Welcome to Talking Tuesday!

In this interview series, we introduce you to our specialists. They tell you what it's like to work at Humanoids and what they're currently working on!

This month we're kicking off with Hiske: UX designer

What project are you working on right now?

I'm currently working at CZ for the app team on several things. I'm working on a design system and implementing many components that were originally built for the web, converting them to a style that works well for the CZ app and contributes to its look and feel. Soon we're going live with the first new accessible buttons! I'm also taking on projects like the onboarding process in the app.

What's most interesting about this project?

I think CZ already has quite a bit of UX maturity, so I don't have to fight for the importance of UX—my Product Owner and colleagues see the value in it. This project hits the sweet spot for me because I get to collaborate with different departments.

What do you add to a team?

I'm a very fast designer. I like to create something visual and not discuss possible solutions for too long. I also bring a lot of energy and enthusiasm. I also provide professionalization. I really try to collaborate with developers and ask them: 'How can I best set up my files for you?' I learn a lot from that as well. Overall, I'm quite a well-rounded designer.

What tip would you give to someone just starting out with UX?

Be bold and don't be too scared. Don't wait for permission just go do things. You'll hear soon enough if it's not allowed. I think a good UX designer has the guts to be a bit cheeky sometimes.

What's a favorite tool or design hack you can't live without?

A tool I couldn't live without is ChatGPT. I mainly use it for copywriting, which I find difficult. And of course the good old-fashioned Post-it. Not really a digital tool, but when I talk to developers about a flow, I take them to a wall to physically stick Post-its and visualize together. I think it's important to do sessions physically in digital sessions, people drift off to their phones more quickly.

Can you tell us something about your growth as a specialist over the past two years?

During my traineeship at Humanoids I did many internal projects, like for Naturalis, Ship2Port and the Sociale Verzekeringsbank. Because they were short projects, I went through the UX process many times in one year, which made me an all-round designer. After that I was ready for a gig at a large organization like CZ. I can connect well there now because I'm broadly deployable—I wouldn't want to only focus on research or design systems.

What was your biggest challenge in a project and how did you overcome it?

Convincing stakeholders of the user's importance, especially stakeholders who have a different goal, like cost savings or digitalization. I've learned that research and data are your best weapons. I invite stakeholders to customer research so they see for themselves where a user gets stuck. You also need to speak their language: if they focus on numbers, come back with data, for example: "80% of people click away here".

What do you like about this sector?

I really like making things tangible. I love putting on headphones and working something out. In organizations, people sometimes keep talking for too long. As a designer, you give them something real to talk about.

What's something fe people know about you that's relevant to your work?

I'm actually an open book. My interest in "nerdy things" like Dungeons & Dragons and games helps me enormously though. I often connect quickly with developers because we share those interests.

How do you see the future of your role?

For myself, I see the future in product design (app design), less in research. As for the profession: I don't think AI will replace us because the human side like bringing energy, being bold, and asking the right questions will always remain essential. AI can't quite replace that for the coming years. I do think UX designers will spend less time on execution and more time having conversations and forming vision because of AI.

What assignment or organization would you still like to work for in the future?

I think product design is really cool. I'd love to do an assignment for a large supermarket. Working on a supermarket app would be really enjoyable.

What are you most proud of since working at Humanoids?

I'm very proud of the Naturalis Wazzat app it became a really good MVP. I'm also proud of my overall growth and development over the past few years. I've learned so much at Humanoids.

What makes Humanoids special?

The opportunity to surround yourself with inspiring people. When I came in, I looked up to the experienced designers ("I want to be able to do that too"). Now I notice that new people look at me the same way. It's very valuable to be able to cherry-pick from the skills of others.

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