The Challenges faced in Building a Trello Powerup

An Interview with Michael Schepis & Florentin Ledy

Interview Date: 7th December 2023

Q1: Can you share the inspiration behind the development of Hidynotes?

A: Over a year ago Handle got attacked by ransomware prior to Australian Optus attack in Sept 2022. What a wakeup call that was leading to us paying 0.5 BTC (at peak) to which I had to learn how to decrypt information rebuild our servers and then overhaul our backups and cyber security for us and some of our clients work.

What I learnt from this was even after 8+ years of business you never know whats around the corner and it led me to take a stronger stance on privacy and security and further an interest on how we can help others.

Q2: What were the initial scope and vision for Hidynotes, and were there any adjustments made during the development process?

During the development process, many changes can occur, and Hidynotes was no exception to this. Initially, Hidynotes aimed to provide a highly enjoyable user experience, leading to several revisions and improvements in this area. Moreover, the functional system of Hidynotes underwent significant adaptation to become multi-regional during the development. This change was crucial to make the tool usable and fast worldwide, ensuring a seamless and efficient experience for users across different regions. Such adjustments are common in development processes to align the final product more closely with user needs and global accessibility standards.

Q3: What were the primary technical challenges you faced, particularly regarding data security and privacy?

Designing a tool for data confidentiality and security is complex. It requires multi-regional backup systems for data integrity and encryption at various levels, including databases and data storage like images. Additionally, strict access control is vital, as implemented in tools like Hidynotes, to ensure only authorized personnel can access sensitive data.

Q4: Achieving synchronization across devices can be complex. What challenges did you encounter in this aspect, and how did you address them?

From the onset of Hidynotes’ design, synchronization across devices was a primary consideration. The architecture of Hidynotes was built with this in mind, ensuring that all regional databases are synchronized. This approach allows all users to work with the same data, irrespective of their location or device. By integrating this synchronization mechanism into the core architecture, Hidynotes effectively addressed the complexities typically associated with device synchronization, ensuring a consistent and seamless user experience across various platforms.

Q5: Designing an intuitive interface is crucial. What challenges did you face in creating a user-friendly experience, and how did you respond to user feedback on this front?

A: Designing an intuitive interface required multiple iterations. User feedback played a pivotal role, leading to refinements that improved overall usability.

Q6: Were there any unexpected challenges in integrating features into Hidynotes?

A: Integration challenges arose when incorporating collaborative features. Balancing real-time collaboration with data integrity required careful consideration and extensive testing.

Q7: How did you ensure cross-platform compatibility, and were there challenges related to this aspect?

Ensuring cross-platform compatibility for Hidynotes involved adapting to various operating systems and web browsers, which required meticulous planning and execution in the tool’s design. This level of adaptability is crucial to make Hidynotes accessible to a wide range of users, regardless of their computer’s specifications or preferred browser. In addition to the core compatibility challenges, Hidynotes also had to consider and support other user preferences, such as dark and light themes. These features, while seemingly minor, significantly enhance user experience and are increasingly expected in modern applications.

Q8: Can you discuss how resource and time constraints were managed during the development process?

A: Resource constraints were navigated by prioritizing essential features and functionalities. Time management involved agile development practices, allowing us to adapt to changing requirements.

Q9: How did user feedback influence the development process, and were there any major iterations made based on user suggestions?

A: User feedback was invaluable. It prompted several iterations, including the refinement of features and adjustments to the user interface to better align with user expectations. Reaching out internally then like most to family and friends to which then led to discussions with designers, youtubers and the broader community.

Q10: Looking back, what lessons have you learned from the challenges encountered during the development of Hidynotes?

A: The importance of user-centric development and the need for continuous adaptation became clear. These lessons will undoubtedly shape our approach to future projects. I think the most. Inspiring part about this is that our product began because we did face a challenge and that when faced with adverse situations that tend to go through a process of realisation, challenge, dred, defeat and its at this point you need to problem solve to which you then leap over defeat and work on how do we do this and then the fix. The other is to have fun and enjoy the process.

Q11: What are your future plans for Hidynotes, and how do you anticipate the challenges faced during the initial development phase influencing these plans?

A: Our future plans involve further enhancing collaboration features and expanding compatibility. The challenges faced initially will inform decisions on scalability and user-centric improvements. We have seen strong growth and uptake in the USA, Europe and Asia. Currently we are across various countries and have over 150+ active users as of today and growing daily.

Thank you, Michael & Florentin, for providing valuable insights into the challenges faced during the development of Hidynotes. Your experiences offer valuable lessons for the broader development community.