[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":615},["ShallowReactive",2],{"navigation":3,"index":35,"blogs":155,"work":301},[4,14],{"title":5,"path":6,"stem":7,"children":8,"page":13},"Blog","\u002Fblog","blog",[9],{"title":10,"path":11,"stem":12},"GSoC 2026: a Hopeful Rejection","\u002Fblog\u002Fgsoc-2026-a-hopeful-rejection","blog\u002Fgsoc-2026-a-hopeful-rejection",false,{"title":15,"path":16,"stem":17,"children":18,"page":13},"Work","\u002Fwork","work",[19,23,27,31],{"title":20,"path":21,"stem":22},"CFU Bench","\u002Fwork\u002Fcfu-bench","work\u002Fcfu-bench",{"title":24,"path":25,"stem":26},"Focal Grid","\u002Fwork\u002Ffocal-grid","work\u002Ffocal-grid",{"title":28,"path":29,"stem":30},"Pico Router","\u002Fwork\u002Fpico-router","work\u002Fpico-router",{"title":32,"path":33,"stem":34},"Valhalla","\u002Fwork\u002Fvalhalla","work\u002Fvalhalla",{"id":36,"title":37,"about":38,"blog":41,"body":44,"description":45,"experience":46,"extension":48,"faq":49,"hero":88,"meta":122,"navigation":123,"path":124,"seo":125,"stem":128,"testimonials":129,"__hash__":154},"index\u002Findex.yml","Hey, I'm Victor Systems Engineer",{"title":39,"description":40},"About Me","As a UX\u002FUI designer and front-end developer with 6 years of experience, I leverage my Boston University Interactive Design degree to craft user-centered digital experiences.\nMy approach blends creative strategy with technical expertise, transforming concepts into functional, purposeful digital products that seamlessly integrate design and technology.\n",{"title":42,"description":43},"Latest Articles","Some of my recent thoughts",null,"I craft intuitive digital experiences where design meets functionality. Based in Boston, bringing ideas to life through code and creativity.",{"title":47},"Notable Projects","yml",{"title":50,"description":51,"categories":52},"Frequently Asked Questions","Answers to common questions about my process and services.",[53,65,80],{"title":54,"questions":55},"Services & Process",[56,59,62],{"label":57,"content":58},"What services do you offer?","I specialize in UX\u002FUI design and front-end development. This includes user research, wireframing, interactive prototyping, creating intuitive user interfaces, building responsive websites and web applications (especially with Vue.js\u002FNuxt.js), and developing design systems. My goal is to create seamless digital experiences from concept to deployment.\n",{"label":60,"content":61},"What is your design process like?","My process is collaborative and iterative, typically involving stages like Discovery & Research, Ideation & Prototyping, User Testing, Visual Design, and close collaboration with development teams during implementation. I tailor the process based on project needs, always focusing on user-centered solutions.\n",{"label":63,"content":64},"Do you work with startups?","Absolutely! I enjoy working with startups to help shape their product vision and create user-friendly interfaces from the ground up. I can adapt my process to fit the fast-paced startup environment.\n",{"title":66,"questions":67},"Pricing & Timelines",[68,71,74,77],{"label":69,"content":70},"How much does a project typically cost?","Project costs vary based on scope, complexity, features, and timeline. For comprehensive UX\u002FUI design and front-end development work, my engagements typically start around $5,000, with average work ranging between $8,000 and $25,000. For consulting or specific design tasks, my day rate is $700.\n",{"label":72,"content":73},"What are your payment terms?","I generally require a 40% deposit to schedule the project and begin work, with the remaining 60% due upon successful project completion and delivery. I accept payments via bank transfer and Stripe.\n",{"label":75,"content":76},"How long does a typical project take?","Timelines depend heavily on the project's scope and complexity. Smaller work might take 3-4 weeks, while larger, more involved work can range from 2 to 4 months. I always provide a detailed timeline estimate after the initial discovery phase.\n",{"label":78,"content":79},"Do you offer retainers or ongoing support?","Yes, for clients needing ongoing design support, feature development, or maintenance, I offer monthly retainer options tailored to specific needs. Let's discuss if this is something you're interested in.\n",{"title":39,"questions":81},[82,85],{"label":83,"content":84},"What do you enjoy most about your work?","I love the challenge of solving complex problems through design and technology. It's incredibly rewarding to see people interact with something I've created and find it genuinely useful and easy to navigate. Bridging the gap between user needs and technical possibilities is what truly excites me.\n",{"label":86,"content":87},"What are your hobbies outside of work?","When I'm not designing or coding, I enjoy exploring Boston's neighborhoods, trying out new coffee shops, and hiking in the nearby reservations. I'm also passionate about photography and occasionally contribute to open-source work.\n",{"links":89,"images":94},[90],{"label":91,"to":92,"color":93},"Check out Pico Router","https:\u002F\u002Fgithub.com\u002FPico-Router\u002FPico-Router","neutral",[95,98,101,104,107,110,113,116,119],{"src":96,"alt":97},"\u002Fhero\u002Frandom-1.avif","Random Image 1",{"src":99,"alt":100},"\u002Fhero\u002Frandom-2.avif","Random Image 2",{"src":102,"alt":103},"\u002Fhero\u002Frandom-3.avif","Random Image 3",{"src":105,"alt":106},"\u002Fhero\u002Frandom-4.avif","Random Image 4",{"src":108,"alt":109},"\u002Fhero\u002Frandom-5.avif","Random Image 5",{"src":111,"alt":112},"\u002Fhero\u002Frandom-6.avif","Random Image 6",{"src":114,"alt":115},"\u002Fhero\u002Frandom-7.avif","Random Image 7",{"src":117,"alt":118},"\u002Fhero\u002Frandom-8.avif","Random Image 8",{"src":120,"alt":121},"\u002Fhero\u002Frandom-9.avif","Random Image 9",{},true,"\u002F",{"title":126,"description":127},"Home","Welcome to my portfolio! I'm Emma Thompson, a UX\u002FUI designer and front-end developer based in Boston. I specialize in creating user-centered digital experiences that are both beautiful and functional.","index",[130,138,146],{"quote":131,"author":132},"Emma's approach to UX design completely transformed our product. She has a rare ability to balance beautiful aesthetics with functional simplicity. The redesign not only looked better, but it reduced our customer support tickets by 40% and increased conversion rates across all key metrics.",{"name":133,"description":134,"avatar":135},"Sarah Chen","Product Director at Bloom Finance",{"src":136,"srcset":137},"https:\u002F\u002Fimages.unsplash.com\u002Fphoto-1487412720507-e7ab37603c6f?ixlib=rb-1.2.1&ixid=eyJhcHBfaWQiOjEyMDd9&auto=format&fit=facearea&facepad=2&w=40&h=40&q=80","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.unsplash.com\u002Fphoto-1487412720507-e7ab37603c6f?ixlib=rb-1.2.1&ixid=eyJhcHBfaWQiOjEyMDd9&auto=format&fit=facearea&facepad=2&w=80&h=80&q=80 2x",{"quote":139,"author":140},"Working with Emma was the best decision we made for our startup. She didn't just deliver designs—she challenged our assumptions, conducted thorough user research, and created an experience that truly resonated with our audience. Her technical knowledge of front-end development meant the handoff to our engineering team was seamless.",{"name":141,"description":142,"avatar":143},"Michael Rodriguez","Co-founder of Wavelength Music",{"src":144,"srcset":145},"https:\u002F\u002Fimages.unsplash.com\u002Fphoto-1472099645785-5658abf4ff4e?ixlib=rb-1.2.1&ixid=eyJhcHBfaWQiOjEyMDd9&auto=format&fit=facearea&facepad=2&w=40&h=40&q=80","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.unsplash.com\u002Fphoto-1472099645785-5658abf4ff4e?ixlib=rb-1.2.1&ixid=eyJhcHBfaWQiOjEyMDd9&auto=format&fit=facearea&facepad=2&w=80&h=80&q=80 2x",{"quote":147,"author":148},"Emma stands out in her ability to translate complex sustainability data into intuitive interfaces. Her work on EcoTrack wasn't just visually stunning—it fundamentally changed how our users interact with environmental information. She approaches each problem with both creativity and analytical rigor, which is exactly what we needed.",{"name":149,"description":150,"avatar":151},"Dr. Aisha Johnson","Chief Innovation Officer at GreenTech Solutions",{"src":152,"srcset":153},"https:\u002F\u002Fimages.unsplash.com\u002Fphoto-1573497019940-1c28c88b4f3e?ixlib=rb-1.2.1&ixid=eyJhcHBfaWQiOjEyMDd9&auto=format&fit=facearea&facepad=2&w=40&h=40&q=80","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.unsplash.com\u002Fphoto-1573497019940-1c28c88b4f3e?ixlib=rb-1.2.1&ixid=eyJhcHBfaWQiOjEyMDd9&auto=format&fit=facearea&facepad=2&w=80&h=80&q=80 2x","-wQMwbBrk1xppX5a78cvMJLy6Or7TnCpJ9QMPyBZcYQ",[156],{"id":157,"title":10,"author":44,"badge":158,"body":159,"date":293,"description":294,"extension":295,"image":296,"meta":297,"minRead":298,"navigation":123,"path":11,"seo":299,"stem":12,"__hash__":300},"blog\u002Fblog\u002Fgsoc-2026-a-hopeful-rejection.md","GIS",{"type":160,"value":161,"toc":282},"minimark",[162,167,171,175,185,190,208,217,221,243,247,258,264,268],[163,164,166],"h3",{"id":165},"tldr","TL;DR",[168,169,170],"p",{},"I was rejected for GSoC 2026 after months of preparations. The dissapointment was tough but the entire experience integrated my into open-source culture. My prep work involved building a deep understanding of routing engine mechanics and systems engineering principles and thus gave me the necessary base to start my own FOSS project, Pico Router.",[163,172,174],{"id":173},"helpful-definition","Helpful Definition",[168,176,177,178],{},"\"Google Summer of Code is a global, online program focused on bringing new contributors into open source software development. 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I ended up landing on ",[179,203,206],{"href":204,"rel":205},"https:\u002F\u002Fwiki.openstreetmap.org\u002F",[183],"OpenStreetMap"," due to the sheer variety of prominent GIS projects they maintain.",[168,209,210,211,216],{},"I checked the proposed projects page on the official wiki to find out there was only one project up for grabs at the moment. The ",[179,212,215],{"href":213,"rel":214},"https:\u002F\u002Fwiki.openstreetmap.org\u002Fwiki\u002FGoogle_Summer_of_Code\u002F2026\u002FProject_ideas#Routing",[183],"project description"," boiled down to making a previous participant's full-stack routing application 'production-ready' by integrating it closer with one or more OSM routing engines. Remebering that \"the early bird gets the worm\" I checked out the repo and contacted the mentor to share my interest in the project.",[186,218,220],{"id":219},"the-prep-phase","The Prep Phase",[222,223,224,228,231,234,237,240],"ul",{},[225,226,227],"li",{},"Introduction to OSS culture",[225,229,230],{},"Exploring closures.osm.ch",[225,232,233],{},"Exploring valhalla",[225,235,236],{},"First community contact",[225,238,239],{},"Maintainer feedback",[225,241,242],{},"Summary of prep contributions",[186,244,246],{"id":245},"summary-of-the-proposal","Summary of The Proposal",[222,248,249,252,255],{},[225,250,251],{},"Apparent problem to solve and main considerations",[225,253,254],{},"Sidecar service written in Python to keep valhalla server applications in sync with closures in closures.osm.ch",[225,256,257],{},"Components and steps of the service",[259,260,263],"u-button",{"href":261,"target":262},"\u002Fcontent\u002FGSoC-proposal.pdf","_blank","\nDownload\n",[186,265,267],{"id":266},"moving-on","Moving On",[222,269,270,273,276,279],{},[225,271,272],{},"Rejections and feeling of dissapointment",[225,274,275],{},"Frustrating coincidences",[225,277,278],{},"Reflecting on learnings",[225,280,281],{},"Proceding to new ambitions",{"title":283,"searchDepth":284,"depth":284,"links":285},"",2,[286,288,289,290,291,292],{"id":165,"depth":287,"text":166},3,{"id":173,"depth":287,"text":174},{"id":188,"depth":284,"text":189},{"id":219,"depth":284,"text":220},{"id":245,"depth":284,"text":246},{"id":266,"depth":284,"text":267},"2025-04-23","A detailed breakdown of my personal experience applying to 2026 edition of Google Summer of Code.","md","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.collabora.com\u002Fassets\u002Fimages\u002Fblog\u002FGSoC-2020b.png",{},8,{"title":10,"description":294},"Vg_XLJPBQ13GHQGrWJ79etQkORc4rI3gx0yKlGhsC6Q",[302,353,396,572],{"id":303,"title":20,"body":304,"color":340,"date":341,"description":342,"extension":295,"image":343,"meta":344,"navigation":123,"oneliner":345,"path":21,"seo":346,"stem":22,"tags":347,"url":351,"__hash__":352},"work\u002Fwork\u002Fcfu-bench.md",{"type":160,"value":305,"toc":335},[306,310,313,317,328,332],[186,307,309],{"id":308},"challenge","Challenge",[168,311,312],{},"Wavelength needed a product feel that matched the personality of music discovery. The challenge was balancing strong visual identity with a playback experience that stayed fast and intuitive.",[186,314,316],{"id":315},"approach","Approach",[222,318,319,322,325],{},[225,320,321],{},"Focused the home experience on discovery and mood rather than raw catalog depth.",[225,323,324],{},"Added subtle motion and audio-reactive moments to make the interface feel alive.",[225,326,327],{},"Kept the player accessible and predictable so the expressive visuals never got in the way.",[186,329,331],{"id":330},"outcome","Outcome",[168,333,334],{},"The final experience felt distinctive without becoming noisy. It gave the service a memorable identity while keeping listening and browsing friction low.",{"title":283,"searchDepth":284,"depth":284,"links":336},[337,338,339],{"id":308,"depth":284,"text":309},{"id":315,"depth":284,"text":316},{"id":330,"depth":284,"text":331},"#FF6C3A","2026-07-01","Designed and developed the user interface for an indie music streaming service, focusing on discovery features and creating a unique, engaging listening experience using custom audio visualizations.","https:\u002F\u002Fblogger.googleusercontent.com\u002Fimg\u002Fa\u002FAVvXsEivil3F4Tap0HcA2ne4dmwdBcGPT1crhawsthfhCVe9djdJ140SbNG4VnxOI9HK2q_A1DBq7Fkhx4ycNW4L1SjutP3orYEyHwo-i9QDlwkDqQBH1dELUWj_HV_j55JS_9Da3mPzq-MnnYp_eVo-iDq2boK_U_n7aSMO0AGC6syR3Byjg-iubC_AbV4V=s16000",{},"FPGA Accelerator",{"title":20,"description":342},[348,349,350],"UI Design","Front-End Dev","Animation","#","27ZZ4UCpcA2RMSSgX-mTbvFYyAhXKu5XhuT8m__Ulgw",{"id":354,"title":28,"body":355,"color":385,"date":386,"description":387,"extension":295,"image":388,"meta":389,"navigation":123,"oneliner":390,"path":29,"seo":391,"stem":30,"tags":392,"url":351,"__hash__":395},"work\u002Fwork\u002Fpico-router.md",{"type":160,"value":356,"toc":380},[357,359,362,364,375,377],[186,358,309],{"id":308},[168,360,361],{},"Bloom had strong business goals, but the experience was overwhelming for first-time users. The dashboard surfaced too much information at once, which made it hard to trust the platform.",[186,363,316],{"id":315},[222,365,366,369,372],{},[225,367,368],{},"Reworked onboarding to focus on one decision at a time.",[225,370,371],{},"Redesigned the data views around clearer comparison states and more legible charting.",[225,373,374],{},"Tightened the visual system so the product felt calmer and more premium.",[186,376,331],{"id":330},[168,378,379],{},"The redesign made the app feel far more approachable and easier to act on. Users could understand their finances faster, which translated into better retention and a cleaner support experience.",{"title":283,"searchDepth":284,"depth":284,"links":381},[382,383,384],{"id":308,"depth":284,"text":309},{"id":315,"depth":284,"text":316},{"id":330,"depth":284,"text":331},"#FF4B84","2026-05-01","Led the complete UX\u002FUI overhaul and front-end implementation for a personal finance platform, focusing on data visualization clarity and improving user onboarding flow. Resulted in a 32% increase in user retention.","https:\u002F\u002Fstatic0.xdaimages.com\u002Fwordpress\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2024\u002F11\u002Fraspberry-pi-pico-2-w-featured.png?w=1200&h=628&fit=crop",{},"Navigation Firmware",{"title":28,"description":387},[393,348,394],"UX Design","Fintech","VzlszXz2_IgybTyoAFNaMYsPbBNLbeH5DazRu1mUJJQ",{"id":397,"title":32,"body":398,"color":559,"date":560,"description":561,"extension":295,"image":562,"meta":563,"navigation":123,"oneliner":564,"path":33,"seo":565,"stem":34,"tags":566,"url":351,"__hash__":571},"work\u002Fwork\u002Fvalhalla.md",{"type":160,"value":399,"toc":537},[400,405,409,411,414,418,423,427,430,434,437,439,442,468,471,473,477,480,482,485,501,504,506,510,513,515,518,532,535],[401,402],"table-of-contents",{":title":403,":max-depth":404},"CONTRIBUTIONS","2",[186,406,408],{"id":407},"segfault-bug-fix","Segfault Bug Fix",[163,410,166],{"id":165},[168,412,413],{},"Add TL;DR...",[163,415,417],{"id":416},"relevant-links","Relevant Links",[222,419,420],{},[225,421,422],{},"Nothing yet...",[163,424,426],{"id":425},"breakdown","Breakdown",[168,428,429],{},"Add outcome...",[186,431,433],{"id":432},"python-openlr-module","Python OpenLR Module",[163,435,166],{"id":436},"tldr-1",[168,438,413],{},[163,440,417],{"id":441},"relevant-links-1",[222,443,444,452,460],{},[225,445,446,447],{},"Discussion: ",[179,448,451],{"href":449,"rel":450},"https:\u002F\u002Fgithub.com\u002Fvalhalla\u002Fvalhalla\u002Fdiscussions\u002F6035",[183],"Python bindings for OpenLR #6035",[225,453,454,455],{},"Issue: ",[179,456,459],{"href":457,"rel":458},"https:\u002F\u002Fgithub.com\u002Fvalhalla\u002Fvalhalla\u002Fissues\u002F6037",[183],"OpenLR Python bindings #6037",[225,461,462,463],{},"Pull Request: ",[179,464,467],{"href":465,"rel":466},"https:\u002F\u002Fgithub.com\u002Fvalhalla\u002Fvalhalla\u002Fpull\u002F6087",[183],"feat: openlr python bindings #6087",[163,469,426],{"id":470},"breakdown-1",[168,472,429],{},[186,474,476],{"id":475},"python-bindging-restructuring","Python Bindging Restructuring",[163,478,166],{"id":479},"tldr-2",[168,481,413],{},[163,483,417],{"id":484},"relevant-links-2",[222,486,487,494],{},[225,488,446,489],{},[179,490,493],{"href":491,"rel":492},"https:\u002F\u002Fgithub.com\u002Fvalhalla\u002Fvalhalla\u002Fdiscussions\u002F6096#discussioncomment-17225673",[183],"re-design python binding structure #6096",[225,495,462,496],{},[179,497,500],{"href":498,"rel":499},"https:\u002F\u002Fgithub.com\u002Fvalhalla\u002Fvalhalla\u002Fpull\u002F6133",[183],"BREAKING(python): change layout of bindings, no signature change #6133",[163,502,426],{"id":503},"breakdown-2",[168,505,429],{},[186,507,509],{"id":508},"docker-version-logging","Docker Version Logging",[163,511,166],{"id":512},"tldr-3",[168,514,413],{},[163,516,417],{"id":517},"relevant-links-3",[222,519,520,525],{},[225,521,446,522],{},[179,523,493],{"href":491,"rel":524},[183],[225,526,462,527],{},[179,528,531],{"href":529,"rel":530},"https:\u002F\u002Fgithub.com\u002Fvalhalla\u002Fvalhalla\u002Fissues\u002F5721",[183],"Include Valhalla version in Docker container startup logs #5721",[163,533,426],{"id":534},"breakdown-3",[168,536,429],{},{"title":283,"searchDepth":284,"depth":284,"links":538},[539,544,549,554],{"id":407,"depth":284,"text":408,"children":540},[541,542,543],{"id":165,"depth":287,"text":166},{"id":416,"depth":287,"text":417},{"id":425,"depth":287,"text":426},{"id":432,"depth":284,"text":433,"children":545},[546,547,548],{"id":436,"depth":287,"text":166},{"id":441,"depth":287,"text":417},{"id":470,"depth":287,"text":426},{"id":475,"depth":284,"text":476,"children":550},[551,552,553],{"id":479,"depth":287,"text":166},{"id":484,"depth":287,"text":417},{"id":503,"depth":287,"text":426},{"id":508,"depth":284,"text":509,"children":555},[556,557,558],{"id":512,"depth":287,"text":166},{"id":517,"depth":287,"text":417},{"id":534,"depth":287,"text":426},"#64748B","2026-02-01","Valhalla is a high-performance open-source routing engine built on OpenStreetMap data. My contributions are focused on Python interoperability, OpenLR support, developer experience, and infrastructure improvements.","https:\u002F\u002Fvalhalla.github.io\u002Fvalhalla\u002Fapi\u002Fimages\u002Fisochrone.png",{},"OSM Routing Engine",{"title":32,"description":561},[567,158,568,569,570],"OSM","Routing Engine","C++","Python","z-k0gvkfuQZFb2KHYiAIwSSud7axnUQzMaqCvfKulQk",{"id":573,"title":24,"body":574,"color":604,"date":605,"description":606,"extension":295,"image":607,"meta":608,"navigation":123,"oneliner":609,"path":25,"seo":610,"stem":26,"tags":611,"url":351,"__hash__":614},"work\u002Fwork\u002Ffocal-grid.md",{"type":160,"value":575,"toc":599},[576,578,581,583,594,596],[186,577,309],{"id":308},[168,579,580],{},"EcoTrack needed to make environmental impact feel tangible. The original product had plenty of data, but very little clarity or momentum for users who wanted to build better habits.",[186,582,316],{"id":315},[222,584,585,588,591],{},[225,586,587],{},"Simplified the dashboard into a small set of high-signal metrics.",[225,589,590],{},"Introduced progress states and gentle nudges to encourage repeat use.",[225,592,593],{},"Used more visual hierarchy so users could understand their footprint at a glance.",[186,595,331],{"id":330},[168,597,598],{},"The redesigned experience turned a dense reporting tool into something people could actually return to every day. The product felt less like a spreadsheet and more like a supportive guide.",{"title":283,"searchDepth":284,"depth":284,"links":600},[601,602,603],{"id":308,"depth":284,"text":309},{"id":315,"depth":284,"text":316},{"id":330,"depth":284,"text":331},"#137E6E","2025-10-01","Created a mobile-first application to help users track and reduce their environmental impact. 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