Meet Wouter, our UX Team Lead. He guides our designers in their growth, both professionally and personally.
Welcome to Talking Tuesday! In this interview series we introduce our specialists to you every month. They give you an insight into what it is like to work at Humanoids, but also what they are doing at the moment! This month we kick off with Wouter: UX Team Lead.
What kind of project are you doing now?
I'm between two projects. I have just spent 3 years working on the corona portal for the GGD on behalf of the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport.
As Team Lead, I guide the designers to grow professionally and personally.
What's most interesting about this?
Most interesting: The collaboration with only external people who despite that worked well and enjoyed each other.
As a Team Lead, what I enjoy most is the personal contact and facilitating the growth of others.
Also interesting: Helping to design and build a portal where users could map the spread of COVID and thus anticipate policy implementation at a micro level.
Also interesting: Helping to design and build a portal that greatly benefited the GGD during COVID, but which could also be future-proof for other infectious diseases (let's hope not).
What do you add to a team?
I notice that I often play the link between the builders and the business / stakeholders. I ensure that the most important heads are in the same call or room, so that we can make a joint choice to tackle certain problems. That makes my design time and quality a lot more efficient.
As Team Lead, I set my people free. I trust their abilities. If something goes wrong, I take responsibility. Of course you have to make adjustments every now and then, but only minimally.
What tip would you like to give to someone who is just starting out?
You find the right solution for the right problem by finding out what doesn't work as you go. It's like skateboarding, but the fall doesn't hurt. That is still the tip for me. Fail better. It can be scary, but go ahead.
Can you name a business situation or event that was of great benefit to you?
In the past, miscommunication sometimes occurred because of my actions. I then received the following advice: Something that is obvious to you is not necessarily obvious to others. So always communicate clearly what you do, what you think and what you want.
Can you tell us something about your growth as a specialist in recent years?
It never ceases to amaze me how organic growth can be. I especially notice growth when what made me grow suddenly disappears or goes. After working at Moneyou for 1.5 years, I ended up at a smaller company where things were really not in order. I then added structure and a goal-oriented way of working. If you had told me a year ago that I would be doing this, I would have laughed in your face.
What do you like so much about this sector?
Collaborating with people from different backgrounds. But also working on something tangible. There are people who will use what you make, but it doesn't stop there. The way in which something is used also provides information about how we can improve a product.
In addition, the knowledge I gain from various industries where I end up as a designer is extremely interesting. It gives you a broader idea of how the machine can work.
What are you most proud of since joining Humanoids?
The team and how we work together.
What makes Humanoids special?
I don't think we're special. We do what other companies should do. Giving recent graduates a chance in the field and trusting that everything will turn out well. And that it will work out has been proven time and time again.
That was the Talking Tuesday interview again! Next month we will introduce another specialist to you. Also take a look at our LinkedIn for more content and tips from our experts.