Learning Log: 2023
My focus this year was meant to be SQL & Python, but it ended up being mostly JavaScript, and then I got a bit distracted by GenAI.
Holiday: The Canadian Rockies
A gallery of images from my recent trip to the Canadian Rockies—built using my inaugural Web Component.
View Transitions: A basic implementation
Instructions on how to implement simple View Transitions, including a couple of animated GIFs to show the results.
Using 'text-wrap: balance'
I demonstrate the effect of enabling text-wrap: balance for titles and headings across onlyrss.org.
10 benefits of RSS for Product Managers
RSS is a great solution for anyone who needs to efficiently monitor the web for specific topics. Below I list 10 benefits of using RSS for Product Managers.
HTML & CSS table with progress bars
I share the code I used to create the tables from my recent 'Learning Log: 2022' article.
Air India: Putting their recent order into context
I put Air India's recent record-breaking order of Airbus and Boeing aircraft into context by comparing the quantity of aircraft ordered alongside their current fleet via a simple isotype chart.
Infographic: The 25 largest passenger airlines
This infographic depicts the fleet size (and split by manufacturer) of the 25 largest passenger airlines.
Airbus vs Boeing: An experiment in charting
The results of my first attempts at creating data visualisations using just HTML & CSS.
Learning Log: 2022
My focus this year was on the display of unstructured data i.e. articles. So that meant a deep dive into typography, and the redesign and rebuild of this website.
Zoom and enhance!
With modern off-the-shelf AI tools, it's now possible to bring old or degraded photos back to life by adding (or correcting) colour, and enhancing faces.
My first JavaScript “app”
I created a simple app that selects n random exercises from an array. I've included a link to the app and the source code.
Adding screenshots to your PWA install experience
You can improve your visitors' PWA install experience on mobile by adding product screenshots to your manifest file.
Automatically numbering figures using CSS counters
You can use CSS Counters and the ::before pseudo selector to automatically label and number figures within a webpage.
Loading images only when (or if) they are needed
Using the Details & Summary elements with lazy loading to load and display images only when/if they’re requested.
Linking tables to their associated bar charts
One of the shortcomings of stacked bar charts can be overcome by allowing users to choose which category is aligned to the chart's baseline. This article describes one possible implementation of that solution.
Drop Caps and Indents
A niche & nerdy look at how paragraphs can be visually distinguished using a little CSS.
Why I prefer the Kindle over physical books
Smaller, lighter, brighter—and with a built-in dictionary. In my opinion, a Kindle is better than a “real” book.
Why every Product Manager should build a website
Understanding all the (hidden) tasks that are required to create even a basic website has helped me to become a better Product Manager. So much so that I'd recommend that all Product Managers give it a go.
My indoor rowing tips after 15 million meters
My 7 year rowing journey, including my Concept 2 setup, and some tips for anyone new to indoor rowing.
Chart Picker
My Excalidraw diagram designed to help you pick the correct chart type.
RSS Part 1:
What is RSS and what are ‘aggregators’?
An RSS aggregator can save you a huge amount of time by bringing new web content to you. This includes blog posts, news articles, and search engine results.
Drawing with Excalidraw
Excalidraw is a great tool for quickly creating UI mock-ups, it also includes access to user generated libraries, which means you're not creating everything from scratch.
Working from home hardware
If you work from home on a regular basis, invest in a good monitor—or better still, two! Wire up your home with Ethernet, and for the love of all that's holy, ditch your tiny Bluetooth earbuds and get a real wired headset!
Anatomy of a lockdown weekday
Working from home—and ditching the lengthy commute—can benefit both you and your employer. Here's how it changed my weekdays.
Using virtual desktops in Windows 10
Group your app windows together based on the specific tasks you are trying to achieve e.g. create monthly report, write user stories etc. and then place each group in a Windows virtual desktop.