Design, for me, is fundamentally about creating meaningful value. While initially leveraging first-person perspectives, my bachelor's studies made me aware of the limitations of this and the need to empathise with user groups I cannot fully identify with. My initial skillset consisted of methods for understanding people, their needs, and their contexts, as well as for translating insights into design requirements, such as through affinity diagrams or statistical analysis. This was deepened in the course User Experience Theory and Practice with methods like perspective switching. In terms of communicating insights, I gradually broadened my skillset (e.g., with personas, user journey maps, and value proposition canvases) to navigate multi-stakeholder contexts, particularly when interests conflict, like the M1.1 project involving people with dementia and case managers. 

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This analytical foundation is complemented by a theory-driven and ethically grounded practice. An extracurricular project on developing a teaching activity for more-than-human sense-making expanded my lens beyond traditional human-centred paradigms. This reflects contemporary shifts in design research toward more participatory, ethical, and socially responsible innovation practices. In addition to design outcomes, this ethical awareness has also become present in my practices, particularly when engaging vulnerable groups like children (M2.1) or people with dementia (M1.1). I have made preliminary research and formal ethical reviews a standard part of my practice, increasing my sensitivity to protect user dignity and autonomy.

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Alongside this, I actively developed my participatory design practice through co-design in both my Bachelor's and Master's, as well as during partner co-creations during my time with Team IGNITE. These experiences solidified my belief in collaborative sense-making as key tools for generating multi-perspective insights that inform user-centred decisions. ​​​In my Master’s, this evolved from applying participatory methods to actively shaping them, using visual and tangible tools to support deeper engagement and help participants articulate their own perspectives.​