Web Perspectives Sean G

How do you know when it's time to quit your designer or web developer job? What do signs of gaslighting and verbal abuse look like in the workplace. Matej Latin, author of betterwebtype.com, shares the crucial turning points of his designer career from corporate banking to GitLab to his self-led journey, coaching thousands of aspiring designers.



Links:


Medium (Matej Latin): How my Dream Designer Job Turned into a Nightmare Job
betterwebtype.com design course by Matej Latin
Matej Latin on LinkedIn
Matej Latin's website



Timestamps:


0:02:25 - Economics to Design: WTF?
0:05:11 - Gitlab's #1 practice for remote work
0:10:27 - Remote's Impact on Teams: Good or Bad?
0:16:12 - Collaboration Secrets for Remote Teams
0:20:56 - Engineers and Designers: BFFs?
0:26:10 - Designers: Speak Up!
0:35:25 - Flat Orgs: Dream or Nightmare?
0:40:20 - Dream Job Becomes Hell
0:50:57 - Toxic Positivity & Gaslighting at Work
0:53:43 - Side Hustles While Working Full-Time
0:57:37 - Fix Your Damn Portfolio
1:00:55 - Job Interviews: Don't Be a Sheep
1:06:42 - When to Say "F* it" and Quit**
1:08:57 - The Importance of Passion in Your Work
1:10:16 - How to Find Your Dream Design Job
1:11:37 - The Importance of Mentorship for Designers
1:12:26 - The Importance of Transparency and Expectations
1:13:49 - The Myth of "Hitting the Ground Running"

What are the best ways to learn full-stack web development? Muhannad Nouri, full-stack developer at Enverus, shares with us his #1 tip for leveraging YouTube, TikTok, and X to enhance his full-stack learning.

Timestamps


01:43: Do you need a computer science degree to be a web developer? Muhannad shares his experience.
04:37: The #1 tip for new web developers to avoid feeling overwhelmed.
09:15: ChatGPT and Copilot: essential tools for modern web development?
12:18: The secret to learning new web technologies without burning out.
18:15: Social media: Friend or foe for web developers?
33:38: How to stay informed without drowning in newsletters.
45:46: Is LinkedIn still relevant for tech professionals?
50:49: The job hunt: How to make your resume stand out in a crowded market.
53:13: How to get that first web development interview.
57:45: Networking when you're not looking for a job.
01:12:05: The highs and lows of web development: What keeps us coming back for more?
01:23:03: Convincing your boss to adopt new tech: Muhannad's proven strategy.
01:31:07: The Angular vs. React debate: Which framework is right for you?
01:38:02: The art of mentorship: How to guide others without holding them back.
01:43:04: Pair programming: Valuable even for experienced developers?
01:50:02: How to get that first web development interview.
01:57:45: Networking when you're not looking for a job.
02:01:31: Where to find Muhannad online.
02:01:48: Muhannad's parting words of wisdom.

Links


Muhannad Nouri: LinkedIn
Dr. Tony Tang: University of Calgary

Dan Stevenson, a seasoned instructor at SAIT, demystifies the complexities of web development. Dan emphasizes the significance of mastering fundamental web technologies like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript while highlighting the importance of continuous learning and adaptation in the face of evolving trends. He delves into the challenges of balancing innovation with accessibility and performance in web design, offering valuable insights and practical tips for aspiring and experienced web developers alike. The discussion further explores the role of AI in web development, the advantages and disadvantages of using frameworks, and the crucial role of soft skills in career success.



Links:


SAIT Interactive Design - Web Design and Development Major
SAIT Student for a Day: https://www.sait.ca/programs-and-courses/student-for-a-day
Dan's website:https://danstephenson.ca
Dan's podcast: Fireside chat: https://www.firesidechat.ca/

What is web accessibility, and why does it matter? Daryl Suttie, accessibility enthusiast, answers our questions about accessibility gotchas and illustrates how we can promote web accessibility and "sell" it to large software companies.

Timestamps


[00:01:00]: Daryl's Background
- Accidental accessibility specialist; held roles in design,
development, product management, QA; now advocates passionately for web
accessibility
[00:03:24]: Accessibility Laws and Regulations - Current state in Canada, US, Europe; accessibility becomes hotter topic in coming years
[00:06:49]: Accessibility Debt - Exceeds general technical debt; often unchecked upfront; much costlier to fix later than baking in from start
[00:09:00]: TV Remote Analogy - TV remote navigation parallels keyboard-only web browsing; relatable way to build empathy for these users
[00:18:00]: Screen Reader User Diversity
- Benefits many beyond blind users - those with low vision, dyslexia,
cognitive issues, distractibility; many lack power user skills
[00:35:53]: Manual Testing Importance - Value of manual accessibility checks, even quick tab review; catches issues automation misses; some manual testing critical
[00:41:19]: Expanding Accessibility Knowledge - How to stay updated on best accessibility practices; constant learning curve even for experts
[00:51:07]: Growing Accessibility Demand - Increased demand predicted as more jurisdictions tighten regulations; uptick in RFPs requiring accessibility
[00:51:51]: Reach Out to Daryl
- Connect on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/darylsuttie for accessibility
questions, website audits, or to learn about his accessibility journey
[00:53:07]: Accessibility Barriers Unintentional - Most accessibility barriers stem from lack of awareness rather than malice; still problematic and important to address
[01:04:00]: Form Interactions and Accessibility
- Challenges with instant form submissions; separate actions for option
changes and form submission; avoid unexpected context shifts
[01:10:27]: Neglect of HTML Fundamentals - Developers often lack HTML knowledge; over-reliance on CSS and JS; semantic HTML benefits accessibility
[01:17:00]: Daryl's Journey into Accessibility - From early HTML dabbling to accessibility-focused roles; fueled by passion for inclusivity and better user experiences
[01:36:33]: Business Case for Accessibility - Opportunities in serving untapped user segments; competitive advantage; sticky users; millions with disabilities
[01:40:25]: Responding to Accessibility Pushback - Incremental improvements over perfection; celebrate small wins; 10% progress still meaningful; ratchet up gradually
[01:44:41]: Keeping Up with Evolving Standards - Continuous learning essential; even experts encounter knowledge gaps; importance of referencing latest documentation
[01:46:41]: Accessibility in B2B Contexts - Readiness to adapt if needed; quick wins possible with focused training; direct user feedback critical
[01:49:00]: Rising Frequency of Accessibility Requests
- Increasing RFPs with accessibility requirements, especially in public
sector; accessibility gaining visibility across industries

Links


Daryl Suttie LinkedIn
https://makeitfable.com/
https://inclusive.microsoft.design/
https://www.pluralsight.com/courses/developing-websites-accessibility-getting-started

Sub-sea cables make the internet possible today, but what about the data centres they connect to? Take a look inside the operations of what happens inside "colo" or "metro" centres that keep the internet fast and efficient via "peering". Coral Taylor Bliss of Equinix, which manages over 112 data centres worldwide, gives us the inside scoop on what it takes to run some of the world's most critical infrastructure.


Coral Taylor Bliss (LinkedIn)
Equinex Website

Timestamps:


00:01:36 - Introduction of guest Coral Bliss Taylor
00:02:23 - Coral talks about her background
00:03:09 - Overview of Equinix and its founding principles
00:04:21 - Explanation of internet peering
00:07:37 - Importance of physical internet infrastructure
00:08:06 - How internet infrastructure enables web development
00:13:25 - Difference between Equinix and public cloud providers
00:45:25 - Equinix's platform and how customers utilize it
00:57:08 - Cost comparisons between Equinix, owning your own data centers, and public clouds
01:02:35 - Equinix Fabric for connecting data centers and clouds
01:06:10 - Equinix's ecosystem of connected networks and services
01:07:41 - Internet connectivity challenges in some countries
01:13:01 - Impact of satellite internet like Starlink
01:14:29 - Excitement about AI and internet-enabled entrepreneurship
01:16:00 - Sustainability considerations with aggregated data centers
01:22:19 - Where to connect with Coral / Equinix

Kevin Powell gives out his #1 tip on learning and teaching CSS. How can you keep up to date with all the new CSS features coming? Should you still use Bootstrap? What about Tailwind? CSS in JS? How do you CSS in 2023?

Learn how Kevin got started with web development and teaching CSS. Hear his perspective on using frameworks like Bootstrap and Tailwind to learn. Get insights on the challenges beginners face when starting with CSS and how to overcome them.

Discover Kevin's approach to using CSS tools and frameworks in projects. Find out his tips for structuring HTML to support styles. Learn about semantic HTML and accessibility best practices.

Get the inside scoop on starting a YouTube channel, podcast, and online courses. Hear Kevin's pain points with CSS units and lack of colour mix support.


Kevin Powell on YouTube
Kevin Powell's Newsletter
Kevin Powell's Podcast
Kevin's Website

Timestamps


(00:04:04 - 00:07:04) How Kevin got started with web development and teaching it
(00:07:04 - 00:10:04) Kevin's experience using CSS frameworks like Bootstrap to learn
(00:10:04 - 00:15:04) The challenges of learning CSS for beginners
(00:15:04 - 00:18:04) Kevin's approach to using CSS frameworks and tools
(00:18:04 - 00:24:04) Building your own learning management system vs using a platform
(00:24:04 - 00:29:04) How to structure HTML to support styles
(00:29:04 - 00:35:04) Semantic HTML and accessibility practices
(00:35:04 - 00:44:04) Kevin's YouTube channel and creating content
(00:44:04 - 00:47:04) Starting a podcast and newsletters
(00:47:04 - 00:54:04) Making YouTube a full-time job
(00:54:04 - 01:02:04) Kevin's tips for CSS
(01:02:04 - end) Pain points with CSS units and lack of color mix suppor