As a designer, I aim to take human perspectives and societal issues into account while designing with and for people. This means I am intrigued to research underlying philosophical questions such as what the ethical responsibilities of designers are or what a "positive impact on society" means in the context of design. I address these questions by taking on a reflective and critical mindset, ensuring an ethical and holistic approach.  

To balance out the time I spend pondering these foundational questions, I aim to focus on human perspectives by co-creating and engaging with people's perspectives throughout the entire design process. My abilities in intercultural communication and psychology help me take a sensitive approach when designing with and for people through co-developing. 

I am a very visual person, and my ability to express my ideas quickly through sketches and prototypes supports the process of developing things together. Prototypes are a great way to spark conversations and imagination, so I start making things early in the design process. My eye for aesthetics then helps me get these prototypes to the next level further in the design process.

In the spirit of sparking imagination; I often tend to create what I like to call an ‘organised mess’ as this helps me with the process of detangling complexity. This way I embrace experimentation and exploration, as it stimulates my creativity. This does backfire at times. When having a structured approach is expected and it comes to deadlines, I find it difficult to commit to ideas as I would rather stay in an explorative phase.

Knowing this is one of my weaker points, I do find structure by using tools such as affinity diagrams and by keeping a clear vision of my goals. This is especially something I am good at when working in teams, as I feel the responsibility to not make the process too chaotic. I am well able to do this within design projects, partially due to my experience in managing sailing camps. 

In summary, my approach to design is rooted in the understanding and curiosity of human behaviour, perspectives and societal issues. By addressing questions about society, engaging with users, and creating prototypes, I strive to restore the imbalance of interpersonal relationships, and relationships between people, nature, and artefacts.