Manifesto
In my career, I came across very different understandings of design, both among design fellows and non-designers. This naturally requires designers to shape their own understanding of design and find their position in this always evolving field.
The following 7 principles reflect what I learned about myself over the past years working in different teams. They describe how I work, what I believe in and what I think hasn’t been said often enough.
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For me design is a way of problem solving and achieving outcomes, not creating outputs like apps or websites.
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I start with human needs, not with technology. Technology is just a vehicle to fulfil human needs, not a need itself. Sometimes it’s even harmful. The world needs more humanity, not more technology.
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I believe in strategy and research as the key to successful products. I never jump into crafting experiences before understanding the goal and the problem (that’s why you shouldn’t ask me to design outputs).
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I’m not passionate about pixel-perfect designs because they don’t solve problems. I focus on improvements with high impact and design experiments to test them.
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I don’t code because I believe designers should help with other things, such as understanding human behaviour and bringing people together.
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‘Structure kills creativity’ is a myth. People need input and guidance to come up with ideas. I use various methods and exercises to unleash creativity in myself and others.
- I’m a very social person who thrives within a team. Great things get built together, so don’t put me in isolation and expect good stuff.
That’s it. If this sounds like someone you want to work with, I’m happy to talk more over a coffee.