Do I need a jacket?

Solving the Daily Jacket Dilemma

We’ve all been there. We’re standing at the door, wondering if we need a jacket before heading out. This everyday dilemma inspired Stephanie Fois’ idea for this year’s Pointless Palooza. She pitched a simple yet valuable app that quickly tells you whether or not you need a jacket and, if so, what type.

Chris Manning, Noah Over, and Steven Hascher took on the challenge of bringing this idea to life during Viget's annual hackathon, Pointless Palooza. In a short timeframe, we get a chance to explore new skills, build something fun, and push personal development. You can check out all of our past projects over at Pointless Corp.

One of the most challenging aspects of a short-term project like this is scoping it effectively. With limited time, we had to identify what was feasible to do with a kickoff Wednesday night to a finish line set for Friday at noon. Our initial brainstorming session led to some ambitious stretch goals, such as allowing users to add jackets they own and set personalized warmth ratings. Other wishlist features included displaying jacket recommendations throughout the day, layering suggestions, and custom warmth preferences. However, given our constraints, we honed in on a V0 feature set that we could realistically execute.

V0 Feature Set

For our initial version, we decided on the following core features:

• Capture the user’s location.
• Retrieve the current weather forecast, including "feels like" temperatures and conditions.
• Inform the user if they need a jacket and suggest the appropriate type.
• Apply some visual polish to make the app user-friendly and intuitive.

We also thought an admirable stretch goal would be to create a Slack Bot, but spoiler alert, that didn’t happen. But what did happen was some quick product design work by Steven, who quickly spun up a very straightforward approach to the app in Figma.

Early Product Design

This clean and straightforward approach allowed us to visualize the user experience before jumping into development.

Mapping Weather to Jacket Types

One challenge we faced was determining the appropriate temperature ranges for different types of jackets. After researching R-values and various insulation factors, we settled on the following mappings:

• Lightweight (65-75°F): Hoodie, Windbreaker, Denim Jacket, Bomber Jacket, Track Jacket
• Medium-weight (45-65°F): Fleece-lined Hoodie, Leather Jacket, Fleece Jacket, Softshell, Light Puffer, Trench Coat
• Heavyweight (20-45°F): Thick Puffer, Parka, Wool Coat, Peacoat, Down Jacket
• Extremely Cold (Below 20°F): Expedition Parka, Heavy Down Jacket, Ski Jacket

While this mapping may not be a perfect fit for every individual or jacket type, it provided a solid starting point for our app’s recommendations.

Tech Stack

To build the application, we used the following technologies:

• Rails
• Postgres
• Inertia
• React
• Tailwind
• Vite
• Docker

One of the key technical challenges was efficiently mapping weather data to the appropriate jacket recommendations while ensuring smooth performance and an intuitive UI.

Introducing V0 of Do I Need a Jacket?

Do I Need a Jacket? is a simple, no-fuss app that helps you decide what to wear before heading out.

After identifying your location, with your approval, it pulls the latest weather report and tells you if you need a jacket. If you do, it suggests the right type based on the feels-like temperature and current conditions.

Now, no more second-guessing your outerwear decisions—just quick, reliable outfit advice at a glance.

Lessons Learned

One of the biggest takeaways from this project was the reminder of the importance of scoping based on the available time. Success depended on making quick, informed decisions and working collaboratively. The fast-paced nature of Pointless Palooza reinforced the value of decisive product development and agile problem-solving.

The project also allowed the team to hone under utilized skill sets and gave the group time to think more about authentication and authorization around APIs and different ways to approach them. Finally, the crew got a brief glimpse into Rails 8 and Inertia, which seems cool.

What's Next?

Looking ahead, we have some exciting ideas for future versions:

• User Jacket Database: Users can input their jackets and set warmth preferences.
• Expanded Weather Insights: Provide recommendations based on the full-day forecast.
• External Launch: Make the app available to a broader audience beyond our internal team.

For now, Do I Need a Jacket? is a fun and functional prototype, but we’re excited about its potential evolution. Stay tuned!