Independent product engineer / field notes 2026
I spent twenty years close to operational work—implementing systems, helping people use them, and seeing where software fails the people doing the job. Now I turn that experience into products of my own.
Selected work
Three products, each grounded in a real problem and tested through actual use.
A shared work desk for people building across projects with AI agents. It keeps decisions, queues, handoffs, and proof in one durable place.
A connected cafeteria operations suite shaped by twenty years of firsthand workflow knowledge—from inventory and purchasing to ordering and service.
Voice-first grocery navigation that turns a natural shopping list into a useful, store-aware route.
How I work
The awkward handoff, the exception nobody planned for, the screen that asks an operator to think like a database—those are usually where the real product begins.
I use AI agents as engineering partners, then test the result in the running product. The tools move quickly; judgment, security, and proof still belong to me.
Field note 01 The useful detail is usually hiding in the exception.
For a closer look
These are intentionally public, sanitized views of how I structure and reason about software. Production source stays private.
Let's talk
I'm always interested in thoughtful engineering roles, useful product work, and people solving difficult operational problems.
justin@wilds.us