I'm a construction manager who vibe coded a paperwork tracker. My workers loved it — until I accidentally broke it.

Pawel Mniszak, a 34-year-old construction superintendent based in Vancouver, shares an inspiring narrative about his transition from the construction field to developing a unique paperwork tracking tool. Growing up, Pawel learned the ropes of the industry from his father, a construction worker who overcame dyslexia with Pawel's help. This foundation in construction eventually led him to pursue a degree in programming and business management from Douglas College. Despite his programming education, Pawel found himself struggling to secure a coding job, realizing that his strengths lay in project management rather than pure coding. After a series of unsuccessful attempts at freelancing, he decided to focus on construction, where he felt more competent. However, his passion for programming never waned, and two years ago, as he welcomed his second child, he embarked on a journey of 'vibe coding'—a creative and less traditional approach to coding. Pawel turned to ChatGPT for support, which fueled his excitement and allowed him to tackle problems without the burden of memorizing complex languages. His tools evolved, and soon he discovered Claude, which he described as a game-changer. Recognizing the heavy paperwork demands on construction sites, he felt compelled to develop a solution that would streamline the process for his team, who often faced overwhelming paperwork responsibilities. Determined to create a more efficient system, Pawel designed a form system that his workers would fill out each morning. This system allowed for the collection and auditing of vital safety information without the typical delays of traditional methods. Initially, he kept his project under wraps, testing it with his colleagues who were impressed by his innovative approach. However, his confidence led to overreach. As he expanded the tool's capabilities to include a supervisor interface, he encountered technical challenges, including security vulnerabilities. A mishap allowed an unintended message to be broadcast to all users, prompting a crash course in security protocols. Despite the setbacks, Pawel's experience was a valuable learning opportunity. Now, as he works on a new version of his tool, he aims to combine elements of professional networking and construction management software into a cohesive platform. With the lessons learned from his initial attempts, Pawel is focused on building a strong foundation for the next iteration of his project, eager to contribute to the efficiency of construction site management.