Its better to be able to say you know something by learning it rather than just by having read about it. Back in December 2024 I started experimenting with building using AI and now my AI-assisted workflows have helped me execute. Shipping is important, else its all theory.
At first it felt like Stack Overflow on steroids.
I needed an answer → AI gave me something plausible → copy, paste, run.
A lot of what people now call “vibe coding”.
Prompt something. Accept what comes back. Fix errors as they appear. Repeat until it works.
It’s messy, but it’s also an incredible way to learn quickly.
Early on I experimented with everything I could get my hands on.
Running models locally on my Mac through Ollama. Trying different open models. Testing dev workflows.
It was interesting technically, but the development experience wasn’t great and iteration was too slow. I eventually moved fully to cloud models.
Claude and ChatGPT became the main tools.
At that stage the workflow looked something like:
prompt → generate → paste → run → debug → repeat.
I was learning UI patterns, databases, application structure — while also learning how to prompt effectively.
Back then the Claude free-tier memory limits slowed things down at times, so I bounced between Claude and ChatGPT depending on what I needed.
Eventually I actually got something running.
And I was excited.
Then the scope widened. things starting coming together for me under ArchitectFWD™ as I thought about the opportunity.
I started using AI for things outside the code:
- voiceover scripts
- AI voice tools
- image generation for socials
- content drafts
At some point this all turned into two separate products.
-
prfrm — first I tested and learnt here. I focused on performance management for individuals and teams. AI-assisted goal creation, alignment and progress visibility.
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Enterprise — a platform for strategy, architecture and organisational alignment. I am super excited at how this will change outcomes for organisations who choose to join me on this journey.
Two very different problems. Two very different ways of thinking. But they’re aligned - Strategy and Execution. Structure and organisation. people, assisted by AI.
Trying to juggle both in ad-hoc AI chats stopped working pretty quickly.
Around the same time my Google Workspace renewal rolled around and I started using Gemini more heavily. That shifted things again.
Less Claude. Less ChatGPT. No more local Ollama.
The workflow became much more structured.
I started introducing:
- Product requirements documents (PRDs)
- explicit VS Code rules settings
- better context engineering
- more deliberate prompts
Most of my work now happens inside the IDE, with AI acting more like an assistant than the driver.
Gemini and ChatGPT still help with quick domain questions, explanations, and research — but the development experience and flow is much tighter.
There have definitely been mistakes along the way.
- Lost code.
- Poor commit discipline.
- Letting AI refactor too much at once.
- Learning the hard way where guardrails matter.
- Tests and migrations breaking databases
But the practices are improving.
Is it fully spec-driven development?
Not yet.
But prompts are increasingly behaving like specifications.
I’m also starting to ask for tests. Do I run them?
Is it proper TDD? Probably not.
But let’s be honest — how many teams claiming TDD actually do it well?
I am experimenting now with something closer to spec-driven development. It’s not there yet.
- Write the intent.
- Set the rules.
- Let the AI implement.
- Test
- Commit
- Ship
Sometimes the responses still need steering.
But the speed difference is remarkable.
Issue a prompt. Tell the AI to follow the rules. Lock the screen. Come back later.
It’s a pretty interesting way to build. 🚀
This is architecture, moving forward.
Architect Forward and Transform.
24+ years experience in solving business problems and maximising opportunities through technology in a variety of industries, public and private sector internationally. I founded architectFWD™ to provide knowledge and trusted advice in the areas of strategy, technology, cloud and digital to enable organisations to become Digital Leaders.