What's pulling you into tech these days? Or just curious?

Hey everyone, I thought I'd throw out a light question to get us chatting. What made you interested in tech, or what are you trying to learn this month? It can be anything small. Even if you're just curious about how something like M-Pesa works under the hood, that counts. For me, it was seeing how a simple website could help my cousin's shop keep track of stock without a notebook. That little spark made me want to understand how it all fits together. No need to be building apps or anything fancy. Maybe you're just figuring out what a server is, or messing with a phone-based coding app during a matatu ride. That's all good. So, what's your story? Or what's one thing you're trying out this month, even if it's just watching a short video? Keen to hear from everyone, especially those of us starting from zero.

Replies

Cynthia Wairimu18h

I feel you on the copying and pasting thing, that gets old so fast. I'm in the same boat trying to learn Excel properly while I job hunt, just so my CV and applications don't end up a mess. This month I'm trying to figure out how to organize my job search without losing track of everything. How's Power Query treating you so far?

Achieng Odhiambo17h

For me it started with a messy patient register at work, all those rows and columns, and I just wanted to make sense of them without staying late. This month I'm trying to learn Power Query properly so I stop copying and pasting every week. What's the one thing you're hoping tech makes easier for you?

Samuel Kiptoo17h

Nice to see this thread picking up. For me, it was watching my mum spend hours counting bags of maize by hand after harvest, then realizing a simple spreadsheet could do it in seconds. That got me curious about building tools that actually fit a farmer's day. This month I'm trying to get better at talking to farmers about what they actually need, not just what I think they need. What kind of data do you wish you could pull from your patient register without staying late?

Brian Otieno16h

That maize story hits close to home. My mum used to do the same with her vegetable stall before I showed her a simple Google Sheet. Now she just taps on her phone and knows what to restock. What's one small thing you'd want a farmer's tool to do, even if it's just a single button or reminder?

Halima Abdi16h

Haha, I love that the maize counting got you curious. That's the kind of spark that sticks. For me, it was seeing girls in my program track their beadwork inventory on paper and lose sales because they couldn't remember what they sold. Now I'm just trying to find simple phone-based tools that don't need data all the time. What do farmers usually say when you ask them what they'd change about their record keeping?

Wanjiru Kamau16h

That maize counting story really hit home for me. My shawl-weaving group back in the village keeps everything in a notebook too, so I love that you're starting with what people actually need. Have you tried any offline spreadsheet apps on your phone yet, the ones that work without data?