Hi, I'm Chris a Creative Specialist from
The Netherlands.
I like to go bouldering and do Scouting in the weekends for kids between age 14 up to 18
this is the years i've been doing scouting
the amount in centimers that reaches the top of my head
Learning without a goal is a tough situation. What do you want to do? What do you want to get better at?
More GoalsChallenging myself by stepping out of my digital comfort zone to create (what I consider) extremely complex frontend constructions.
Exploring the outskirts of what's possible on minimally powerful computers, using the most powerful website structures in the core coding languages.
Giving and receiving feedback can always improve. I’ve noticed I definitely still have room to grow here.
Making the web projects I develop more inclusive—starting much earlier in the building process.
New knowledge about anything we could know
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Elk project word afgesloten met een digitaal product
An ode to the pioneering women who shaped the technology landscape
"World of Women" is the product of working 3 days non-stop towards creating an ode to the women in tech. My team and I created a classroom environment, because where would we teach the next generation about these women? Of course, in school!
For selecting these women, we chose to use a map where users could select a continent. The women from that continent would then appear in a CSS-only carousel. The women in tech come through all ages, which is why users could also select different time periods by clicking on the clock (which displays the actual time)!
of intensive collaboration
carousel implementation
for geographic exploration
Reflecting on my progress, insights, and growth during this minor
The Weekly Nerd sessions have been incredibly eye-opening. Kilian Valkhof's presentation on replacing JavaScript with modern HTML and CSS has dramatically changed how I approach frontend solutions. I've started challenging myself to solve problems with CSS first before jumping to JavaScript. Julia Miocene's approach to CSS art and her methodical iteration process has inspired me to be more thoughtful about my own design processes.
My goal of stepping outside my digital comfort zone is proving both challenging and rewarding. I've pushed myself to implement complex frontend structures that I would have previously avoided. The hackathon was a perfect example of pushing boundaries by creating a CSS-only carousel that I wouldn't have attempted before.
The power of modern CSS has been the biggest revelation. Features like container queries, parent selectors, and scroll-driven animations have opened up possibilities I didn't know existed. I've been pleasantly surprised by how much can be accomplished without relying on JavaScript.
My biggest learning moments have come from collaborative work, especially during the hackathon. Learning to communicate technical ideas clearly, divide tasks efficiently, and merge different coding styles has been challenging but incredibly valuable. I'm particularly proud of how our team managed to create a cohesive product while working on different components simultaneously.
I aim to implement accessibility as a foundational aspect of my development process rather than an afterthought. During the Meesterproef, I'll start each feature by considering accessibility requirements and testing with screen readers before moving to visual design.
Inspired by the Weekly Nerds, I want to create a project that uses JavaScript only where absolutely necessary. I'll implement a strict review process where each JavaScript addition must be justified against potential HTML/CSS solutions.
I want to improve my ability to provide constructive feedback and incorporate feedback from others. During the Meesterproef, I'll schedule regular peer review sessions and actively seek input from team members at key development stages.
The endgame to show it all
Looking back on the minor, I learned a lot more than I would have thought at first. I've been experimenting in parts I wouldn't have done on my own. I've learned new methods for writing down code, learned a lot more about accessibility (which has also created a spark to seek further depth in it). Above all, I had a really good time with my fellow students and the teachers.
Working on my personal learning objectives was fortunately fairly easy, as I was able to work on them effectively while working on the project. All three components were ones that I was able to make good use of, and which will certainly help me in the future. I definitely plan to explore all three learning objectives further.
The weekly nerds were sometimes more fun than others, but generally quite educational. On the one hand, it was a bit unsettling to step away from an important deadline for a course. But on the other hand, it provided inspiration to tackle a problem or do research in a particular area. I found the first Weekly Nerd very interesting, exploring what can be done in HTML and CSS without JavaScript. When we switched from Weekly Nerds on campus to visiting companies in the final phase of the minor, I became a lot more enthusiastic to see how our potential future colleagues tackle problems and look for solutions. It was very inspiring.
The master's thesis was certainly challenging, but it was also really fun to work on an assignment for a real client. It was great to tailor the product entirely to his taste and to do so with a fantastic team. Personally, I think the four of us were put together with the idea that we could definitely create something beautiful. So thank you very much for this opportunity; it has certainly paid off. My biggest learning moments come from the fact that I may have the necessary knowledge of a subject, but that does not necessarily mean that others have these skills as well. An example is GIT. One group member knew how GIT worked, but the other two did not, which sometimes made the project quite difficult. In the final phase of the project, I had to explain how to resolve conflicts in a pull request, which at first made me think, "Geez, why are you bringing this up now?" But later I thought, yes, of course, they hadn't used GIT throughout the entire project. If I had given a masterclass, things might have turned out very differently. What I did find difficult was that in the final phase of the project, I spent a lot of time rebuilding pieces of code that my group members had written. Overall, it worked, but it wasn't modular, or it was built in such a way that it only worked on one route and broke other routes. But looking back at a project we created in 4.5 weeks, this was one of the best-functioning team projects, which is also reflected in how happy the client is.
From CSS to the Rescue to HCD and API to Browser Technology, all focused on a specific technology that definitely helped us shed new light on the front-end world. Of course, I can't forget WAFS and the Hackathon. But if I look back at what I found to be the best moments of the courses, it was testing the keyboard with Eric on public transport. An assignment that I really didn't understand at first, but ultimately built a fantastic product from. Or at WAFS, where I thought, what is really me, and how can I apply this to my welcome website?
The past six months have been a time I will not soon forget! Declan, Cyd, Krijn, Sanne, Vasilis, and all the guest lecturers and guest speakers, thank you so much for the information and help in making me an even better programmer.