Currently, I am working remotely as a UX Researcher and Designer at Luxottica, a company based in Milan (🇮🇹) that houses eyewear 🕶 brands such as Ray-Ban, Oakley and Persol (to name a few) and houses other optical eCommerce sites. Here, I work within the CRO team conducting exploratory research and design to optimize the online experiences of customers.
Meanwhile, on the other hand I am planning to grow my side hustles and I've started freelancing as a UX/UI Designer. Focussing on web based passion projects in the realms of running, hiking, yoga, wellbeing, arts & crafts and other related topics sharing my expertise with others.
For almost 4 years I can call Breda (🇳🇱) my home now. The Dutch city is known as 'the pearl of the south' possibly referring to it's beautiful canals and that it's surrounded by woods. Within a 30 min bike ride 🚲 I can be in one of 5 main nature parks surrounding the city.
Breda also has its very own UX Festival! Called UX Insight, which is in April and I really liked attending it this year. It was a very insightful event, great for connecting to UX professionals.
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I pivoted quite a bit but design was always my north star 💫
My studies were all in (Graphic) Design. I actually achieved 3 diploma's, one in the Netherlands which led me to do an internship in Curacao 🏝 (Honestly, I mainly went there so I could go scuba diving for 6 months 🤩). Then moving on to getting a BA and MA in 2,5 years at the University of Lincoln (🇬🇧).
After my education, I briefly worked as a book designer, I love to read stories. However, I realised that I found digital design more interesting. I started working as an in-house Visual Designer for a retail company. It was there in the UX & Design Team that I first came in contact with the nitty and gritty of UX, instantly loving it!
The behavior and psychology side of UX is what led me to then transition into a UX Design role in Brussels (🇧🇪). Catching up on many behavior design principles such as the BJ Fogg Model and Zeigarnik Effect.
Never being able to sit still I am now venturing deeper into the realm of CRO (Conversion Rate Optimisation) and Research.
People are super interesting to observe, who doesn't love to sit on a terrace on a market square just to watch how people walk by? (me!) Take this online, add in visual design and business goals and there is a whole new level of complexity. It's this super interesting puzzle I love to solve.
This is also exactly why 'only' doing graphic design wasn't working for me. A design would be largely judged by the preference or liking of clients.
In UX it's all about how users interact with the design, what works, what doesn't work, experimenting, validating, testing. I feel more 'in-touch' with my design knowing that something works and it fits the users needs.
🙋♀️ Good morning, to all morning people! I definitely belong to that group. I usually start my day with a cup of tea and a good breakfast, some yoga or a morning walk/bike ride + podcast. I never leave my house without having breakfast first.
When I return from my walk I aim start the first 2/3 hours of my work day in 'focus mode'. I tend to work in silence or listening to some low-fi music. It's in the morning when I am most productive and aim to do all my 'focussed' work jumping in Figma, map out users flows and setting up strategy and research reports.
After lunch time I switch to something more 'up-tempo' or tune into some radio. Afterwards it's great to do some brainstorming and more 'free flowing' kind of work. It's also in the afternoons that I aim to plan most of my meetings and workshops (doesn't always work).
Usually ending the last hours of my working day with answering emails and planning a to-do list for the next day. At the end of the day I love to wind down on a run 🏃♀️
Maybe it's uncommon, but I would like to highlight something here that is still a work in progress.
As a huge ambassador for passion projects, I would love to highlight one of mine here. Already I am really proud of the ideas that are taking shape and because it's a collaboration with my dad.
My dad is a beekeeper and to promote his honey locally the idea emerged to create his own personal branding and website. He also has some funny (Dutch) sayings which would fit perfectly on a decorative tiles. We're now working on setting him up with a decent website, webshop, instagram, logo, hell maybe even some apparel. This is where the design juices start flowing! I look forward to work on it more.
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Ever felt bored? And beating yourself up over it? Not anymore being bored online never felt so good. It is websites like this that remind me that it's better to have a fun and engaging website than a boring one that no one wants to explore. Combining the art of whitespace and simplicity, as Mari Kondo would say, to 'spark joy'.
Rediscovering the beautiful simplicity and joyfulness potential of Web design:
Time is my biggest challenge (isn't it everyones? 😅) and focussing is the runner up. My mind tends to get chaotic so that's why I aim to have a 'system' in place for routines and ways to create a more 'productive' mindset.
On a UX/UI level my biggest challenge is keeping my attention to detail even if I am working on a project that takes a few months. Variation is key here, everyone zones out a bit if you keep staring at the same screen for too long.
Honestly, I think my biggest challenge is to get away from my screen, to not get too 'stuck in the work'. That's why I value my offscreen time even more. A few years ago this was the sole reason of becoming a nature guide, taking the story telling that I love in design offline, by taking people on a 'journey'. Not a customer journey, but an actual adventure. Showing them how intricate nature is, and sharing my interest in plants and animals.
When I am working I mostly don't want to be disturbed by too much 'language'. My work can range from designing in Dutch and English, meanwhile talking to colleagues hearing Italian. Then English or Dutch songs or radio chit-chat can become quite distracting. That's why I tend to go for Chill Low-Fi music. 🎶
☕️ LOVE the smell of coffee, but more of a tea drinker here!
🥾 Free-time nature guide and botanist-in-spe for the nearby Nature Reserve National Park The Biesbosch. If you're ever in the neighborhood, looking for a private nature guide hit me up!
🏃♀️ Enthusiastic runner, I've run my first marathon last year, and now planning to run one in Switzerland 🇨🇭
🍫 Huge foodie. Hence this is my main reason for running, more running means more food. Oh and baking, I now allowed myself to only bake stuff when I am able to share it. Must try: Ironcast skillet chocolate chip cookies 🍪 😍
🎉 Love venturing into new areas, I got my boating license last year (a small one for inland waters). I also drive a 🏍 (need to acquire myself a new one)
