Hi Jeff Hoekwater! Today you’re a Service Designer at Riverty in the Netherlands and an Ambition Empower member, but… Where did it all begin?
– Well… Fintech is actually quite a new area for me. I studied museum and exhibition design in the UK for four years and then spent ten years designing exhibitions at museums worldwide. China, Malaysia, the Caribbean, Germany… It was great fun, and I learned a lot. At one point, I got tired of moving around, and it was time for a career switch. So, I started with service design work for the public sector in the Netherlands, and then, a couple of years ago, I decided to try to apply my skills in a completely new area.
And now you’re at the fintech company Riverty? What’s a typical day like for you?
– I mainly work with insights. I do research and help product managers, UX designers, and others to get what they need so that we can understand our customers and clients better. Beyond that, I also spend a lot of time in education, helping colleagues to get better at research, writing questions, interviewing, analyzing, etc. But on the surface, it looks like most jobs. I go to meetings, talk a lot, and try to convince people I’m right. 😉
Ha ha! Yes, don’t we all! You recently renewed your membership and signed up for another year with Ambition Empower. How has it worked out for you so far, and what’s given you the most value?
– To be honest… It was a bit scary to get on board when everything was already up and running, so it wasn’t perfect for me from the beginning, but when I joined the Service Design track, everything just worked out. It’s fantastic. Chris Risdon’s material and live sessions are so valuable. Besides the new models and examples I get, Chris often talks about how everything is connected and the ‘why’ behind everything. I mean, I’ve understood what to do, and the ‘why’ to some degree, but lots of it has been eye-opening. Empower also saves me plenty of time. Since I teach others on these topics, I can often borrow and use material directly in my workshops.
I’m so happy to hear that! I understand that it can be challenging at first, not least because it’s hard to create new habits. But… continuous growth and saving time… that’s exactly what we’re trying to help our members with.
Thanks for being part of Empower, Jeff! We really appreciate having you with us.
Read more about Ambition Empower, and join Jeff and all the other members here: https://lnkd.in/dZEfcTCp
