[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":1213},["ShallowReactive",2],{"projectPage":3},[4,262,471,796,1123,1173],{"id":5,"title":6,"body":7,"date":248,"description":249,"extension":250,"favorite":251,"meta":252,"navigation":251,"path":255,"seo":256,"sitemap":257,"stem":258,"tags":259,"thumbnail":260,"__hash__":261},"projects/projects/close-the-rabbit-hole.md","Close the Rabbit Hole",{"type":8,"value":9,"toc":241},"minimark",[10,21,26,31,77,84,108,114,121,127,131],[11,12,13,14,20],"p",{},"Close the Rabbit Hole (CTRH) is a browser extension that intervenes in the attention economy by ",[15,16,19],"span",{"className":17},[18],"white-highlight","reintroducing friction to the browsing experience",".",[22,23],"cta-card",{"cta":24,"link":25},"The full report is available here!","/projects/ctrh/CloseTheRabbitHole-Ezequiel-2026.pdf",[27,28,30],"h3",{"id":29},"overview","Overview",[11,32,33,34,38,39,42,43,55,56,60,68,69,20],{},"Contemporary platforms engineer environments of ",[35,36,37],"strong",{},"minimal friction"," and ",[35,40,41],{},"hyper-personalization"," to maximize time-on-screen",[44,45,46],"sup",{},[47,48,54],"a",{"href":49,"ariaDescribedBy":50,"dataFootnoteRef":52,"id":53},"#user-content-fn-matz2017",[51],"footnote-label","","user-content-fnref-matz2017","1",", removing the endpoints natural to other media that allow users to pause and reconsider. This creates the conditions for what researchers call ",[57,58,59],"em",{},"\"normative dissociation\"",[44,61,62],{},[47,63,67],{"href":64,"ariaDescribedBy":65,"dataFootnoteRef":52,"id":66},"#user-content-fn-baughan2022",[51],"user-content-fnref-baughan2022","2",": a state of reduced self-awareness, self-control, and perception of time, which often conflicts with users' original intentions and leaves them with feelings of guilt and frustration",[44,70,71],{},[47,72,76],{"href":73,"ariaDescribedBy":74,"dataFootnoteRef":52,"id":75},"#user-content-fn-segovia2023",[51],"user-content-fnref-segovia2023","3",[11,78,79],{},[80,81],"img",{"alt":82,"src":83},"ProjectImage1","/projects/ctrh/ctrh-1.png",[11,85,86,87,91,92,100,101,107],{},"CTRH responds by creating deliberate moments where users can ",[15,88,90],{"className":89},[18],"consciously evaluate whether to continue consuming content",", aiming to restore a sense of agency and attention sovereignty",[44,93,94],{},[47,95,99],{"href":96,"ariaDescribedBy":97,"dataFootnoteRef":52,"id":98},"#user-content-fn-carpentier2025",[51],"user-content-fnref-carpentier2025","4",". Instead of blocking or punishing usage, the extension targets specific attention-extraction mechanisms with non-punitive counter-interventions",[44,102,103],{},[47,104,67],{"href":64,"ariaDescribedBy":105,"dataFootnoteRef":52,"id":106},[51],"user-content-fnref-baughan2022-2",". It foregrounds time as a persistent, prominent signal to counteract the suppression of temporal awareness, and introduces occasional interruptive dialogues that act as cognitive breakpoints, \"waking\" users from altered states and inviting reflection.",[11,109,110],{},[80,111],{"alt":112,"src":113},"ProjectImage2","/projects/ctrh/ctrh-2.png",[11,115,116,117,20],{},"It also visualizes navigation as a growing, branching \"rabbit hole,\" rendering the user's attention as a persistent structure they can see themselves building. Drawing on a retro-computing aesthetic of terminals, ASCII art, and CRT displays, CTRH explores how we might develop a ",[15,118,120],{"className":119},[18],"symbiotic, rather than parasitic, relationship with content platforms",[11,122,123],{},[80,124],{"alt":125,"src":126},"ProjectImage3","/projects/ctrh/ctrh-3.png",[27,128,130],{"id":129},"references-footnotes","References & Footnotes",[132,133,136,142],"section",{"className":134,"dataFootnotes":52},[135],"footnotes",[137,138,141],"h2",{"className":139,"id":51},[140],"sr-only","Footnotes",[143,144,145,175,201,222],"ol",{},[146,147,149,150,153,154,157,158,163,164,167,168],"li",{"id":148},"user-content-fn-matz2017","Matz, S.C., Kosinski, M., Nave, G. and Stillwell, D.J. (2017). Psychological targeting as an effective approach to digital mass persuasion. ",[57,151,152],{},"Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences",", ",[15,155,156],{},"online"," 114(48), pp.12714–12719. doi:",[47,159,160],{"href":160,"rel":161},"https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1710966114",[162],"nofollow"," ",[15,165,166],{},"Accessed 20 January 2026",". ",[47,169,174],{"href":170,"ariaLabel":171,"className":172,"dataFootnoteBackref":52},"#user-content-fnref-matz2017","Back to reference 1",[173],"data-footnote-backref","↩",[146,176,178,179,182,183,163,187,167,189,163,194],{"id":177},"user-content-fn-baughan2022","Baughan, A., Zhang, M.R., Rao, R., Lukoff, K., Schaadhardt, A., Butler, L.D. and Hiniker, A. (2022). 'I Don't Even Remember What I Read': How Design Influences Dissociation on Social Media. ",[57,180,181],{},"CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems",", pp.1–13. doi:",[47,184,185],{"href":185,"rel":186},"https://doi.org/10.1145/3491102.3501899",[162],[15,188,166],{},[47,190,174],{"href":191,"ariaLabel":192,"className":193,"dataFootnoteBackref":52},"#user-content-fnref-baughan2022","Back to reference 2",[173],[47,195,174,199],{"href":196,"ariaLabel":197,"className":198,"dataFootnoteBackref":52},"#user-content-fnref-baughan2022-2","Back to reference 2-2",[173],[44,200,67],{},[146,202,204,205,153,208,210,211,163,215,167,217],{"id":203},"user-content-fn-segovia2023","de Segovia Vicente, D., Van Gaeveren, K., Murphy, S.L. and Vanden Abeele, M.M.P. (2023). Does mindless scrolling hamper well-being? Combining ESM and log-data to examine the link between mindless scrolling, goal conflict, guilt, and daily well-being. ",[57,206,207],{},"Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication",[15,209,156],{}," 29(1), zmad056. doi:",[47,212,213],{"href":213,"rel":214},"https://doi.org/10.1093/jcmc/zmad056",[162],[15,216,166],{},[47,218,174],{"href":219,"ariaLabel":220,"className":221,"dataFootnoteBackref":52},"#user-content-fnref-segovia2023","Back to reference 3",[173],[146,223,225,226,229,230,163,234,167,236],{"id":224},"user-content-fn-carpentier2025","Carpentier, C.L., Cheng, H.W.J., Jackobs, A., Roehrl, R., Klauer, P. and Doerfler, K. (2025). Attention Economy. ",[57,227,228],{},"UN Economist Network",". United Nations. Available at: ",[47,231,232],{"href":232,"rel":233},"https://www.un.org/sites/un2.un.org/files/attention_economy_feb.pdf",[162],[15,235,166],{},[47,237,174],{"href":238,"ariaLabel":239,"className":240,"dataFootnoteBackref":52},"#user-content-fnref-carpentier2025","Back to reference 4",[173],{"title":52,"searchDepth":242,"depth":242,"links":243},2,[244,246,247],{"id":29,"depth":245,"text":30},3,{"id":129,"depth":245,"text":130},{"id":51,"depth":242,"text":141},"2026","Close the Rabbit Hole (CTRH) is a browser extension that intervenes in the attention economy by reintroducing friction to the browsing experience.","md",true,{"subtitle":253,"org":254},"A critical intervention on the extraction of human attention","UAL - MA Interaction Design","/projects/close-the-rabbit-hole",{"title":6,"description":249},{"loc":255},"projects/close-the-rabbit-hole",null,"/projects/rabbit-hole.thumbnail.jpg","Y4pzvMl6P5UUcqw8_nmZpPCi3EVmeYGPyhyCnS3EvOg",{"id":263,"title":264,"body":265,"date":248,"description":461,"extension":250,"favorite":251,"meta":462,"navigation":251,"path":465,"seo":466,"sitemap":467,"stem":468,"tags":259,"thumbnail":469,"__hash__":470},"projects/projects/ctrl-network.md","CTRL+Network",{"type":8,"value":266,"toc":457},[267,275,278,280,285,296,311,316,342,363,371],[11,268,269,270,274],{},"CTRL+Network is a piece of software for macOS and Linux that proxies a device's network traffic to use it as a space for learning and ",[15,271,273],{"className":272},[18],"renegotiating our relationship"," with tech companies.",[22,276],{"cta":24,"link":277},"/projects/ctrl-network/CTRL-Network-Ezequiel-2026.pdf",[27,279,30],{"id":29},[11,281,282],{},[80,283],{"alt":82,"src":284},"/projects/ctrl-network/cn-1.jpg",[11,286,287,288,295],{},"The commoditisation of behavioural data underpins the contemporary digital economy, embedding surveillance into the infrastructure of everyday needs",[44,289,290],{},[47,291,54],{"href":292,"ariaDescribedBy":293,"dataFootnoteRef":52,"id":294},"#user-content-fn-zuboff2019",[51],"user-content-fnref-zuboff2019",". The relationship between an individual and the corporations operating these systems is fundamentally unbalanced: the terms of engagement are mainly set by the companies, leaving individuals little capacity to negotiate.",[11,297,298,299,302,303,310],{},"Drawing on Illich's concept of ",[35,300,301],{},"conviviality"," (tools that expand individual agency rather than producing dependency",[44,304,305],{},[47,306,67],{"href":307,"ariaDescribedBy":308,"dataFootnoteRef":52,"id":309},"#user-content-fn-illich1973",[51],"user-content-fnref-illich1973","), CTRL+Network treats personal computing's movement towards surveillance-driven, non-convivial systems as something that can be pushed back against through tools that offer individuals more transparency and control.",[11,312,313],{},[80,314],{"alt":112,"src":315},"/projects/ctrl-network/cn-2.jpg",[11,317,318,319,322,329,330,334,335,20],{},"By sitting between the device and the network, the application performs an ",[35,320,321],{},"infrastructural inversion",[44,323,324],{},[47,325,76],{"href":326,"ariaDescribedBy":327,"dataFootnoteRef":52,"id":328},"#user-content-fn-bowker1999",[51],"user-content-fnref-bowker1999",", making requests that were designed to stay hidden a visible part of users' workspace. A local language model interprets this traffic in plain language. Once a request is legible, users can allow, block, fabricate, or poison it, drawing on Marichal's call to ",[15,331,333],{"className":332},[18],"become an algorithmic problem"," and degrade the value of extracted data",[44,336,337],{},[47,338,99],{"href":339,"ariaDescribedBy":340,"dataFootnoteRef":52,"id":341},"#user-content-fn-marichal2025",[51],"user-content-fnref-marichal2025",[11,343,344,345,353,354,362],{},"Sitting within the tradition of critical engineering",[44,346,347],{},[47,348,352],{"href":349,"ariaDescribedBy":350,"dataFootnoteRef":52,"id":351},"#user-content-fn-oliver2011",[51],"user-content-fnref-oliver2011","5"," and critical technical practice",[44,355,356],{},[47,357,361],{"href":358,"ariaDescribedBy":359,"dataFootnoteRef":52,"id":360},"#user-content-fn-agre1997",[51],"user-content-fnref-agre1997","6",", CTRL+Network's intent is not to solve surveillance capitalism, but to explore how small, critically designed tools can shift our relationship with unfair systems. By opening a channel for negotiation, it creates a space where individuals, and potentially communities, can examine and rewrite the terms of a contract they never had the chance to understand.",[11,364,365,368],{},[80,366],{"alt":125,"src":367},"/projects/ctrl-network/cn-3.jpg",[80,369],{"alt":125,"src":370},"/projects/ctrl-network/cn-4.jpg",[132,372,374,377],{"className":373,"dataFootnotes":52},[135],[137,375,141],{"className":376,"id":51},[140],[143,378,379,391,403,415,426,444],{},[146,380,382,383,386,387],{"id":381},"user-content-fn-zuboff2019","Zuboff, S. (2019) ",[57,384,385],{},"The age of surveillance capitalism: the fight for a human future at the new frontier of power."," New York: PublicAffairs. ",[47,388,174],{"href":389,"ariaLabel":171,"className":390,"dataFootnoteBackref":52},"#user-content-fnref-zuboff2019",[173],[146,392,394,395,398,399],{"id":393},"user-content-fn-illich1973","Illich, I. (1973) ",[57,396,397],{},"Tools for conviviality."," London: Calder and Boyars. ",[47,400,174],{"href":401,"ariaLabel":192,"className":402,"dataFootnoteBackref":52},"#user-content-fnref-illich1973",[173],[146,404,406,407,410,411],{"id":405},"user-content-fn-bowker1999","Bowker, G.C. and Star, S.L. (1999) ",[57,408,409],{},"Sorting Things Out: Classification and Its Consequences",". Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. ",[47,412,174],{"href":413,"ariaLabel":220,"className":414,"dataFootnoteBackref":52},"#user-content-fnref-bowker1999",[173],[146,416,418,419,167,422],{"id":417},"user-content-fn-marichal2025","Marichal, J. (2025) You must become an algorithmic problem: renegotiating the socio-technical contract. ",[57,420,421],{},"Bristol University Press",[47,423,174],{"href":424,"ariaLabel":239,"className":425,"dataFootnoteBackref":52},"#user-content-fnref-marichal2025",[173],[146,427,429,430,433,434,438,439],{"id":428},"user-content-fn-oliver2011","Oliver, J., Savičić, G. and Vasiliev, D. (2011) ",[57,431,432],{},"The Critical Engineering Manifesto",". Available at: ",[47,435,436],{"href":436,"rel":437},"https://criticalengineering.org/",[162]," (Accessed: 29 April 2026). ",[47,440,174],{"href":441,"ariaLabel":442,"className":443,"dataFootnoteBackref":52},"#user-content-fnref-oliver2011","Back to reference 5",[173],[146,445,447,448,451,452],{"id":446},"user-content-fn-agre1997","Agre, P.E. (1997) ‘Toward a critical technical practice: Lessons learned in trying to reform AI’, in Bowker, G.C., Gasser, L., Star, S.L. and Turner, W. (eds.) ",[57,449,450],{},"Bridging the Great Divide: Social Science, Technical Systems, and Cooperative Work",". Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. ",[47,453,174],{"href":454,"ariaLabel":455,"className":456,"dataFootnoteBackref":52},"#user-content-fnref-agre1997","Back to reference 6",[173],{"title":52,"searchDepth":242,"depth":242,"links":458},[459,460],{"id":29,"depth":245,"text":30},{"id":51,"depth":242,"text":141},"CTRL+Network is a piece of software for macOS and Linux that proxies a device's network traffic to use it as a space for learning and renegotiating our relationship with tech companies.",{"subtitle":463,"org":464},"Renegotiating surveillance through network traffic","UAL","/projects/ctrl-network",{"title":264,"description":461},{"loc":465},"projects/ctrl-network","/projects/ctrl-network.thumbnail.jpg","X-ux5bosb9D1F1dx8I3dc5VKWOXr-rD_AoReJAHwh9w",{"id":472,"title":473,"body":474,"date":786,"description":52,"extension":250,"favorite":251,"meta":787,"navigation":251,"path":790,"seo":791,"sitemap":792,"stem":793,"tags":259,"thumbnail":794,"__hash__":795},"projects/projects/ktr.md","Keep the Rhythm",{"type":8,"value":475,"toc":780},[476,478,500,506,509,512,515,518,536,542,544,548,555,562,568,570,574,579,582,588,591,595,598,604,610,661,667,692,696,699,705,709,712,719,730,740,744,747,753,757,759,776],[137,477,30],{"id":29},[11,479,480,481,487,488,491,492,495,496,499],{},"Keep the Rhythm (KTR) is an ",[47,482,486],{"href":483,"rel":484,"target":485},"https://obsidian.md/",[162],"\\_blank","Obsidian"," plugin that helps users maintain a ",[35,489,490],{},"consistent writing practice",". With ",[35,493,494],{},"+24,000 downloads",", KTR has found success among both professional and hobbyist writers, and especially with those who ",[57,497,498],{},"(like me)"," are able to make more sense of the world through typing words into a computer.",[11,501,502],{},[80,503],{"alt":504,"src":505},"KTR Logo","/projects/ktr/ktr_logo.png",[11,507,508],{},"By locally tracking file changes and displaying a historical overview of your progress, KTR offers users motivation to keep consistently working on their projects. The data is mainly shown through a heatmap, but key data points (weekly, monthly, yearly stats) are also easily available, as well as complex queries for specific date ranges or file paths. The components were carefully designed to help with fast usability while also providing a minimal interface that doesn't intrude on the core experience (writing).",[11,510,511],{},"Through working on this project, I learned a lot about how to add safeguards to avoid data loss (losing your progress feels really bad), the experience of deploying something used by thousands of users, and the importance of user feedback and testing in refining a project.",[11,513,514],{},"Especially, this project expands my experiments around the idea of using precise interventions to promote critical behavioral change; through well-crafted and thoughtful interaction, a simple design solution can help people be more creative, proactive, and human.",[516,517],"br",{},[519,520,521,529],"ul",{},[146,522,523,524],{},"Check the ",[47,525,528],{"href":526,"rel":527,"target":485},"https://github.com/benjaminezequiel/keep-the-rhythm",[162],"repository on Github",[146,530,531,532],{},"Get the plugin from ",[47,533,535],{"href":534,"target":485},"obsidian://show-plugin?id=keep-the-rhythm","Obsidian's Plugin Library",[11,537,538],{},[80,539],{"alt":540,"src":541},"Project Gallery","/projects/ktr/ktr_gallery.png",[516,543],{},[137,545,547],{"id":546},"the-power-of-numbers-go-up","The Power of “Numbers Go Up”",[11,549,550,551,554],{},"The motivation that comes from maintaining a 'streak' is something used by many platforms, like Duolingo and Github. KTR leverages this same strategy, exploring the ",[35,552,553],{},"feeling of satisfaction"," that comes from watching numbers increase and progress bars fill.",[11,556,557,558,561],{},"By making how much a user writes more visually apparent, the plugin incentivizes them to do it more consistently, creating a ",[35,559,560],{},"reinforcing feedback loop",". Though quantity is not the ultimate goal, small and reasonable targets allow users to adopt KTR as a source of motivation that helps them show up every day.",[11,563,564],{},[80,565],{"alt":566,"src":567},"Numbers Go Up Meme","/images/neuron_activation.jpeg",[516,569],{},[137,571,573],{"id":572},"features","Features",[575,576,578],"h4",{"id":577},"heatmap","Heatmap",[11,580,581],{},"The choice of using a heatmap is heavily inspired by Github's approach. Since many in the Obsidian community are familiar with the platform, this data visualization strategy offers a recognizable interface. Beyond familiarity, extensive customization options are available, from cell colors to shapes and progressive fill effects.",[11,583,584],{},[80,585],{"alt":586,"src":587},"Heatmap Component","/projects/ktr/ktr_heatmap.png",[11,589,590],{},"This component has been one of the main eye-catching features of the plugin, with many users citing it as a key motivation to explore the solution and integrate it into their Obsidian workspace.",[575,592,594],{"id":593},"slots","Slots",[11,596,597],{},"Different data points are available through Slots, instantiable components that allow users to easily customize their interface with common queries, like vault-wide word counts, and time-based queries for weekly, monthly, and yearly progress.",[11,599,600],{},[80,601],{"alt":602,"src":603},"Slot Component","/projects/ktr/ktr_slots.png",[11,605,606,609],{},[35,607,608],{},"Current Values",": dynamic queries calculated based on current context.",[611,612,616],"pre",{"className":613,"code":614,"language":615,"meta":52,"style":52},"language-yaml shiki shiki-themes github-light github-dark","CURRENT_FILE\nCURRENT_DAY\nCURRENT_WEEK\nCURRENT_MONTH\nCURRENT_YEAR\nCURRENT_STREAK\nWHOLE_VAULT\n","yaml",[617,618,619,627,632,637,643,649,655],"code",{"__ignoreMap":52},[15,620,623],{"class":621,"line":622},"line",1,[15,624,626],{"class":625},"sZZnC","CURRENT_FILE\n",[15,628,629],{"class":621,"line":242},[15,630,631],{"class":625},"CURRENT_DAY\n",[15,633,634],{"class":621,"line":245},[15,635,636],{"class":625},"CURRENT_WEEK\n",[15,638,640],{"class":621,"line":639},4,[15,641,642],{"class":625},"CURRENT_MONTH\n",[15,644,646],{"class":621,"line":645},5,[15,647,648],{"class":625},"CURRENT_YEAR\n",[15,650,652],{"class":621,"line":651},6,[15,653,654],{"class":625},"CURRENT_STREAK\n",[15,656,658],{"class":621,"line":657},7,[15,659,660],{"class":625},"WHOLE_VAULT\n",[11,662,663,666],{},[35,664,665],{},"Last Values",": calculated based on discrete ranges (24h, 7d, 30d, 365d).",[611,668,670],{"className":613,"code":669,"language":615,"meta":52,"style":52},"LAST_DAY\nLAST_WEEK\nLAST_MONTH\nLAST_YEAR\n",[617,671,672,677,682,687],{"__ignoreMap":52},[15,673,674],{"class":621,"line":622},[15,675,676],{"class":625},"LAST_DAY\n",[15,678,679],{"class":621,"line":242},[15,680,681],{"class":625},"LAST_WEEK\n",[15,683,684],{"class":621,"line":245},[15,685,686],{"class":625},"LAST_MONTH\n",[15,688,689],{"class":621,"line":639},[15,690,691],{"class":625},"LAST_YEAR\n",[575,693,695],{"id":694},"entries","Entries",[11,697,698],{},"The Entries component displays which files were modified and how many words or characters were added. Users can also delete unwanted entries to fix any tracking inconsistencies.",[11,700,701],{},[80,702],{"alt":703,"src":704},"Entries Component","/projects/ktr/ktr_entries.png",[575,706,708],{"id":707},"embedded-views","Embedded Views",[11,710,711],{},"All previous features can also be embedded and customized within any markdown note, allowing users to tailor their setup to be more contextually relevant, such as showing entries for a specific day or a heatmap of changes in a specific folder.",[11,713,714,715,718],{},"The commands were designed with simplicity in mind, prioritizing ",[35,716,717],{},"reasonable defaults"," while offering a breadth of settings and complex queries that are intuitively accessible.",[11,720,721,725],{},[80,722],{"alt":723,"src":724},"Custom Heatmap Code Block","/projects/ktr/ktr_codeblock-heatmap.png",[15,726,729],{"className":727},[728],"image-label","Heatmap embedded inside a note, with custom visual settings",[11,731,732,736],{},[80,733],{"alt":734,"src":735},"Custom Slot Code Block","/projects/ktr/ktr_codeblock-slot.png",[15,737,739],{"className":738},[728],"Set of embedded slots, with custom units and average mode",[575,741,743],{"id":742},"customization-settings","Customization & Settings",[11,745,746],{},"An extensive settings page allows users to expand the REGEX rules used for word counting to include other languages (like CJK support), customize the sidebar components, and set the daily goals that inform their streak.",[11,748,749],{},[80,750],{"alt":751,"src":752},"Settings Page","/projects/ktr/ktr_settings.png",[137,754,756],{"id":755},"other-resources","Other Resources",[516,758],{},[519,760,761,769],{},[146,762,763,768],{},[47,764,767],{"href":765,"rel":766},"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VS7aiZSYfgg",[162],"Video overview of the plugin"," (by Mike Schmitz)",[146,770,771],{},[47,772,775],{"href":773,"rel":774},"https://community.obsidian.md/plugins/keep-the-rhythm",[162],"Obsidian plugin page",[777,778,779],"style",{},"html pre.shiki code .sZZnC, html code.shiki .sZZnC{--shiki-default:#032F62;--shiki-dark:#9ECBFF}html .default .shiki span {color: var(--shiki-default);background: var(--shiki-default-bg);font-style: var(--shiki-default-font-style);font-weight: var(--shiki-default-font-weight);text-decoration: var(--shiki-default-text-decoration);}html .shiki span {color: var(--shiki-default);background: var(--shiki-default-bg);font-style: var(--shiki-default-font-style);font-weight: var(--shiki-default-font-weight);text-decoration: var(--shiki-default-text-decoration);}html .dark .shiki span {color: var(--shiki-dark);background: var(--shiki-dark-bg);font-style: var(--shiki-dark-font-style);font-weight: var(--shiki-dark-font-weight);text-decoration: var(--shiki-dark-text-decoration);}html.dark .shiki span {color: var(--shiki-dark);background: var(--shiki-dark-bg);font-style: var(--shiki-dark-font-style);font-weight: var(--shiki-dark-font-weight);text-decoration: var(--shiki-dark-text-decoration);}",{"title":52,"searchDepth":242,"depth":242,"links":781},[782,783,784,785],{"id":29,"depth":242,"text":30},{"id":546,"depth":242,"text":547},{"id":572,"depth":242,"text":573},{"id":755,"depth":242,"text":756},"2025 — Present",{"subtitle":788,"author":789},"Motivating people to write consistently","Benjamin Ezequiel","/projects/ktr",{"title":473,"description":52},{"loc":790},"projects/ktr","/projects/ktr.thumbnail.jpg","1DnYW9L_8wgZT-qTDlg0_AkCpSlAn-neIOjrz_wqVtw",{"id":797,"title":798,"body":799,"date":1113,"description":52,"extension":250,"favorite":251,"meta":1114,"navigation":251,"path":1117,"seo":1118,"sitemap":1119,"stem":1120,"tags":259,"thumbnail":1121,"__hash__":1122},"projects/projects/panorama.md","Panorama",{"type":8,"value":800,"toc":1101},[801,803,814,821,823,840,842,846,849,855,858,864,867,870,879,883,886,891,895,898,908,912,915,918,921,935,939,946,952,955,961,968,971,981,985,988,998,1008,1014,1017,1027,1031,1034,1040,1043,1060,1065,1073,1081,1089,1094,1098],[137,802,30],{"id":29},[11,804,805,806,809,810,813],{},"Panorama is a deck of ",[35,807,808],{},"50 cards"," that educates students on the literature surrounding ",[35,811,812],{},"principles of design and visual communication",", organizing them into properties, fundamentals, strategies, and gestalt. By synthesizing commonalities across different sources, it aims to help a new generation of designers make more informed decisions grounded in the field's rich theory.",[11,815,816,817,820],{},"This tool was developed as my final graduation project and was recognized as the best project in that category that year. It later received a ",[35,818,819],{},"national award"," from the Brazilian Design Association in the Branding category. The following article summarizes the thesis detailing the entire process, available below in Brazilian Portuguese (PT-BR). My final presentation is also available, particularly special to me as it demonstrates my early explorations with storytelling through animation.",[516,822],{},[519,824,825,833],{},[146,826,827,832],{},[47,828,831],{"href":829,"rel":830,"target":485},"https://lume.ufrgs.br/handle/10183/270664",[162],"Read the full thesis document"," (PT-BR)",[146,834,835,832],{},[47,836,839],{"href":837,"rel":838,"target":485},"https://www.figma.com/proto/UevDg7J1PwNZ0eSsTl4YKc/PPT-Final---TCC?page-id=0%3A1&node-id=1-1016&p=f&viewport=625%2C3803%2C0.35&t=CAU8vWTqJpUu6mZo-1&scaling=min-zoom&content-scaling=fixed&starting-point-node-id=1%3A1016&show-proto-sidebar=1",[162],"Check the animated presentation",[516,841],{},[27,843,845],{"id":844},"introduction","Introduction",[11,847,848],{},"Initial exploratory research examined how designers experience the design process and what factors inform design decisions throughout a project.",[850,851,852],"blockquote",{},[11,853,854],{},"“Projects are developed through a sequence of decision-making steps, in which the designer plays an active role in guiding the resolution of a problem.” (Jorge & Jardim, 2019, p. 50)",[11,856,857],{},"Through initial interviews with UFRGS students, I found that the most challenging moment was around idea generation—when designers need to explore possible solutions to a problem and then analyze their feasibility and relevance. This clarified when the target audience feels least confident in their decision-making.",[11,859,860],{},[80,861],{"alt":862,"src":863},"Problem Illustration","/projects/panorama/decision-making.jpg",[11,865,866],{},"A review of existing literature also revealed what typically informs design decisions among more experienced designers. Beyond their maturity, a repertoire of references and similar projects gave them greater confidence in their intuition.",[11,868,869],{},"This led to the central question of the project:",[11,871,872,875,876],{},[35,873,874],{},"How can we help early-career designers",", who haven't yet built this robust repertoire, ",[35,877,878],{},"understand and make better design decisions as they learn their craft?",[27,880,882],{"id":881},"research","Research",[11,884,885],{},"My next step was diving deep into design theory, trying to understand how different authors approach and explain design principles. I collected and analyzed over 250 principles, carefully examining how they could be useful for designers starting their careers. Beyond gathering all of this information, I wanted to find ways to organize these principles that would make them practical and accessible.",[11,887,888],{},[80,889],{"alt":882,"src":890},"/projects/panorama/research.png",[575,892,894],{"id":893},"literature-review","Literature Review",[11,896,897],{},"The analysis revealed common groupings in how principles work: some describe basic properties of visual elements, others guide fundamental decisions we make in every project, and many offer specific strategies for achieving certain effects. This led to organizing the principles into four key categories that would form the foundation of my tool: Properties, Fundamentals, Strategies, and Gestalt principles.",[11,899,900,904],{},[80,901],{"alt":902,"src":903},"Books","/projects/panorama/books.jpg",[15,905,907],{"className":906},[728],"Some of the books analyzed throughout this phase",[575,909,911],{"id":910},"field-research-insights","Field Research & Insights",[11,913,914],{},"To ground the theoretical research in real-world needs, I conducted field research through interviews and surveys. This helped validate assumptions and revealed new insights about how designers learn and apply principles in practice.",[11,916,917],{},"The interviews with experienced designers and professors were particularly enlightening, revealing how design expertise develops over time. Many interviewees noted that while some students have natural intuition for design principles, they often struggle to articulate their decisions or explore alternatives beyond their first ideas.",[11,919,920],{},"A survey of 43 early-career designers highlighted specific pain points:",[519,922,923,926,929,932],{},[146,924,925],{},"Difficulty breaking free from initial ideas during ideation",[146,927,928],{},"Uncertainty when making and defending design decisions",[146,930,931],{},"Challenges in translating theoretical knowledge into practical solutions",[146,933,934],{},"A desire for more structured ways to explore visual possibilities",[27,936,938],{"id":937},"defining-the-direction","Defining the Direction",[11,940,941,942,945],{},"After organizing all this research, I needed to understand exactly who I was designing for. I developed ",[35,943,944],{},"three personas"," representing different ways people might use the tool: design students looking to understand principles better, tutors wanting to teach these concepts more effectively, and professionals seeking to expand their visual repertoire.",[11,947,948],{},[80,949],{"alt":950,"src":951},"Personas Photos","/projects/panorama/personas.png",[11,953,954],{},"These personas helped shape requirements for the project and led to an important realization: the tool needed to balance being educational with being practical, something you could learn from but also use actively in your design process.",[11,956,957],{},[80,958],{"alt":959,"src":960},"Personas Details","/projects/panorama/personas-detailed.png",[27,962,964,965],{"id":963},"the-concept-expanding-visual-horizons","The Concept: ",[57,966,967],{},"Expanding Visual Horizons",[11,969,970],{},"The name \"Panorama\" emerged from exploring concepts related to \"vision\" and \"possibilities\". The idea of having a broad view of multiple possible design directions perfectly captured what I wanted to create. This concept of \"expanding your horizon of visual possibilities\" became the foundation for developing the tool's identity.",[11,972,973,977],{},[80,974],{"alt":975,"src":976},"Name Exploration - Mind Map","/projects/panorama/name-exploration-1.png",[80,978],{"alt":979,"src":980},"Name Exploration - Brainstorming","/projects/panorama/name-exploration-2.png",[27,982,984],{"id":983},"visual-development","Visual Development",[11,986,987],{},"Creating the visual identity was particularly challenging because it needed to demonstrate the very principles the tool intended to teach. I explored different approaches, from minimal to expressive, before landing on a solution that felt right: using multiple typefaces in the logo to represent the diversity of visual possibilities, while maintaining clarity and coherence.",[11,989,990,994],{},[80,991],{"alt":992,"src":993},"Logo Generation","/projects/panorama/logo-generation.gif",[15,995,997],{"className":996},[728],"Variations explored through the ideation phase",[11,999,1000,1004],{},[80,1001],{"alt":1002,"src":1003},"Selected Logo","/projects/panorama/selected-logo.png",[15,1005,1007],{"className":1006},[728],"Selected variation",[11,1009,1010],{},[80,1011],{"alt":1012,"src":1013},"Logo Typefaces","/projects/panorama/logo-types.png",[11,1015,1016],{},"The color system and illustrations followed similar thinking. Each category received its own vibrant color, making the cards easy to organize and identify. For the illustrations, I developed a style that could demonstrate each principle clearly while maintaining a cohesive look across all 50 cards.",[11,1018,1019,1023],{},[80,1020],{"alt":1021,"src":1022},"Visual Explorations","/projects/panorama/visual-card-tests.png",[15,1024,1026],{"className":1025},[728],"Different initial explorations on card styling, colors, and visual languages",[27,1028,1030],{"id":1029},"the-final-tool","The Final Tool",[11,1032,1033],{},"Panorama ended up as a set of 50 cards (45 principles plus introductory cards for each category). Each card works as both a reference and a practical tool, featuring an abstract illustration that demonstrates the principle, a clear description, and connections to related concepts. I also developed packaging that protects the cards while keeping them easily accessible, and a guidebook that explores each principle in depth.",[11,1035,1036],{},[80,1037],{"alt":1038,"src":1039},"Panorama Mockup","/projects/panorama/mockup-04.jpg",[11,1041,1042],{},"Each card features:",[519,1044,1045,1048,1051,1054,1057],{},[146,1046,1047],{},"An abstract illustration demonstrating the principle",[146,1049,1050],{},"A clear, concise description",[146,1052,1053],{},"Related principles for further exploration",[146,1055,1056],{},"Category identification through color",[146,1058,1059],{},"Examples of practical application",[11,1061,1062],{},[80,1063],{"alt":1038,"src":1064},"/projects/panorama/mockup-01.jpg",[11,1066,1067,1070],{},[80,1068],{"alt":1038,"src":1069},"/projects/panorama/mockup-05.jpg",[80,1071],{"alt":1038,"src":1072},"/projects/panorama/mockup-06.jpg",[11,1074,1075,1078],{},[80,1076],{"alt":1038,"src":1077},"/projects/panorama/mockup-07.jpg",[80,1079],{"alt":1038,"src":1080},"/projects/panorama/mockup-08.jpg",[11,1082,1083,1086],{},[80,1084],{"alt":1038,"src":1085},"/projects/panorama/mockup-02.jpg",[80,1087],{"alt":1038,"src":1088},"/projects/panorama/mockup-03.jpg",[11,1090,1091],{},[80,1092],{"alt":1038,"src":1093},"/projects/panorama/mockup-09.jpg",[27,1095,1097],{"id":1096},"impact-learnings","Impact & Learnings",[11,1099,1100],{},"This project taught me a lot about bridging theory and practice in design. It showed me how physical tools can make complex concepts more approachable and how important it is to keep testing and refining ideas with real users.\nThe most rewarding part was seeing how designers interacted with the cards, discovering new possibilities and making connections between different principles. It reinforced my belief that we can make design theory more accessible without oversimplifying it.",{"title":52,"searchDepth":242,"depth":242,"links":1102},[1103],{"id":29,"depth":242,"text":30,"children":1104},[1105,1106,1107,1108,1110,1111,1112],{"id":844,"depth":245,"text":845},{"id":881,"depth":245,"text":882},{"id":937,"depth":245,"text":938},{"id":963,"depth":245,"text":1109},"The Concept: Expanding Visual Horizons",{"id":983,"depth":245,"text":984},{"id":1029,"depth":245,"text":1030},{"id":1096,"depth":245,"text":1097},"2023",{"subtitle":1115,"org":1116},"A tool for understanding design principles","UFRGS","/projects/panorama",{"title":798,"description":52},{"loc":1117},"projects/panorama","/projects/panorama.thumbnail.jpg","QMAZ2Oe22ojlU5zI9PmDmghAbljijOeQo0HTG_4UP8M",{"id":1124,"title":1125,"body":1126,"date":248,"description":52,"extension":250,"favorite":1163,"meta":1164,"navigation":251,"path":1167,"seo":1168,"sitemap":1169,"stem":1170,"tags":259,"thumbnail":1171,"__hash__":1172},"projects/projects/playground.md","Playground",{"type":8,"value":1127,"toc":1160},[1128,1132,1134,1137,1143,1151],[22,1129],{"cta":1130,"link":1131},"Check Playground on Obsidian Community!","https://community.obsidian.md/themes/playground",[27,1133,30],{"id":29},[11,1135,1136],{},"Playground is a modern and playful Obsidian theme focused on visual hierarchy, clean typography, and minimal visual noise. The theme brings colour-coded headers, improved callout styling, and properly aligned lists to Obsidian, aiming for a clean, high-contrast interface. It works in both light and dark mode, and supports desktop and mobile.",[11,1138,1139],{},[80,1140],{"alt":1141,"src":1142},"Playground Logo","/projects/playground/logo.png",[11,1144,1145,1146,20],{},"It started as a simple project to experiment with procedurally generating perceptually uniform colour palettes, and became my main Obsidian theme. Since sharing it, it has passed 9,000 downloads and grown into related projects like ",[47,1147,1150],{"href":1148,"rel":1149},"https://github.com/benjaminezequiel/tidy-tasks",[162],"TidyTasks",[11,1152,1153,1157],{},[80,1154],{"alt":1155,"src":1156},"Playground-1","/projects/playground/playground-01.png",[80,1158],{"alt":1155,"src":1159},"/projects/playground/playground-02.png",{"title":52,"searchDepth":242,"depth":242,"links":1161},[1162],{"id":29,"depth":245,"text":30},false,{"subtitle":1165,"org":1166},"A playful Obsidian theme for clean, organised notes","Personal Project","/projects/playground",{"title":1125,"description":52},{"loc":1167},"projects/playground","/projects/playground.thumbnail.jpg","stNnN9gBbtXWC0oIA9w8u4wwTToAtNgVBQHyaeloP8Q",{"id":1174,"title":1175,"body":1176,"date":1203,"description":52,"extension":250,"favorite":251,"meta":1204,"navigation":251,"path":1207,"seo":1208,"sitemap":1209,"stem":1210,"tags":259,"thumbnail":1211,"__hash__":1212},"projects/projects/silicon.md","Silicon Trader",{"type":8,"value":1177,"toc":1200},[1178,1182,1185],[27,1179,1181],{"id":1180},"description","Description",[11,1183,1184],{},"SiliconTrader is a modern asset trading platform focused on ultra-low latency and usability. As a designer, I've prioritized creating workflows that speed up users' tasks while ensuring they maintain complete control over the platform.",[11,1186,1187,1188,1193,1194,1199],{},"You can find some details about SiliconTrader on ",[47,1189,1192],{"href":1190,"rel":1191},"https://mbochip.com/",[162],"MBOCHIP's website"," (which I helped design and develop) and in the ",[47,1195,1198],{"href":1196,"rel":1197},"https://www.linkedin.com/posts/activity-7111038887346515968-Jlfd?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop",[162],"platform's promotional video"," (also created by my team).",{"title":52,"searchDepth":242,"depth":242,"links":1201},[1202],{"id":1180,"depth":245,"text":1181},"2022 — Present",{"subtitle":1205,"org":1206},"An advanced algorithmic trading platform","MBOCHIP","/projects/silicon",{"title":1175,"description":52},{"loc":1207},"projects/silicon","/projects/silicon.thumbnail.jpg","dBvDXgNmk6hmwLMIATl1fcSRvmsc5KTfuv2BQimCS2Y",1782016073228]