I’m writing the Hello World post for the second time (in reality even more). This is the right moment for a changelog update. It’s fitting, because I’ve redesigned the site and upgraded the blog to a larger personal web space.
I set up a blog in November 2023. I haven’t written much but I’m pleased with the semi-intentional (probably not) series on product design in business and thinking about design-led businesses. Even though I tend to think that no one department should lead the company. But let’s leave that idea for another time.
In November, I set up this quiet corner to share and learn out loud. Writing keeps my consumption to production ratio in balance. If I don’t take the time to jot down what I find and read, my consumption becomes excessive.
How I reached here?
As time went on, I grew more and more anxious about wanting to share case studies from my professional life.
Writing them is a great way to reflect on work, record important career milestones and share insights publicly. An added bonus is a growing portfolio that I can showcase when seeking new opportunities.
During that time, I was hesitant to write because I didn’t know what to focus on — case studies or blog posts.
I looked at it as a type of writing/creative work and determined what I wanted to write. And I started with case studies.
I agreed with myself that after publishing two case studies, I would work on the website. Without that decision, I would have spent too much time designing or looking for ways to host the site (but that happened anyway).
Anyway, I finished two case studies and published them on Read.cv along with the rest of my professional resume. Publishing them coincided with the launch of Sites at Read.cv. It seemed a great opportunity to publish my portfolio with a blog and with custom domain.
Then last week I read Manuel Moreale’s blog post about the indie web. It inspired me to create my corner of the web with case studies, a blog and anything else I might find interesting in the future.
Then I did what I did last November — I used the latest tools that have everyone buzzing.
I designed the layouts in Figma. With the help of Claude AI and Cursor, the website is live. It’s still a work in progress, but as a non-engineer I’m proud of what I’ve achieved. We’re learning as we go, and that’s the most important thing.
Next up
As for the future, there’s a lot I want to write about — books I’ve read and ideas I’m exploring. I’ve finished a lot of books that I haven’t expressed thoughts about yet.
I’ll also be working on bringing case studies here. They still link to Read.cv. I want to make them stand out on their own pages. I also have drafts for two more case studies.
As of today, the site exists for two main reasons:
- I want to hold myself accountable for my work and my findings. Sharing them publicly makes me stricter. I don’t enjoy bragging about milestones on social media because it lacks depth.
- Writing helps me think through new ideas and frameworks that I come across in the books and articles.
