In this edition of Workflow, we have designer & developer Corey Ginnivan talking about cold brew coffee and working on side projects at nighttime.
Workflow is an interview series by Balance the Grind to get a glimpse into people’s working styles and workspaces. If you’re interested in sharing your workflow, submit it here!
Describe what you do: During the day I’m the Design Lead at Appbot, a company that is changing how some of the biggest companies in the world analyse customer feedback to improve their apps & products using sentiment analysis and natural language processing
By night I do too much to keep track of really. I’m working on a productivity app called Blocks, I created and continue to maintain WhoCanUse – an open-source tool that brings attention and understanding to how colour contrast can affect people with different visual impairments.
I write bite-sized tutorials on Twitter about design, development and workflow topics. I’m also working on a few projects that are being kept under wraps until they launch (which will be happening soon). Follow me on Twitter @CoreyGinnivan for updates on all those things!
How do you like your coffee: Black cold brew with ice. It’s easy to make and tastes great. Let’s not over complicate things.
Device(s) you use: 15‑inch MacBook Pro, Google Pixel 3a (test the odd design on it).
Describe your working style in one sentence: It’s changed a bit with Covid-19 and working from home full time, but the morning is all about getting in the right mindset.
I do my morning stretches, make my bed (simple achievement to kickstart the day) and take my time getting ready, have a coffee and then ease in to the day by chatting to the team and flick through Twitter for a bit.
I don’t have to deal with meetings or endless emails, so I pump some tunes and jump in to doing work fairly easily. I workout over my lunch break and shower again to feel fresh and ready to tackle the rest of the day.
What does your workspace look like: It differs a bit from the office, but I like to keep things simple at home. I got rid of my monitor and just have my MacBook propped up. I recently invested in an Steelcase Gesture chair too, which may have been the best working from home hack ever.
There’s got to be a sketchpad or notebook nearby as I’m always jotting things down or doing quick sketches of designs. There’s a few skateboard decks on the wall to add a bit of art to the space – the latest addition is one of Alice Lee’s pieces, one of my favourite artists. Also got to have a plant on the desk to liven things up.
How does your workspace affect your creative process: A lot of people will say your workspace is an extension of you, or something like tidy desk tidy mind. There is some truth to that, but I’m not too affected by different workspaces. There’s times I love being in the office, there’s times I like being at home workspace, or on the couch, kitchen bench, etc. My creative process is ever changing and doesn’t rely too much on static surroundings.
Do you have a favourite playlist for work: My Shit Just Got Real playlist on Spotify. A mix of all my fav songs – mostly metal/hardcore/alt-rock with a healthy dose of guilty pleasures.
Who would you like to nominate for the next workflow interview: My friendtor, Patima.
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