Mike's Notes
I found it helpful to get this down on paper, so the process I use is conscious and can be tweaked over time.
This process has slowly evolved over many years since I was 15, when I started by grabbing non-fiction public library books off the shelves each week based on intuition. Practising this visual learning method, getting better over time and adding more steps seems to have worked a treat.
Most important is testing all assumptions.
I'm happy to receive suggestions.
Resources
- https://www.blog.ajabbi.com/2025/03/how-did-places-like-bell-labs-know-how.html
- https://www.blog.ajabbi.com/2025/02/the-creative-process-behind-pipi.html
- https://www.blog.ajabbi.com/2025/06/ingredients-for-brilliance.html
- https://www.blog.ajabbi.com/2025/03/it-helps-to-be-organised-but-not-too.html
- https://www.blog.ajabbi.com/2025/12/just-magic-working-on-globe-for.html
- https://www.blog.ajabbi.com/2026/05/no-posts-for-wee-while.html
References
- Reference
Repository
- Home > Ajabbi Research > Library >
- Home > Handbook >
Last Updated
03/08/2026
How I work effectively
Mike is the inventor and architect of Pipi and the founder of Ajabbi.
My creative problem-solving and build process is evolving, and the loop is getting faster.
- Understanding the problem starts with reading or talking with someone, watching a YouTube talk, or listening to the radio.
- Do lots of research, mostly reading books (days to months).
- Cheap thought experiments. What ifs.
- Drink plunger coffee.
- Print off a paper(s) or article(s) and file it in an indexed A4 3-hole ring-binder.
- Drink Chamomile tea.
- Daydream (solutions come within hours or months later).
- Drink plunger coffee.
- Draw the solution as many colour-coded A4 architecture drawing(s).
- Drink more coffee (Cappuccino).
- File the drawing(s) with the printed paper.
- Use the drawings to prompt Google Search AI Mode (free) with detailed instructions on what to build.
- Output teaches me, describes data model, code, documentation.
- Print off and file with the rest.
- Walk a dog. Plant a tree. Watch the sun rise.
- Read the printed AI output, colour-code, add doodles, correct, test, edit names, build, use in Pipi, while listening to music. (I don't copy-paste. I manually type to copy, because it helps me learn and understand.)
- Throw away all the paper except for the original research, which is moved from DevOps to the research library.
- Pipi then generates self-documentation, including mermaid drawings.
- Repeat.
Each loop cycle takes weeks to years. There are hundreds of cycles running in parallel at any one time. It's a pull system. I work on Pipi when something needs to be solved using my library of solutions. Totally intuitive, like an artist, not an engineer, and always fun like a kid playing with Lego.
Another important part of this process is writing up notes for this blog. As a slow writer, I need to allocate a regular slot each day to do this using Grammarly. I find it reflective; it makes me think a lot. A bit like teaching someone else a skill you have.
It's becoming more important to abandon personal deadlines. Going with the natural flow is more productive in the long run.
These changes are made possible because of the detailed work done over the last few months, removing barriers, including modifications to Pipi, reorganising space, equipment, and routines. It's also been made possible by the rapid advances in LLMs in 2026.
I think I have now solved all major problems to get Pipi 9 Core (Loki) running 24x7x52. Anything else that pops up can be quickly solved along the way as part of maintenance.
Now to execute very fast.
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