Making images consistent for book.

TODO: fix TODOs below

After working on diversifying strategies I linked as examples in #eng-strategy-book, the next problem I wanted to start working on was consistent visual appearances across all images included in the book. There are quite a few images, so I wanted to started by creating a tool to make a static HTML page of all included images, to facilitate reviewing all the images at once.

To write the script, I decided to write a short prompt describing the prompt, followed by paste in the script I’d previously for consistent linking, and seeing what I’d get.

This worked on the first try, after which I made a few tweaks to include more information. That culminates in images.py which allowed me to review all images in the book.

This screenshot gives a sense of the general problem.

Reviewing the full set of images, I identifed two categories of problems. First, I had one model image that was done via Figma instead of Excalidraw, and consequently looked very different.

Then the question was whether to standardize on that style or on the Excalidraw style.

There was only one sequence diagram in Figma style, so ultimately it was the easier choice to make the Figma one follow the Excalidraw style.

TODO: add image of updated image using Excalidraw style

The second problem was deciding how to represent Wardley maps consistently. My starting point was two very inconsistent varieties of Wardley maps, neither of which was ideal for including in a book.

The output from Mapkeep, which is quite good overall but not optimized for printing (too much empty whitespace).

Then I had Figma versions I’d made as well.

In the Figma versions that I’d made, I had tried to make better use of whitespace, and I think I succeeded. That said, they looked pretty bad altogether. In this case I was pretty unhappy with both options, so I decided to spend some time thinking about it.

For inspiration, I decided to review how maps were represented in two printed books. First in Simon Wardley’s book.

TODO: example from the wardley mapping book and

Then in TODO: remember name…

TODO: example from other mapping book

Reflecting on both of those.. TODO: finish

TODO: actually finish making them consistent, lol

TODO: conclusion about this somehow

Finally, this is another obvious script that I should have written for Staff Engineer. Then again, that is a significantly less image heavy book, so it probably wouldn’t have mattered too much.