools you could use. So those are kind of my two approaches, but I like to kind of add a little twist so that it's a little more interesting than just doing the same thing and following a tutorial or whatever it may be."

Martinez describes her second approach to creating "silly software," which begins with a conceptual idea rather than a specific technology. She uses the example of the Gen Z Babel plugin, which originated from a humorous social media post. Martinez emphasizes that this method involves identifying the necessary tools to bring the idea to life, always with the goal of adding a unique twist to make the project more engaging than a standard tutorial.

"But I think it makes it really fun and exciting to work on things that are a little more creative. So yeah, I think I use silly software in two ways. One is like I just learned a concept, I want to apply it somehow and kind of practice, but I want to make it kind of fun instead of just building another to-do app or a calculator app or something."

Martinez articulates that engaging with "silly software" provides a creative outlet that makes technical learning more enjoyable. She explains that this approach contrasts with building conventional applications like to-do lists or calculators. Martinez uses these projects as a way to apply new concepts in a practice setting that is both fun and stimulating.

"And I think of it as like, I'm not a comedian at all, but with improv comedy, it's like a "yes, and" type of attitude where people add on to your idea. And I think finding someone that's like that and you're able to kind of riff off each other and make the project better, I think that's what you need to look for when you're looking for a partner or group to work on things in hackathons or just side projects like this."

Martinez draws an analogy to improv comedy to describe the collaborative dynamic in software development. She suggests that a "yes, and" mindset is crucial when working with others on projects. Martinez believes that finding like-minded individuals who can build upon each other's ideas leads to a more enhanced final product, which is essential for successful hackathons and side projects.

"Yeah, I think it is really overlooked. A lot of times we focus on building the coolest thing possible, and we pour all our energy into it. And then when it gets to sharing it, we just don't know what to do, I guess. And so then it doesn't really go anywhere because people don't know that they should be excited about it or spend time learning about it."

Martinez highlights the underestimation of storytelling skills within the engineering field. She observes that developers often concentrate heavily on the creation of a project but neglect the crucial step of effectively communicating its value. Martinez explains that without compelling narratives, projects may fail to gain traction because potential users or collaborators do not understand why they should be interested or invest time in learning about them.

"And so that kind of drove all of the decisions that I made as I was trying to figure out what controls to add and that sort of thing. But I feel like that helped sell it a little bit more, and helped, it was a competition, so I ended up winning the competition and flying to New York for a fellowship, and they treated me so well the entire time. It was so great. But yeah, I guess like being able to sell your story, and like, I don't know, it sounds like I'm being very like marketing business person right now, like talking about selling and stuff, but you need to think of it as not just being a salesperson, but like faithfully telling the story of what the product is and why you're so excited about it."

Martinez illustrates how a narrative framework can guide product development and enhance its reception, using the example of the Mux video player competition. She explains that the story behind the project, inspired by frustrating group projects, informed her design choices for the controls. Martinez emphasizes that framing the project's story, even if it sounds like marketing, is essential for conveying its purpose and generating enthusiasm from others.