May 2020

Brian Dys

Creative Leadership
Brian Dys Archive Index
526
Design Lead @ PayMaya
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The Agile Manifesto and Principles

15:25:25
15:25:25
Brian Dys Avatar Brian Dys
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Yesterday, our team attended a lecture in Agile and Scrum.

I realized that some of its principles are familiar based on our practices as designers.

Agile Manifesto

We are uncovering better ways of developing software by doing it and helping others do it. Through this work we have come to value:

  • Individuals and interactions over processes and tools
  • Working software over comprehensive documentation
  • Customer collaboration over contract negotiation
  • Responding to change over following a plan

That is, while there is value in the items on the right, we value the items on the left more.

Agile Principles

  1. Our highest priority is to satisfy the customer through early and continuous delivery of valuable software.
  2. Welcome changing requirements, even late in development. Agile processes harness change for the customer’s competitive advantage.
  3. Deliver working software frequently, from a couple of weeks to a couple of months, with a preference to the shorter timescale.
  4. Business people and developers must work together daily throughout the project.
  5. Build projects around motivated individuals. Give them the environment and support they need, and trust them to get the job done.
  6. The most efficient and effective method of conveying information to and within a development team is face-to-face conversation.
  7. Working software is the primary measure of progress.
  8. Agile processes promote sustainable development. The sponsors, developers, and users should be able to maintain a constant pace indefinitely.
  9. Continuous attention to technical excellence and good design enhances agility.
  10. Simplicity–the art of maximizing the amount of work not done–is essential.
  11. The best architectures, requirements, and designs emerge from self-organizing teams.
  12. At regular intervals, the team reflects on how to become more effective, then tunes and adjusts its behavior accordingly.

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Sources

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Introduction to RE:Creation

23:48:04
23:48:04
Brian Dys Avatar Brian Dys
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What is RE:Creation?

RE:Creation is a design activity in which we reverse engineer and recreate the HTML & CSS components of a chosen web page.

RE:Creation is short for Reverse Engineering Creation. It involves both discovery (theoretical) and delivery (technical) processes.

Objective

RE:Creation’s objective is to promote the fundamentals in designing digital products such as websites and web apps.

These fundamentals revolve around design disciplines such as Information Architecture, Interaction Design, User Interface Design, Visual Design & Accessibility, and Frontend Design.

Requirements

The requirements to participate in a RE:Creation are simple: first, basic knowledge of HTML & CSS and second, a computer with these software:

  • Text Editor (TextEdit, Notepad)
  • Web Browser (Chrome, Firefox)

Using these software for RE:Creation does not require internet connection.

Alternatively, a web app called CodePen could be used online. It functions both as Text Editor and Web Browser for editing and displaying web documents, respectively.

Overview

The Stages of Frontend Design serves as an overview of the whole process.

Let’s Begin!

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In Malate

18:32:47
18:32:47
Brian Dys Avatar Brian Dys
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Did I mention that my math superpower in high school failed to work during my stint in the College of Engineering? My parents’ chosen course for me was ECE. I wrote mine in the second choice field: Creative Writing.

For a year, I managed to trudge through the hallways and classrooms of Velasco. In between schedules, I worked as an SA (student assistant) at computer laboratories—the job took me places (read: other buildings). On Saturdays, the sunny soccer field was my home as a medic in ROTC. These were the places in my world in DLSU.

Never thought of wandering past the library. Never dared to stop wearing plaid polo shirts.

During the last term of my first year, the course I was in felt like chains and balls shackled to my feet. Depression kicked in that I found myself breaking out in tears in a Philosophy class. The prof was sharing about her journey in Zen and at some point I was sure she was talking directly to me about finding freedom and peace.

Paradigm Shift

Armed with an SLR and some knowledge in Adobe Photoshop, I shifted to Advertising Management (after finding closed doors in Communication Arts)—did all the paperworks and passed the qualifying exam. Then I told my parents about it. I don’t remember that it really mattered to them—the sin that I did. They were full support in my education, I realized.

One lazy afternoon, along the walkway of SJ Bldg. were recruitment booths lined up left and right. I was looking for a place where I could contribute in photography and graphic design and there I found LaSallian and Malate. Or they found me?

Resident Photoshopper

Just some of the works I unearthed from an old hard drive:

Malate Literary Folio - Recruitment Flyer 2002
A Malate Literary Folio Recruitment Flyer.

Lilt And Verve Ticket - 4 October 2002
A Malate Literary Folio Lilt and the Verve event ticket.

Malate Literary Folio Bookmark - 2003
A Malate Literary Folio giveaway bookmark.

Other works include cover design of a couple folio issues, published photographs (of course) and some written works in a logbook—beaten and left for dead by legit poetry members.

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Offshoots

22:21:42
22:21:42
Brian Dys Avatar Brian Dys
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Shutter Click Number One
A portrait of Brian Dys taken by a salesman at Mayer Photo. 15 November 2005.

My money allowance in college—they all went to the photo shops for films and development. I started shooting black and white because they were cheaper at thirty–six shots, 200 ISO. It was sufficient back then—having thirty–six in the roll. Having a couple or more rolls would take months to expose.

Only precious moments were captured and the moments captured became captivating.

Etched in my memory until now was the dream I had of having a digital camera—yes, unlimited shutter clicks. It was a feeling—no, more like a longing—in my waking life that manifested itself one night. I woke up in frustration—of only dreaming, of not having.

Imagine the possibilities was the only thing I could think of. Imagine the possibilities of never having to curtail my favorite moments.

The results were endless offshoots—photos that were not five–star material yet not fit for the trash bin either. So they get exported into a lower resolution for easier archival.

Maybe one day, future me would match the feelings of those blurred and unkempt slices of life. Scarcity, then, would not only be about quantity but about time incapable of rewinding.