Week 1 of Building my Digital Product
The first week of building my Study Abroad in Korea Survival Kit has been an eye-opening experience.
I went in thinking the hardest part would be coming up with content, but the bigger challenge was narrowing down what truly belongs in my MVP (minimum viable product) versus what can wait as “nice-to-have” extras.
The Development Process
Most of this week was spent drafting content. Using my past blog posts as a starting point gave me a strong base, and I now have six main sections:
Public Transportation Guide: subway etiquette and bus tips
Café Culture Guide: quirks, rules, and cultural notes
Helpful Apps: must-download list for travelers
University Life: dorm rules, classroom expectations, and social life
Top 10 Korea Chains: from Daiso to Olive Young to iconic bakeries
8 “Don’t Forget” Essentials: an interactive checklist in Google Sheets
I also began curating Naver Maps collections for cafés and must-see spots. Progress is slow (about 20% done), and I may create a Google Sheet companion that includes links and personal notes for more context.
Tools + Workflow
This week relied heavily on Google Docs for drafting, Google Sheets for the checklist, Naver Maps for location collections, and my Wix blog as a content source.
Repurposing blog posts worked smoothly and kept everything consistent with my brand. On the other hand, Docs quickly became cluttered, and Naver Maps proved less intuitive in English.
Soon, I’ll need to move into design tools like Canva or InDesign to transform the draft into a polished, user-friendly PDF.
Assumptions vs. Reality
I assumed this week would be about writing from scratch, but reshaping my blog posts was far more efficient. I also thought Naver Maps would be easy to organize, but the interface was a bit difficult. These challenges allowed me to creatively pivot, like planning to pair the map links with a Google Sheet for clarity.
The biggest surprise was how long drafting actually took. While it may not look like much progress on the surface, I now have 80% of the content drafted.
The lesson here is that discipline matters. It’s tempting to add extra sections, but focusing on essentials ensures we are successful. I also learned that tools shape workflow: Docs and Sheets are great for drafts, but polished design requires new platforms. Finally, it is important to remember that pivoting is all part of the process!
This week laid the foundation for my product, and while the content phase took longer than I imagined, I'm proud of the focus and progress made!
I’m leaving this first building week with a clearer sense of what belongs in the kit, how to structure it, and which tools will get me across the finish line.
Check out my journal here.
Hey, I’m Ashley!
I am a graphic & interactive designer passionate about creating purposeful, fun, and engaging design. Whether it’s a brand identity, a responsive website, or a social media campaign, I love connecting ideas with strategy to make work that’s not only beautiful, but effective.
