Skip to content 
Welcome to our UX Designer Spotlight series, where we share the journeys and insights of professionals in User Experience Design. Today’s UX Designer Spotlight features Martijn, a Design veteran who brings a unique blend of classical product design and digital expertise to his role as a Design Director.
Can you tell us about your background and how you got into UX?
I have been trained as a (classical) product designer, the type that designs ‘real products’ like household appliances, furniture etc. In that area of design, it’s vital to take the ‘user experience’ into account when designing…no-one wants to sit on a chair that is not comfortable or hold a cup that’s too large or too small… In that sense, UX was part of my design process long before it became a buzzword.
While I was at school (1990s) the internet came up, and it immediately caught my interest, I bought a cheap modem and started to ‘Surf the Web’ as it was called then. This interest led to career possibilities when I was offered a job as a jr. designer at an internet agency. There I discovered that the process of designing a ‘digital’ product isn’t much different than designing a ‘real’ product. At times, I do miss the fact that digital products are not tangible, but the feeling of holding something in your hands you imagined before is always magical.
What’s your current role in the UX field?
In the course of my career, I grew from a hands-on designer to a designer who operates more on a strategic and advisory level. Nowadays, I would rather call myself a design strategist or design director… Nonetheless, being a designer means that you always have the urge to create, and I believe that the process of creating also helps you to come up with new ideas on a different level than ‘just thinking’ would give you.. so I’ll always keep on sketching and drawing to visualize and brainstorm my ideas.
I’m a design director at an internet agency. Main responsibilities include managing and growing a team of designers making sure to create a safe environment in which they can excel, grow and create their best work. Advising clients on how design can help them solve their challenges. creating concepts for new products and creating (digital) brand identities.
What are your favourite UX tools?
My brain, a pen, and a piece of paper.
Can you share specific scenarios where you’ve used these tools effectively?
While each step in the design process has its specific tooling, every design starts with getting your ideas out of your head and make them tangible, presentable and visual. Never forget that a tool is there to help you, it’s a means to an end. Sometimes all you need is a quick sketch on a whiteboard, while at other times you need to build an elaborate prototype to convince stakeholders. Don’t confuse the mastery of tools, with the mastery of the design process.
How do you stay updated in the UX world?
Instagram, newsletters, award websites, and medium publications.
Any advice for others in the field?
Use tools, don’t let tools use you. Stay curious and open-minded. Experiment with all new tools that come along, but always see them as an advanced extension of a pen and a piece of paper: they are meant to help you express your ideas. And ideas are what counts in our business.
Is there anything else you’d like to share about your experience?
We, designers, have a love for tools, we can discuss endlessly the benefits of Figma vs Sketch, every designer recognizes the quest for the best pen, and we all jump on every new design tool hype… This is all good and necessary. We need to stay curious and understand new developments. But in the end, it’s not changing the essence of our work; it might make it easier (even a loooot easier), but it all starts with an idea.
Don’t get blinded by all the fancy tools, promises of AI, and latest plugins and filters; sometimes the best tool at your disposal is a long walk to clear your mind.
Just this: stay curious, experiment with new tools, but always see them as advanced extensions of a pen and paper. They’re meant to help you express your ideas. And in our business, ideas are what truly count.
We hope you enjoyed this peek into Martijn’s world of UX design. His journey from physical products to digital experiences offers a unique perspective on the field. If you’re a UX professional with a story to share or have suggestions for future spotlights, reach out to us at admin@ux.tools. Stay tuned for more inspiring journeys in our UX Designer Spotlight series!
