Hi I am Wouter,
I'm a designer, innovator and strategist crafting future experiences across digital, physical and hybrid worlds. I care about this world and am driven, both professionally and personally, to create meaningful solutions that improve everyday life.
Over the past 7 years I’ve been working on early stage innovation projects for brands including Mercedes, Samsung, TomTom, Oppo, Intel and IKEA, while leading teams for clients like Amazon, Philips, Albert Heijn and Dell. My last personal project has been designing and building my own open source sustainable wiki house which has been featured on national television and is also quite lovely to live in! 😄
My 4 specializations
1. Clarity Architect
What's the actual challenge?
I bring order to chaos. I help teams start projects right by getting everyone on the same page. I organize workshops, align different stakeholders and ask the sometimes provocative questions in order to weed out the fluff and get to the core of the actual challenge.
2. Concept Catalyst
How could we tackle this challenge?
I know, ideas are cheap. But sometimes you still need them, and ideally a shitload of them. Teams bring me in when they need fresh thinking. But it’s not all about my ideas, I facilitate the right conditions so teams can work together and everyone can meaningfully contribute to finding new ideas and translate those into actionable concepts.
3. Proof Builder
What to build in order to prove our assumptions?
I make ideas real so people can experience them. I create digital and physical prototypes, mock-ups, and videos that help teams learn quickly and show the value of new concepts. This hands-on approach helps teams learn faster and shows stakeholders what's possible in ways that presentations can't.
4. Storyteller
Why should anyone care?
Innovation is hard, not just the technical challenges (hardware/software) but the adaptive challenges (convincing people) can be even harder. Stories provide context to concepts to explain the why. They touch people on an emotional level so users, clients and stakeholders open up and are willing to invest, be it emotionally or financially.
“When a wise man points at the moon the fool examines the finger.”
— Confucius
Me pointing towards a screen during the presentation of a new concept during a live cooking demo at Albert Heijn HQ.
Within innovation tracks it might seem easy to look for that moon, but with the challenges of today a finger (user test, complaint, KPI) quickly becomes the main goal.
I naturally dive into new technical domains, be it machine learning, emotional bonding with smart products or water purification. This isn't about technology for its own sake, but understanding its potential impact on users. This explorative part of my identity accelerates innovation because it helps me to quickly find new opportunities, even in areas unfamiliar to me, and look beyond the obvious. 👉 🌔
“What’s the random insight of today?”
— question from one of my lovely colleagues at Handmade
Having this urge to dive into new topics did make for interesting conversations during lunch. But one insights doesn’t make a great product. Building the future always requires a great team and I’ve been blessed to work with an amazing bunch of people so far!
Working together isn't always easy, team members have different opinions and focus areas. Sometimes you want to impress a new client and sometimes you just want to be home in time. That's why I actively contribute to the team dynamics, so we can openly discuss concerns, share ideas, and give compliments. This approach builds a work culture that makes people happy and this will most likely deliver great results. 🥳
Democracy - The boring way to change society?
Making the world a better place can be done in many ways. I've been trying this as a designer, but a few years ago I realized that politics can sometimes be even more effective. Take the 2008 EU legislation banning incandescent light-bulbs, with one law, an entire industry was propelled into the energy transition. Sadly, many political parties don't dare to dream big, remain conservative, or are simply not functioning well. Volt is different, it’s a party that dreams big, embraces progress, and challenges outdated norms. When I discovered Volt lacked an official chapter in my area, I stepped up, activated dormant supporters, and in april 2025 we established our official local Volt Flevoland chapter, where I now serve as co-chairman. This way I’m hoping to positively contribute to our democracy.