Hello World
They say getting started is the hardest part. After an embarrassing two-year silence, it’s finally time for an actual content and website update. It’s also an opportunity for me to mark my 6th year of dedication as a designer and web developer. Time sure flies.
This year, I’ve committed to writing and sharing about my projects, aiming for a concise blog post format. A newsletter is now available if you’d like to receive occasional updates 👽. Time will tell if I can keep it up!
Wish you the best for 2024,
Leo
Index
Latests from Production
Maak and Transmettre
https://maaktransmettre.com
Design by Marine and Mathilde Klug from mmonokl
Last year I was delighted to meet the M&T girls and attend their lecture series (“Celles qui font le design”) on the role and visibility of women in design practices. The discussions were stimulating and I’m proud to be able to support the initiative through the website.
I tend to feel a bit anxious when I start working with designers coming from the print world because I know they haven’t yet mastered all the subtleties and implications of running a website. Regardless of their experience, my role is to provide guidance for stepping into the UX/UI world and spark discussions to create genuinely inclusive design.
This is especially true when you’re aiming for a wide audience with various levels of digital proficiency. Like, you have to make texts big enough for readability. The element of the interface should provide signals to reflect its internal states. How do I know if the accordions are closed or opened? How do I know which page I’m currently visiting? What is clickable? Is your return button visible enough? Is its tap area big enough for mobile? What interface elements are redondant and for what purpose? At the end, accessibility benefits everyone.
The side navigation was quite challenging, but I can say I’m pleased with the results that prioritize usability while daring to introduce new forms to the highly standardized space of web interfaces. So, congrats to the Klug sorority on their first-ever website design 👀.
Leonet Hoang
https://leonethoang.com
Design by Gaetano Licata / Hannah Lamarti from Stoemp Studio
Technically not a new website, but a major redesign. V2 includes some sort of side strip-patterns that I really like. These patterns repeat when you scroll and beautifully complement the furniture on display. Of course the scrollbar wasn’t part of the design specs 🫠, so I had to build a custom one to account for the offset (not something you can do natively, yet). This inspire me to build a custom one on this very website.
The new iteration of the website was also intended to include store features. This was my first time I was using Snipcart in production and I loved it. It’s flexible, super-customizable and easy to implement if you want to sell products online. They take a flat rate of 2% on orders, which is very fair if you consider the fact that you don’t actually need to build a full-fledged e-commerce website.
Hall9
https://hall9.be
Design by Isabel Debry from troisbarres
Another project close to my heart, partly because it’s supported by friends, but above all because it’s a sign of maturity in its conception: for this climbing gym, content takes center stage through the website, which becomes the platform for exchange and information on the gym’s various activities (courses, events, new route openings, etc.).
Today, more than ever, I feel like quality content is everywhere, and expectations are pretty high in order to retain a span of attention that keeps shrinking with social medias.
Freelancer Corner
Finances were good in 2023. I took on slightly fewer projects compared to 2022, where 22 websites were coded. At the end of 2021, I started monitoring my working hours (with Toggl Plan and good old spreadsheets). While it’s not perfect and won’t count the endless hours monitoring the web for design and tech updates, it gives me a rough idea of where I’m sitting.
The data shows that I spent 20% less time working in 2023. I also took an extra week’s vacation, for a total of 5 weeks off. I’ve earned less, but there’s a slight gain proportionally in cost-effectiveness. The bigger gain of course is to move towards a more balanced life. It felt smooth and I intend to keep that pace for now (with extra sunshine if possible).
I believe I need to continue writing and unveil more of my own world, persist in reflecting, and share my experiences. Whether it aids my personal growth or assists others in staying consistent toward their goals. Let me know if you’re interested in any specifics.
2024 is time for sharpening skills. Web Accessibility is a long overdue aspect and Practical Acessibilty course by Sara Soueidanis is finally available! Last year I started taking Bruno Simon’s course on 3D integration (ThreeJS Journey), I seem to have stopped about a third of the way through, but I can’t wait to get back to it and start tinkering with Blender. Recently I had a big crush on this video game website made by Basement Studio so why not building a game someday (Uhhh).
Long awaited on my side, I may soon finally collaborate with friends from D-E-A-L. I really do like their energy so check out their work 🙃.
Studio Update
After years of working and enjoying the flexibility of working from home, I’m finally making the move to a studio space in City Gate, Brussels. This new space will accommodate multiple parallel activities, including sewing and woodworking. To cater to these different needs, the space is divided into two sections: one for clean desk activities and the other for dusty ones. Currently, I’m sharing the space with Maxime, but there’s likely room for a third person too.
The dividing wall is now in place, and work on the roof is underway. I’ve set up the basic essentials for a functional work office. The next objective is to complete the mobile workbench that I’ve had on hold for a couple of months. Stay tuned for updates! ✌️
