Identity
I like unraveling complexity to reach tangible solutions. I balance working in the abstract and the concrete. I like working in multi-stakeholder environments. I prioritize evidence based design and apply various research methods, such as interviews, ethnography and literature. I combine social observations with (psychological) theory to reach conclusions. I prefer working in a team so more perspectives on a problem get involved.
I aim to understand the world around me and the systems and processes (economic, social, psychological, natural, etc.) that make it, as well as possible, and use that to reshape parts that are working sub optimally.
Vision
Design, for me, is a structured approach to shaping the world around us. Products, appearances, services, systems, everything is and can be designed. A broad vision is important for designing; the value of a design should be measured along its entire lifespan and taking into account all its effects on the world. Current economic systems wrongly incentivize wasteful and short life span design, resulting in climate change, material shortages and more waste than we know what to do with. Drastic change in this regard across all sectors is inevitable to ensure livable conditions for the majority of the human population.
Transitioning to a sustainable future requires more than traditional human-centered design methods. A system oriented design approach is needed to tackle ‘wicked’, increasingly complex problems in our increasingly complicated society.