The last 5% - Ben's 1x1x1 - June 27, 2025 🚀
For those of you that are new here, every week I send what I call a 1x1x1.
One thought from my week.
One interesting find/tool from my week.
One image from my life.
Let’s dive in 👇
Thought from the week
I always forget how brutal the last 5% of a project is.
It’s like the boss level you didn’t train for.
Some of you know I’ve been working on a new project called Luna, a virtual vet care app.
In my head, it was simple:
- A chat box
- A user profile
- Click a button, boom, you’re talking to a vet.
Easy, right?
Fast-forward a few weeks, I’m now deep in Figma land with our UI/UX designer.
And guess how many screens we’ve designed?
Over 120.
For an app I thought would be like… 15.
It’s a humbling reminder that when you want to build something well, you can’t just throw a chat bubble on a page and call it a day.
You gotta think about:
- What happens if a user closes the app mid-consult?
- What if their dog eats their phone charger mid-chat?
- What if they want to change their pet’s profile picture to a capybara halfway through onboarding?
Edge cases everywhere.
It’s like whack-a-mole, but every mole has a UX ticket and an emotional support animal.
So yeah, the first 95% is fast and fun.
The last 5%?
That’s where all the real sweat lives.
That’s the difference between a prototype and a product people actually trust.
Next time someone says “it’s basically done,” just smile and add 3 weeks.
Interesting find/tool of the week
My wife got an Ooni pizza oven. I’ve never felt so Italian.
Image from my life
This is our neighborhood! We’re so lucky to live where we do.