Sometimes I spend way too much time on Reddit. I stop my binge browsing dead on its track by opening Spotify and playing some music. That’s a cue for myself to detach from the hypnotic feed of memes and superficial entertainment. I feel like it’s not fair for myself to have exceeded in that indulgence.
To counter the guilt, I must spend my time in learning something not immediately useful but something that is enjoyable and I think is relevant in design and development. So, that’s Basic Geometry course in Khan Academy. I’m amassing some energy points which sounds like it will be useful one day in my learning journey, we’ll see.
A screenshot of ADPList’s Zoom party. 8 April 2021 by Felix Lee
ADPList is instrumental in my growth as a designer, particularly in sharing my knowledge and experience in this industry. With that, I am thankful for the founders and team of this amazing organization.
Recently, we had an event in Avaloq called Open Mic Session. It was a small event for Avaloq Manila (Philippines) and Pune (India), along with the executive board. It had two topic categories which was voted for by employees. The first category was official company business and the second one were topics submitted by anyone who wished to share anything — a hobby, an advocacy, project accomplishments, or anything under the sun, really.
One of the three employee topics that was voted in was mine. It was all about my learnings and realizations in the ten months that I’ve been with Avaloq. It was timely to sit down and introspect how I’ve been in these past months — from being torn about transitioning into a different organization during the pandemic to being fulfilled that I’ve struck while the iron is hot. It was equally timely to share it with my colleagues, as well.
Here’s a transcript of my presentation:
Introduction
Hello to my colleagues in Manila, Philippines (esp. to the UX design team), Pune, India, and Zurich Switzerland. And of course, to others who are in different locations. Thank you to all those who voted for my topic.
A map showing the location of Zürich, Switzerland, Pune, India, and Manila, Philippines.
My name is Dys. I’m with Johann in the design team. I do UX design for web and mobile banking, as well as managing the design team here in Manila.
Main
I joined Avaloq in May last year. So, I’m fairly new. In the 10 months that I’ve been here, there are many things that help me adapt in this new environment. Let me have the honor of sharing with you 10 things that I’ve learned & continuously realizing while working in Avaloq.
The cover slide of 10 months, 10 lessons in Avaloq by Brian Dys Sahagun
10. Avaloq delivers on my career expectations
Around March last year, I made a leap of faith when I accepted Avaloq’s offer. It was at the start of lockdowns and the pandemic, after all. Apart from being scared, I was excited because every aspect was a step up from my previous career. Fast forward to now, the level up experience is true — there are many new things that I face and these challenges keep me learning & growing.
Slide number 10: Avaloq delivers on my career expectations.
9. Our company provides confidence in this uncertain times
Slide number 9: Our company provides confidence in this uncertain times.
8. We are Avaloq, we lead Avaloq
With a level of autonomy, we take ownership of our work. We are empowered to contribute and influence the direction of projects.
Slide number 8: We are Avaloq, we lead Avaloq.
7. We are empowered to be heard
We have tools and processes in place that create a safe environment for us to listen and to be heard. We have an engaging feedback platform and my managers are open to listening and coaching.
Meetings, virtual or otherwise, are our opportunities to contribute to plans and our voices to be heard. And also bilas (or bilaterals) — it really helps in alignments and being on the same page with people.
Slide number 5: Make the most out of meetings.
4. In collaboration we thrive
Rarely that we, alone, got it all figured out. That’s why when we work together, we gain different perspectives of the same thing. And that makes solving problems faster.
Slide number 4: In collaboration we thrive.
3. Highs and lows, they’re part of it
Whatever happens, it’s our perspective that we have control of. As long as we learn from experiences, it’s all good.
Slide number 3: Highs and lows, they’re part of it.
2. Have something or someone to be thankful for
A little help from my teammate, my manager who’s coaching me. Acknowledgement of these things helps me pay it forward to others as well.
Slide number 2: Have something or someone to be thankful for.
And for the most important thing…
1. Have fun at work and enjoy the thing that you do
Slide number 1: Have fun at work and enjoy the thing that you do.
Conclusion
Especially during these challenging times, looking at the brighter side of things surely helps.
Thank you everyone! Stay safe and healthy.
The presentation was only 5 minutes long and I had fun sharing it from this side of the world. If any, it was a message of inspiration to make good sense of different situations that we maybe in.
In 2 months, I’ll be celebrating my first year with Avaloq and it’s a new chapter for me. I’ll find out what’s next!
Video presentation
The video presentation of 10 months, 10 lessons in Avaloq.
Last month, I’ve wrapped-up with the 4th part of a talk that I’ve shared with the UX design team: Documenting your work as a designer. This topic tackles the other side of design work (and any work, in general), which is documenting your experiences and learnings from projects.
Overview
Part 1: The whys and hows – anchor the documentation activity on a purpose
Part 2: The process – making sense of the documentations and keeping them meaningful
Part 3: The case of the briefcase & showcase – curations
Part 4: The work – getting your hands dirty
The talk goes from abstract concepts towards concrete steps in starting a portfolio curation. What each of us actually produced were our top 3 highlights of last year.
A couple of weeks since lockdown (nearing April), Jaycelle and I made this major decision — for the lack of better words — to level up. It was scary, indeed, because the pandemic surprised us all. Most companies halted their hirings yet there I was with an offer on the table.
Fast forward to six months — this was an eventful week as I have passed the probationary period at Avaloq. The team’s trust and support has been tremendous. It is challenging — this role of a manager and individual contributor — nevertheless, everyone’s willingness in collaboration and their dedication to the craft made the ride rather smooth.
Here’s an excerpt from my third month evaluation, which I feel like will always ring true in my career.
What are your initial impressions of working with Avaloq? Have your expectations been fulfilled?
Challenging
3 months could very well feel like a year of working in Avaloq — probably because almost every thing was done online. It will even be more challenging if there were physical interactions with people — getting to know their ways of working, finding the right balance between personalities, all in achieving a common goal of championing UX and elevating the knowledge and skills of the Avaloq UX design team.
Exciting
Each step of the way, I would discover different kinds of terrain in Avaloq — mostly rugged hills and mountains. How to navigate it? Surely, you have to go around them or climb them. Stumbling blocks? You have to clear them for people following your lead. Some blocks can be arranged into stepping stones for us to reach higher levels.
What excites me is the big room for improvement that I am contributing to in filling. Accomplishments, they’re a bonus. There’s always what’s next.
I’m in the right place, at the right time
When I wished to transition to the next level in my career — Avaloq is the next level. It is global — I find myself collaborating with people who have widely different perspectives and knowledge which I learn from. The UX design team in Manila is solid and open for growth. It is a perfect combination of a conducive environment wherein I can grow and support others’ growth, as well.
A graphic design saying, “Libre Sakay!” or “Free Ride!” in the style of a Philippine public transportation destination signage.
One of the items in the reading list is about copying and how it is inherent to design (and child development, actually). As designers, we pride ourselves of our originality — personally, to the point of stubbornness. I recall a period in my career when I avoided looking at other people’s works as inspiration — out of fear of being unoriginal. It was pride, as I retrospect.
Collaboration is key to almost anything one wants to accomplish efficiently. All of us rely on each other even indirectly. Copying is inevitable in a world where no person is an island. Legalities and what your conscience says, that’s a different story.
A graphic design saying, “Free as in free beer”.
Sharing for free
“Really, you’re giving it away for free?” A mentee uttered in surprise (pertaining to a solicited advice). Perhaps our session provided her with some nuggets of wisdom (as it should be). I could imagine lightbulbs flashing in her mind as we discussed about her career.
“This is also how I got them through the years,” I said, “for free”.
To all the generous folks out there sharing their thoughts, resources, and anything that helps anyone, I’m also paying it forward.
In the spirit of copying
I liked the style of the copying article so I replicated it in the “Libre Sakay!” graphic design. If you would like to spin it out yourself, feel free!
A screenshot of ADPList mentors from Philippines. January 2022
Ever since I was welcomed in Amazing Design People List, I’m having more opportunities to help my fellow practitioners in the tech industry. It is by sharing what I know and what I’m experiencing that coincide with what they are exploring — commonly among them — navigating their way in or into the world of user experience (UX).
Most of them who reached out to me were Filipinos. It makes sense to discuss with someone who has less cultural and language barrier. The conversations went smoothly as much as it could, especially that we both could express in Taglish (a combo of Tagalog and English languages).
Sharing, so far, is what I would call this stage of our engagements. The designers I’ve met on the other side of the screen — most of them are looking to break their way into the world of UX. I’m looking forward to be of help as these journeys unfold.
[ntt_percept page=”Mentorship Feedback”]
A screenshot of ADPList homepage featuring profile pictures of several mentors. October 2020
Tokyo, October 5, 2020 – NEC Corporation (NEC; TSE: 6701) today announced the acquisition of Avaloq Group AG (Avaloq), a leading Swiss financial software company. The acquisition of Avaloq will provide NEC with digital finance software and domain knowledge as it enters into the field globally and strengthens its business in the digital government field. The acquisition is expected to be worth 2.05 billion Swiss francs, and to be completed by April 2021, following the confirmation of necessary procedures and approvals for each organization.
I don’t write much these days about the reasons I have unplugged myself from industrial civilization. This is in part because, deep down, we know them too well already, and it’s not for want of information that we continue down that path. I could name a few:
the mass extinction of species
resource wars
cultural imperialism
climate catastrophe
widespread surveillance
standardization
the colonization of wilderness and indigenous lands
the fragmentation of community
the automation of millions of jobs with the inevitable inequality, unemployment, and purposelessness that ensue (providing fertile ground for demagogues to take control)
the stark decline in mental health
the rise in industrial-scale illnesses such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, depression, autoimmune diseases and obesity
the tyranny of fast-paced, relentless communication
and the addictiveness of the hollow excitement (films, pornography, TV series, new products, celebrity gossip, dating websites, 24/7 news) that exists behind our screens, the goal of which seems to be the monetization of our distraction
