3 weeks into the new gig at Splunk (Cisco) and I needed a way to ramp fast.

3 weeks into the new gig at Splunk (Cisco) and I needed a way to ramp fast.

So I built one.

(Quick context if you missed the start: https://lnkd.in/gH-Gzyhj)

It's a small browser app that pulls from the public Splunk docs (docs.splunk.com) and the official certification blueprints (https://lnkd.in/gqEXyRyh), then generates blueprint-weighted practice questions across the certification tracks. Exam mode, mastery-biased practice, progress saved per cert. React + Vite, runs locally, no accounts.

The bit I wasn't expecting: the questions aren't always right.

And that's turned out to be the most valuable part. When something feels off — a wrong answer, a fuzzy explanation, a domain I clearly don't understand yet — I have to go back to the docs and actually read. I end up exploring corners of SPL, knowledge objects, and search optimisation I'd never have picked from a topic list on day one.

The "wrong" answers became the curriculum.

Turns out the best way to ramp on a platform isn't a perfect study tool. It's a useful one with enough rough edges to force you to stop and think.

Anyone else found their best learning came from tools that weren't quite finished?

#Splunk #Cisco #Learning #BuildToLearn