ROLE
Solo Designer/Developer
RESPONSIBILITIES
CMS architecture & relational data structure
Custom interaction design & JavaScript implementation
Recommendation algorithm development
Visual design & AI-generated imagery
Responsive design & animation systems
This project started as a challenge: Could I learn production Webflow in 3 weeks by building something technically ambitious? Rather than following tutorials, I decided to learn by shipping - creating a complete travel booking site with multi-collection CMS, custom interactions, and algorithmic recommendations. The result is a functional proof-of-concept that demonstrates rapid technical learning and the ability to implement complex logic in no-code platforms.
The goal wasn't just to make something that looked good. It was to solve a real UX problem: how do you capture nuanced user preferences in an engaging way while simultaneously collecting quantifiable data for personalization?
CHALLENGE
Most online forms are boring dropdown menus and radio buttons. They're functional but forgettable. How could I create an input method that was genuinely engaging - where the interaction itself felt meaningful - while still collecting precise data for a recommendation system?
Additionally, I needed to build this while learning Webflow from scratch. No dev team. No safety net. Just documentation, experimentation, and a deadline.
The technical challenges were clear: build a scalable CMS that could support multiple destinations, create a custom interaction pattern that converted qualitative feelings into quantitative scores, and implement matching logic that actually surfaced relevant recommendations.
ONE
APPROACH
CMS-First Thinking
Interaction Design
Algorithmic Matching
TWO
EXECUTION
The Interactive System
CMS & Dynamic Filtering
Responsive & Polished
THREE
OUTCOME
What I Built:
Functional travel site with 3 interconnected CMS collections
Custom 6-step interaction system with real-time visual feedback
Weighted recommendation algorithm with dynamic content filtering
Complete responsive design with complex animation systems
All built in 3 weeks while learning the platform
What I Proved:
Ability to rapidly acquire new technical skills under deadline pressure
Can architect scalable systems and implement sophisticated logic in no-code tools
Comfortable combining interaction design, data structure, and algorithmic thinking
Ship ambitious solo projects without requiring hand-holding
This project demonstrates that I don't just design interfaces - I think through the entire system, from data architecture to user interaction to algorithmic output. And I can learn whatever tools are needed to execute.
FOUR
WHAT I LEARNED
Webflow can handle far more complexity than I expected. With proper CMS architecture and custom code, you can build sophisticated applications - not just marketing sites.
No-code doesn't mean no-logic. The hardest parts weren't the visual design - they were architecting the data relationships and getting the JavaScript right for state management and filtering.
Building under deadline constraints forces better prioritization. I had to constantly choose between "cool" and "core functionality." That tension made the final product stronger because every element had to justify its existence.
Most importantly: tutorial hell is real, but building is better. I learned more in 3 weeks of shipping than I would have in months of courses.
