Gerrit Jan Veldman Email & Phone Number

After studying Industrial Design Engineering at the TU Delft, with an exchange year at EINA Barcelona, I moved to Spain to work with Luki Huber, product designer known for extensive collaborations with clients such as elBulli and Lékué. As one of just two designers in the studio, I had the opportunity to contribute firsthand to numerous projects for these and other clients beyond the realm of food design.Aside from its rigorous approach to creativity, a distinguishing feature of Luki's studio is the high level of client involvement in the design process. Clients and stakeholders are invited to engage in workshops aimed at ideation, knowledge exchange and decision taking. To facilitate these workshops, we developed a hands-on mapping tool, which allowed us to work with creative methodologies in a very dynamic manner. When others started showing interest in this work procedure, we decided to commercialize the tool under the brand Manual Thinking. The tool quickly found its way to a diverse range of users and gave us the opportunity to offer workshops for companies and universities around the world. The methodology of the tool has been detailed in the Manual Thinking book, written in 2015 and subsequently published in 5 languages. In parallel, I taught Design Sketching at IED Barcelona for 6 years. In addition to digital design tools, I believe that sketching by hand remains very relevant for designers, as an essential skill to create from one's own imagination. Guiding future designers in adopting this technique has been both fulfilling and rewarding. After more than a decade, I transitioned to a multinational, when I was offered the opportunity to work on an exciting project for HP. Leveraging the company's expertise in microfluidics and consumer electronics, I worked within a worldwide team developing innovative products for the healthcare sector. Taking part in both ID and UX aspects, I have been performing user research, designing concepts, building prototypes, and conducting usability tests, with the goal of designing competitive products with a safe and seamless user experience. Throughout the years, the need to address pressing environmental and social challenges has fundamentally shaped my approach to product design. Through projects, courses, and literature I have continuously refreshed my skills to create solutions that not only meet user needs but also contribute positively to our planet and society. Today’s quickly evolving landscape endows designers with responsibility and purpose – a purpose I seek to fulfil in upcoming projects.