Overall growth
Business and Entrepreneurship
I am constantly working to develop myself as an entrepreneur through my video production company. I believe that the design processes I have learned in my studies have provided a strong foundation for my growth as a creative entrepreneur. Similar to entrepreneurship, I see design as a means of finding solutions to problems and creating unique experiences that evoke emotions in people.
My goal during my FBP was to utilize my design expertise to enhance the craft beer industry. Through discussions with experts in both the craft beer and scent sectors, I evaluated potential implementations at the conclusion of my design process. I also considered potential challenges, including the high cost of creating custom fragrances. As a beer taster, I am also planning to launch a small business that incorporates my design into beer tastings.
In this project, I put all my business knowledge to use. One of my objectives was to design the process in a way that would allow the products to be brought to market. To do this, I employed techniques from my "Introduction to Business Design" course, such as creating a customer journey map and a business model canvas. Additionally, I was able to further develop my understanding of the "ODIT" concept through the "Design Innovation Methods" course, where I examined how to scale ODIT without losing the unique qualities of the product. Through this process, I gained valuable insights into the world of product scaling, and I found it intriguing to see which design values needed to be compromised in order to appeal to a wider audience.
Working at my video production company has provided me with a wide range of skills in production and planning. Additionally, it has also honed my communication skills, particularly when it comes to managing people on a film set. For instance, on a crucial shooting day, it is essential to ensure that equipment, crew, and location are organized to maximize efficiency. Additionally, I have also gained practical knowledge such as managing finances, including taxes. FORE REEL: CLICK HERE
As a child, I had always associated the ability to sketch with inventors (designers). So, I decided to learn sketching during my studies. I learned the basics of drawing in perspective and applied these skills in various projects. Now, I use my iPad to quickly iterate on my designs.
In this project, I designed a tea house and exhibition in the backyard of the Van Abbehuis in Eindhoven, with a focus on the user experience, the building's story, its shape and sustainability. From a design perspective, I considered the building's users, and decided that the visitors themselves should be the exhibition, allowing the artist to respond to this. I used glass panels to represent nature and incorporated lighting that changes every minute to create a unique experience for visitors each time. The overall experience was of paramount importance.
The brewing process allows for creativity in deciding which beer to produce and offers the ability to adjust the taste at every step. Additionally, I am responsible for creating labels that include a story to enhance the overall experience.
Creating videos is a way for me to express my creativity. When working on personal projects, there is no one to give direction or tell me what needs to be done. This has been a self-taught process fueled by my curiosity. It's a testament to the fact that when you are passionate about something, you can teach yourself new skills. Now, when I have an idea, I prefer to quickly bring it to fruition. Recently, I made a short video in just 2 hours to clear my head. Click here
I enjoy working on short, quick projects. For instance, I spent some time designing my own shoes, and also participated in the Clarks design challenge where I primarily focused on creating the video. I also try to complete assignments in a unique way. for example, I made a rap instead of a slide show for a presentation of a course (cultural design). click here
Creativity and Aesthetics
In the years where I studied industrial design, I have always viewed this field as a central area of focus. As a designer, I believe this is crucial for the user that the product appears visually appealing, as it can often create a first impression of the overall experience. An example of this is standing out during a demo day, from my own experience, people are more likely to initiate a conversation if a high-quality prototype is on display.
Math, Data and Computing
In previous projects and courses, I have often shared responsibilities with team members. When I encountered difficulties and was pressed for time, more experienced team members often took on the work to resolve it efficiently. However, this was not an option in my recent Final bachelor Project, and I spent several days resolving error messages in the code.
In this course, I learned about the game design process using the Unity program. While Unity is relatively user-friendly for visual adjustments, it also offers various options for manipulating game mechanics. For instance, we created a 3D game where a character navigates different worlds. We experimented with different gravitational forces to alter the character's movement in each world.
In addition to a fundamental data analytics course, this was my first experience in using data analysis from user testing within a design context. Using two sensors (smartwatch and sound sensor), we analyzed the effect of ambient noise on sleep. Analyzing my own data provided me with an understanding of how real-world studies are conducted, and also helped me to better comprehend academic papers.
For me personally, the realization piece from my design was very important, as I described in my PDP, I wanted to create a product that could actually be used and that I could be proud of. To get this demonstrator working I had to work with new sensors such as the barcode scanner. This was a difficult process since fellow students had no experience with this, so it takes a lot of time to solve error messages independently.
Furthermore, I had set the goal to apply many different ideation techniques and to work with different materials. I have made extensive use of rapid foam or clay prototypes to communicate my ideas to coaches.
The most important thing is that the techniques I want to use in my design are proven by studies and by examples in the commercial world. In addition, the experience created on demo day is one of the highlights of the realization. My goal to make people enthusiastic about the world of craft beer was made possible by the demonstrator and the experience room on demo day.
I participated in a second-year engineering project.
It was interesting to be a part of the process closely and saw many similarities with industrial design, however, I found there was less freedom since the design challenge was the same for everyone and there were many specific requirements for the design, which resulted in similar outcomes. I found that I lacked some basic knowledge which made it hard for me to keep up with the technical terms. Nevertheless, I am happy with the final outcome, and this course helped me understand the fundamental concepts of architecture and how buildings are constructed. I had the opportunity to work with building models made of different materials and learned new software such as Archicad and Enscape. I believe it would be beneficial to have an industrial designer involved in an engineering project as it would give insight into the value a designer can bring to another field.
I aimed to begin learning 3D modeling and this course provided a great chance to do so. I have built a marble run using the program shapr3D.
I have been involved in developing the prototype in courses of Aesthetics of interaction and creative electronics.
Technology and Realization
During my first two years of study, I primarily concentrated on the visual aspect of design. I had no background in electronics or the use of software for 3D modeling. As I began to explore my career aspirations as a designer, I realized that I lacked certain essential design skills, such as working with Arduino. I obtained knowledge in courses like aesthetics or interaction through observing and assisting other students.
User and Society
One of the most intriguing courses that I took was "Design for Debate." I found it engaging to view design from different perspectives. The course delved into the profession quite deeply, which prompted me to reflect on the type of designer I wish to be. It made me more conscious of the impact that my design can have, and taught me to consider not just people, but also other factors. We created a design experience/exhibition that encouraged people to consider the ownership of design.
In this project, we employed a speculative design approach to explore a scenario of energy scarcity and a prison dilemma. It was intriguing to engage with users and observe their behavior in this simulated context.
Professional skills
In high school, I was comfortable with presenting in front of small groups of familiar faces. However, when I began studying here and switched from Dutch to English, I struggled to express myself effectively. As a result, I found it increasingly difficult to present and often remained in the background during group presentations. But during my FBP, I decided to work on improving my presentation skills since I couldn’t rely on others to do the work for me. I have made progress in this area, and I have found that it is much easier for me to share my story with others, but I still have some ways to go to regain my confidence. I will continue to work on it in the future.
As a leader in group settings, my goal is to foster a positive and relaxed environment. I believe in equal participation and mutual learning within partnerships. Through my experience on committees for the study association lucid, I have honed my ability to lead meetings. Additionally, professional meetings with my video production company, FORE, have instilled confidence in negotiating prices and understanding my value to companies, which is beneficial in job
Future
During my studies, I struggled to stay motivated and often felt stressed leading up to deadlines. I found it challenging to be constantly evaluated in a traditional academic setting. I am eager to gain independence and support myself through projects that I am passionate about. I am proud of my accomplishments during my FBP, as I had a great experience and learned a lot, which is my top priority.
In the near future, I plan to continue working on various projects, including growing my video production company. I aim to merge my three passions- design, beer, and filming- into a full-time job, where I can unleash my creativity by producing videos at a brewery. Additionally, I intend to expand my knowledge of beer and establish a small company to share my passion for craft beer through tastings. Currently, my focus is not on pursuing a master’s degree; I want to take a break from studying and devote 100% of my time to running a company and working on small projects.