Product decisions, design choices, and lessons learned along the way
The case for structured booking requests in coaching relationships (and why we think coaches will prefer it)
Coordinating ice skating lessons via text is exhausting. Instant booking feels wrong. We built something in between for Rinkly: structured requests where parents propose and coaches approve in one click. Here's the design rationale behind choosing approval over automation.
How we stopped making coaches switch between two pages and put everything on one calendar
Coaches were constantly switching between the calendar page (to see sessions) and the availability page (to manage open slots). Same timeline, different views, double the cognitive load. We unified them into one calendar that shows both - and learned that the hardest part wasn't the layout algorithm, it was deciding what not to show.
How we stopped gatekeeping productivity and let coaches work the way their brains actually want to work
Most scheduling platforms create friction before value. We took the opposite approach: let coaches start immediately, remove coordination overhead, and make connection optional. The result? Coaches who actually use the tool instead of abandoning it after the trial.
Why a simple list of ice rinks took three days and taught us about the complexity hiding in simplicity
What started as "just display a list of rinks" turned into a masterclass in progressive disclosure, geographic awareness, and mobile-first design. Here's what we learned building infrastructure that needs to feel invisible.