Key Questions:
- How did you hear about ZEF and the project you worked on?
Ulrich found my profile on LinkedIn, approached me by mail and introduced me to ZEF. By then I had other plans and I stated that I would search for a graduation project in about one year. One year later Ulrich got back to me, we met and defined a project together.
- Do you feel that your time at ZEF has contributed to your studies and to your work experience? In what ways?
Definitely, I still think that my project at ZEF was the most interesting one of my studies. This project offered me the chance to gain experience in working as a designer on a high tech product in a multidisciplinary team. Next to this, I thoroughly enjoyed the talks with the ZEF entrepreneurs and I still use the insights gained from this project in my daily work and conversations.
- What was the social atmosphere at ZEF like? Do any social activities take place during the project?
There was an ambitious atmosphere with a can-do-it mentality. I enjoyed the daily start-ups of the day, I think this formed the basis of the team building. I occasionally joined Friday drinks (most of the time I was occupied with sports).
- Do you feel that you got to express your ideas, experience, skills, and creativity during your time at ZEF?
Yes, I experienced an open and inviting atmosphere for my ideas and approach.
- Do you feel that you were trusted to work independently on your tasks and that you were given enough responsibilities?
During my graduation project at ZEF I was my own project leader and I was well able to work independently. I felt supported in my approach by the ZEF team.
- Was your time at ZEF what you imagined and hoped it would be?
My time at ZEF was better than I expected. Working at ZEF offered me many insights that went beyond my university program. This project helped me to position myself as a designer.
- What did you think about ZEF, and the overall idea/venture of the company?
I think that ZEF is a very inspiring company that is driven to work towards a sustainable future.
When I got to know ZEF it seemed strange to me that a commercial company had ten times more interns than professionals. Yet, after understanding the nature of the project my view changed towards admiration on how ZEF works on a highly complex challenge with minimal resources.
- What are you up to nowadays?
After my graduation I became a product designer at the toy development company ‘Visiodan’ in Copenhagen (Denmark). There I worked on the full spectrum of design engineering, from first ideation to prototyping, to mass production. Now, I’m back in the Netherlands and I work from home for Visiodan, meanwhile I’m searching for a new opportunity in the Netherlands in the field of sustainable design.
