Designer · Artist · Philosopher
Curriculum
vitae.
I build systems. I question systems. I live inside systems. Based in Leiden, The Netherlands.
How I work
Systems Thinker
I look for patterns and root causes, not just surface issues.
Comfortable with Complexity
I enjoy difficult domains where the problem is not immediately clear.
Bridge Between Disciplines
I translate between design, engineering, legal, business and human experience.
Deep Listener
I listen before I design. What is not said can be as important as what is said.
Curious Researcher
I use design as a way of asking questions through research, prototypes, conversations and experiments.
Quietly Determined
I am patient with difficult problems and value long-term impact.
Mindful Mentor
I enjoy helping people think, grow and find their own way of working.
01
Design life
Designing complex products and services at the intersection of people, technology and organisations.
Senior Product Designer — GitLab
2019 – 2026 · Security, Compliance & Developer Tools
Designed complex security and compliance products for developers, security specialists and large organisations, from problem exploration to implementation.
- Translated legal and compliance requirements into technical policies and workflows that developers could understand, implement and monitor.
- Led research and design across policy management, vulnerability management and security workflows.
- Worked closely with product managers, engineers, security specialists, legal, sales and customers.
- Conducted problem research, concept validation, usability testing and surveys.
- Used prototyping as a way to explore complex problems and align different disciplines before implementation.
- Mentored designers and contributed to design culture and ways of working.
Design Lead — Asellion
2019 · B2B Platform, Pharmaceutical Industry
Designed a digital bidding and negotiation platform to transform a traditionally face-to-face pharmaceutical process.
- Led product design and helped define the overall product vision.
- Turned complex negotiation flows into understandable digital experiences.
- Led and grew the design team, including hiring, mentoring and establishing ways of working.
Senior Product Designer — GetYourGuide
2018 – 2019 · Travel, Service Design & Growth
Designed experiences across the full customer journey, from online to offline.
- Designed for mobile, web, email and offline touchpoints.
- Used service-design methods to understand and improve the end-to-end experience.
- Developed scalable components and contributed to the design system.
- Worked with C-level product leadership on design strategy and longer-term product direction.
- Led qualitative research and cross-functional workshops.
- Advocated design thinking through internal talks and writing, and mentored designers.
Mobile Designer & Team Lead — Booking.com
2014 – 2017 · Mobile Products, Experimentation & Research
Designed native iOS and Android experiences, combining user research, experimentation and data.
- Designed and evaluated A/B tests and used behavioural data to inform design decisions.
- Conducted user research, surveys and focus groups to understand the human reasons behind the numbers.
- Worked across interaction and visual design to create consistent mobile experiences.
- Led a product team and developed design visions to align people around longer-term direction.
Product Designer & Product Manager — Amadeus
2012 – 2014 · Enterprise Travel Systems
Designed complex enterprise travel reservation workflows, working between user needs, business requirements and technical constraints.
- Designed user-centred solutions within complex technical systems.
- Connected user needs, business goals and technical possibilities.
- Worked across product, engineering and business teams.
What I have learned to design
Complex Systems
Security, compliance, enterprise software and technical workflows where problems cannot be understood from a single perspective.
Translation
Turning one discipline's language into another: legal into technical, business into product, research into strategy, and human needs into system behaviour.
Research as Design
Interviews, observation, workshops, prototyping and experimentation are not separate activities for me. They are different ways of thinking through a problem.
Products Across Boundaries
I don't see UX as only what happens on a screen. Products exist across interfaces, services, organisations, communication and the systems behind them.
Design Leadership
Creating conditions for teams to think clearly together through mentoring, facilitation, workshops and shared ownership — not simply making design decisions for others.
02
Art life
Exploring the body, the self and the invisible systems around us.
Selected exhibitions
Writing
The 11th Art
Writing on art, embodied inquiry and philosophy.
Subscribe ↗Elsewhere
@the11thart ↗03
Human life
Living through different roles, which shape how I understand people, work and myself.
- 1987Learner
- 1987Daughter
- 2008 – 2011Journalist · 163.com
- 2012 – 2014Designer & Product manager · Amadeus
- 2014 Oct – 2017 NovMobile designer & Team lead · Booking.com
- 2018 Jan – 2019 JanSenior product designer · GetYourGuide
- 2018 – NowWife
- 2019 April – 2019 SeptDesign lead · Asellion
- 2019 Sept – NowSenior product designer · GitLab
- 2020Artist
- 2022 – NowMother
- 2024Philosopher
- AlwaysIndependent artist / Poet
Education
- MA in Comparative PhilosophyLeiden University · 2021–2024
- Graduate Diploma in Fine ArtRoyal College of Art, London · 2020
- Master of Science in Multi-MediaTélécom Paris / ENS Télécommunications · 2010–2011
- Bachelor of Engineering in TelecommunicationBeijing University of Posts and Telecommunications · 2006–2010