Too early. Only a handful of people lined up with us to go see the sunrise. The cable cars come in a set of four. When it leaves, no other set follows it. It doesn’t matter, no more people are waiting in line. It’s peculiar for China. But I guess this is a minor geopark, and China’s largess doesn’t apply here.
It was pitch black as we start the ascent towards the viewing deck. Cellphones lit to guide our way across the uneven steps. A few climbers pass us by as we find our way. Slowly, and surely, and safely.
The viewing area is called Duo Shi, or Stone Rudder. A more apt name would be a Stone Bow, for a ship’s bow. But it doesn’t matter, when the sun rises, we will see the poetry in its name. When the sun rises, the Stone Rudder will steer us into the morning.
Posted 1 year ago
Brunei Trip 2014.
Brunei was like a time-travel adventure as the buildings in Bandar sort of gave this 70s Roxas Boulevard vibe. There’s this sense that it was a modern city in its time and has not caught up to the glass-windowed future. A surreal ghost town — we went there on a holiday that we can almost count the number of people we saw in each attraction with our fingers.
It’s probably what 70′s Manila would be like had its main religion been Islam. Buildings full of exquisite geometric patterns. Very beautiful mosques, with marble-slabbed walls and golden domes.
The food was very colourful, but I couldn’t say that I enjoyed it a lot. We probably lacked the proper foodie tour guide to satiate our palate.
It was a pilgrimage of some sorts. A cleansing. In Bandar, I didn’t feel any material need. It was like I had everything I needed with me – the air in my lungs, my beating heart and the friends that I was travelling with. That’s what living in a society with minimal advertising is — I was content.
The people were super friendly. Once, we got stranded in a mosque and someone offered to take us back to our hotel. There was no hesitation to take up that offer — I knew I can trust in the general goodness of society.
The Hong Kong Wetland Park was built to compensate for wetlands lost due to new development, and to educate the public about Hong Kong’s diverse wetland ecosystem and highlight wetland conservation.
I was quite thrilled with how they designed the park, specifically:
how the themed-gallery provides meaningful interactions that educate the visitors, especially the kids;
how they use the public space to build relationships between parents and children, between humans and the environment; and,
how this project is a legacy to this generation’s commitment to responsible urban planning and how they then entrust it to the future generations.
The park is divided into the indoor and outdoor area. The indoor area houses a themed exhibition area that uses games to educate and interact with visitors. For this blog post, I’d like to loo closer at the games used, the game mechanics and interaction.
Theme: Educate the public about the consequences of environmental decision, stress proper farming, logging methods.
Simulation game screen shots.
Mechanics: They used a simulation game wherein the player decides what kinds of crops to plant and where, and what kinds of added infrastructure were needed a la The SIMS. The game would then simulate crop growth, yield and environmental consequences of the agricultural plan. After, it will suggest proper farming techniques to the player, and the player gets to play again.
Thoughts: I think this is a good way of testing player’s knowledge in certain areas like farming and logging without overwhelming them with information. If they are unsuccessful on their first try, the player will feel challenged to do better on the next around. The game will then tell the player how to win the game through educational information. Next round, the player will naturally gravitate towards correct farming, logging practices to win.
Theme: Challenge assumptions on our daily consumption and present data
Interactive “infographics.”
Mechanics: Multiple choice type of game wherein displays light up when the player hits the correct answer.
Thoughts: I especially like how data is presented as opposed to infographics or just using plain numbers. The water bottles light up to indicate how much water is used up by washing machines, by using the shower, etc. And because the bottles used are the actual size, it is easier for the players to get a feel of just how much is wasted.
Theme: Save the wetlands.
One of the personal screens uploading results to the main screen.
Mechanics: For this one, game-show type mechanics was followed. There are four players per session, and each of these players participate using personal screens that surround the big, main screen at the middle.
The main screen is a simulation of building growth over time. The buildings are color-coded to each one of the four players. The more buildings appear on the screen, the more destroyed the wetland gets.
Each player controls one aspect of the environment: recycling, something, something and something. There are 8 rounds of questions. For every round of correct answer, the color-coded building assigned to the player gets blown up, making the wetland healthier.
The main screen.
Thoughts: This game is slightly complicated and not executed properly. I attribute the biggest confusion to the main-screen graphics. They looked like charts and not immediately apparent what is going on there. For every round, the personal screen sends the results of the game to the main screen. The main screen changes according to the scores, but the personal screens don’t get any feedback on how much color buildings were destroyed and how many else is left. This doesn’t give me a sense of accomplishment.
Also, it’s impossible to join in the game or figure out what’s going on after the game starts. The result of this were kids getting interested in the screens and start clicking away, but nothing happens. They don’t wait anymore and move on to the next game. I thought that was poor as this game seemed to be the centerpiece of the exhibition area.
Conclusion
The success of the interactions is largely because they stayed true to the education theme. The games all had clearly defined purposes, and the designers used the appropriate game mechanics for them. However, being too educational borders on boring if not balanced with fun and simplicity. The main audience are kids, and as curious as they are, they will shy away from things not easily comprehensible to them.
I made this jewellery box last month in the span of 24 hours.
I don’t think I could have done it so fast if jewellery making wasn’t something I’ve done before and if I didn’t know the workflow already.
Shopping for materials was quite easy after I had my idea drafted down on paper. I knew precisely what I was looking for and was able to improvise on materials that couldn’t be found immediately. The lucky part was that the size estimates I did were all quite right and they fit in together quite well.
Have I used it at all? Around twice already, but the double-sided tape is just being ripped from everything that I probably should either redo the whole thing, or buy some thumbtacks. :D
I started working for a bioinformatics company a few weeks ago and I’m just so amazed by what they’re doing.
In a nutshell, bioinformatics uses computer science to understand biological processes. It’s about dealing with big data produced by sequencing genomes. The practical applications are mind-blowing. For example, bioinformatics help in identifying disease-causing genes like cancer genes. And what gets me really excited is that this field will literally change the way we live and how long we live and I am going to be part of that!
I was a little afraid of working here at first because of the language barrier and because they don’t really have the awesome offices and culture of a silicon-valley-esque company. But after watching a 5 hour documentary about DNA (http://www.pbs.org/wnet/dna/episode1/), I think I will be eternally regretful if I pass up the chance to make a dent and contribute to this bigger cause called human life.
Whew. I never thought that I would find something like this in Hong Kong.
Biotechnology
Anyway, with this new-found curiosity for bio-anything, I have stumbled upon Theranos and Elizabeth Holmes.
Theranos is disrupting the medical testing industry with a new and cheaper way of doing blood tests. And Elizabeth Holmes dropped out of college to found it.
I find myself idolising Elizabeth. She is amazing and the work she has done – she has created a meaningful product that solves a real problem and will actually make life better for everyone.
Some bits of this idolisation probably stem from me identifying with her physical attributes: her deep voice and the way she likes to sit de quatro. But that’s beside the point.
I like how she is highly motivated and purposeful. And I envy her that she knows what her life’s work is going to be and that she’s already doing it.
“I grew up with those stories about greatness,” she said, “and about people deciding not to spend their lives on something purposeful, and what happens to them when they make that choice—the impact on character and quality of life.” -Elizabeth Holmes, New Yorker http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/12/15/blood-simpler
I’ve had quite a travel and design-filled December and January which I should post about later on. But for now, I want to share with you guys my fireworks photographs from Hong Kong’s Lunar New Year Celebrations.
Having a tripod where you can add weights to is great for stabilising on windy nights. I used a Braun Lightweight 160 and added water bottles.
ND filters are great so you can expose longer. I didn’t have one that night so I used the black part of a graduated filter instead. I don’t think it disappointed.
Shooting in Raw is awesome because it leaves a lot of room for post-processing.
There you go! Shot with Canon 550D, kit lens (18-55mm). Settings alternated between f8.0 and f14.0, and anywhere between 4" to 8" exposure.
Not only does it take a fresh look on airline booking, it also gives you, the passenger, minor details while booking that might inconvenience you when you’re already there.
In my test drive of it, I had the unfortunate habit of selecting seats that were a little bit special. For example, I selected a seat that does not recline, and the site gives me this little pop-up to tell me. And then for the return flight, I selected a seat that might be given to the disabled if a disabled is on flight, and it informs me too. That just makes me happy!
One thing I would change though, as it causes a minor annoyance, is when I start over, the details of my first booking should be carried over. Makes no sense to fill up the same forms again.
But all in all, really refreshing site!
Posted 2 years ago
Pace25: Pomodoro timer app is a study on Android’s Material Design language and designing for mobile.
Challenges
Designing under such a strict set of guidelines was both complicated and liberating at the same time. Complicated because the layout had to be precise to the specific pixel. And liberating because the subjective part of layouting (should I put this higher or lower, add more shadow or make the font bigger questions) are now taken care of.
Method
I started with a set of features I would love to have on my current timers: be able to track pomodoros per task. Then I created basic flows for it on paper. I did some research on what kind of UI other apps, Tumblr, Facebook, Google+, timers, are using before settling on having a tabbed menu that i can swipe right and left.
Tools
I started prototyping using Sketch app but because I was trying to learn two things at once: designing under guidelines and learning the Sketch environment, it got too frustrating for me. So I decided to understand the mobile guidelines first using Illustrator and maybe I’ll do my next project with Sketch.
Conclusion
That’s it for now! I hope you enjoyed this simple app. And if you have comments on what I should do better then don’t hesitate to leave a comment. :D
So I saw this video lying around in my Facebook newsfeed, and decided to watch it.
“When we choose betweenoptions that are on a par,we can do something really rather remarkable.We can put our very selves behind an option.Here’s where I stand.Here’s who I am. I am for banking.I am for chocolate donuts.This response in hard choicesis a rational response,but it’s not dictated by reasons given to us.Rather, it’s supported by reasons created by us.When we create reasons for ourselvesto become this kind of person rather than that,we wholeheartedly become the people that we are.You might say that we become the authorsof our own lives.”
- Ruth Chang,“How to Make Hard Choices”, TED, May 2014, New York
This makes me remember Theology class and the fundamental option theory. Only I don’t want fundamental option in the Catholic definition of it about sin, but in a more philosophical view: that one action (sin) does not equate me being a good person or a bad person, but the sum total of all my actions. And these actions are all guided by the fundamental direction I have chosen, to become good or bad.
This also makes me think of statistics and graphs: where all dots in a graph would probably be going in more or less the same chosen trend, and the few outliers out there, are just that, outliers that do not change the trend of the graph.
And this makes me reflect on what I’m doing right now, introducing myself as a UX designer, and fundamentally choosing to be one. This makes me start doing a lot of different things — like attending events, talks, conferences, or meeting people interested in it, or doing small projects to deepen my knowledge of it — that leads me into actually becoming a UX designer. (Or I can be philosophical and say, am I not already one right now?)
This past month made me realise that having a vision of what I want to be is very powerful.
For one, I was able to get rid of my almost quarter-life crisis of not being good enough to become anything.
Second, I have now put myself in a box that limits the choices I can make. And that’s good because knowing I can be anything I want severely paralysed me from finding out the one thing I want to become. If that makes sense. (This again makes me think of Theo131, freedom and commitment.)
Third, this box has made me become creative. I have become more attuned to the opportunities I can take to become what I want to be and think up strategies to get there.
Fourth, I’m optimistic. I feel that everything is now setup for success and I just have to take the steps to get there.
Fifth, I’m happy.
I’m so happy I’m teary right now.
This makes me go back to this post I wrote after the last day of school: A Closure, A Commencement: Reflecting On Four Years of Life. At that time I was a drifter, not knowing what I want to be, but just promising myself to become a being-towards-perfection. I think my 2012 self would be proud of what I am now, actualising.
It’s almost the end of 2014, so today I promise myself something: to never get lost again, to always have a goal I can aim small wins at, and to look back to this post whenever I feel burned.
Posted 2 years ago
Current WIP.
Line art of Mayon Volcano.
I’m thinking of doing a whole Philippine series between all these events and readings.
