What IT support taught me about building software

Before I wrote software full time, I spent years in IT support. It shaped how I build products more than any framework has.

Users describe symptoms, not causes

"The internet is broken" usually meant a full disk, an expired password or a cable. Good support means asking calm, specific questions. Good software means error messages that do the same.

Every confusing screen becomes a ticket

When something is hard to understand, people do not read documentation; they ask for help. I now treat every unclear label as a future support request.

Write things down

The fastest fix is the one someone already documented. I keep short notes for every decision in a project, and they save hours later.

Support taught me empathy for the person on the other side of the screen. I try to build with that in mind.