Hello, I’m Michelle

information architecture, proces design, value augmentation

This is me

Development is more than putting the right code with the right design. It’s research, it’s strategy, it’s communicating, it’s adapting. But most of all it’s aligning on what is really needed and following through as a team.

I’ve been working on development, execution and advice for web-based software, applications and the people around it for more than 10 years. Mapping IT landscapes, optimizing and creating structures & processes, product development and everything that we encounter in the process of creating and delivering value.

I feel it is our duty to take care of the world and all its inhabitants to provide a sustainable future. I contribute to this by helping people grow and develop on their own terms, supported by the right conditions. Designing those conditions – or requirements – based on peoples needs, became the key activity in my work.


Back then it didn’t have a name. Now it’s called Information Architect, Solution Engineer, Process Designer, Product Owner, User Experience Designer or Requirement Engineer. But in general I’m a technical translator between business and IT.

I was always fascinated by logic, the way things work, and quite good at connecting the dots. I started off making websites, back then in Dreamweaver, HTML/CSS. It felt like a logical way to concretize the services of others. The logic, or structure, behind a string of code, a piece of software or the branch of a tree has many similarities to the structure and processes within an organization. That’s why it is important to look at the organization and make a translation of the processes within to get that structure – and with that the initial design – clear.

I am the happiest when I can contribute to get the most out of something, to make it grow. In most of my projects I fulfill the role of clarifier / interpreter – and visualising those into process & product flows. And that really fits me. I’ve spent a lot of time in classrooms, during my studies, but also during my work as a drama teacher. Helping people grow & understand, learning how people are different but the same. And that intentions can be good, but impact is what really matters.
When I made the shift to business, I felt that the world was different, but the needs were the same; In a work environment we learn and develop ourselves and our product/service all the time, but we forget that – and why – we are actually doing it. Therefor we often do not orchestrate the right conditions. My work is designing & delivering the conditions to facilitate the increase of personal and common value. Ideally in products and/or organizations that puts people and their future first.

For me it’s not just people, or just technology. It’s making the world more resilient every day.

 

Resume

Experience

  • Head of IT & Development

    2021 - now

    The Playmakers

    Providing strategic, management and operational guidelines. Developing online & offline products & education / training tools.

    • establishing & redefining processes to ensure overall quality of products.
    • develop technological aspects of business strategy to ensure they align with business objectives.
    • managing overall ICT for operational processes and office automation.
    • implementing & monitoring quality of service, i.e. security needs and privacy by design.
    • develop technology business strategies in multi-year plans; initiating and executing projects.
    • responsibility for managing the allocated budget.
    • stimulating awareness, knowledge sharing, innovation and training throughout company regarding internal & external technology.

  • PO / Project lead for SPG

    2019-2020

    allesoveraardwarmte.nl

    Geothermie Nederland, EBN and SWN collaborated to create a product to provide accurate independent information about Geothermal heath as a substitute for the usage of gas as a heating source. The stakeholders provided me with information so I could distill the requirements to create target groups, persona's, user journeys, wireframes and guidelines for design, development and testing to do their job. Visit allesoveraardwarmte.nl.

  • Product Owner for Amino/24i

    2019-2020

    StreamOne / Smart Video

    When the company StreamOne was bought by 24i the onboarding of the Video Streaming Platform / VPAAS was not easy. I stepped in to onboard the product, manage the customers and with the team I maintained and developed it until the new team could take it into their own hands. Now it is happily serving millions of users every day.

  • Architect for Auris Digitaal

    2018

    Video Management Platform

    Designing requirements and prototype for VMS that can be linked to an ECD (Electronic Client Dossier)


    TOSinbeeld.nl

    For Auris I worked together with the research dept. to create a website providing information about speaking disorders in children for teachers. My task was designing requirements, customer journeys, persona's and eventually building the product itself: tosinbeeld.nl

  • CTO for StreamOne

    2018

    Head of Operations

    Providing strategic, management and operational guidelines. Setting up customer support lines, implementing scrum/agile methods. Daily Operations. Preparing company handover, managing stakeholders.

  • Requirement Engineer for SML

    2017

    Warehouse Management System

    For Sumis Marketing Logistics I analyzed the current WMS (research, interviews, user cases) and optimizing process, creating requirements and selecting a new supplier.

  • CIO a.i. for Altavia Sumis

    2016 - 2017

    Head of IT

    Providing strategic, management an operational guidelines. Setting up the IT dept. Determine / design the optimal information architecture / IT Landscape. Process design / management. Product design & management.


    PO SPUTNIK

    Campaign and POS manager for printing, Digital Asset Management, Store DNA, webshop<, PIM (Product Information Management)/p>


    PO OCTO+

    Order Management Software for printmanagement. Developed from on-prem to hybrid cloud to 3.0 SaaS. Also did the handover from initial development party to the new team.


    PO LOCAL

    Customized Webshops for internal printwork or POS materials. Shops were created and customized for AH, ETOS, HEMA, Bijenkort, ANWB and others.


  • Other

    2000 - now

    Management & Strategy

    Office management, planning, internal communication, subsidy applications. Organizing the daily structure, managing trainees & interns. Providing strategic advice as a boardmember for CLUB LAM and as office Manager for AM (Female Network Collective).

    Webdeveloper / Wordpress

    design, technical realization, content and maintenance of websites & applications.


    Teacher

    Primary school teacher, Drama teacher.
    Providing lessons & workshops for youngsters at various Elementary & middle schools. Providing training for adolescents and adults. In theaters & schools.
  • Check my linkedin profile for more information

Skills

  • Coding

    I am familiar with front-end, back-end and integration languages and practices regarding software development.

    HTML / CSS
    85
    SQL / XML
    75
    API / SOAP / REST
    75
    JSON / AJAX / PHP
    60
    Docker / CI/CD
    55
  • Applications
    I am familiar with various applications & software for wireframing, modelling, designing and coding.
    Google / Microsoft 365
    70
    Lucidchart / Visio
    90
    Github / Bitbucket
    40
    AWS / Azure
    40
    Jira / Confluence
    70
    Adobe / Sketch
    60
  • Language

    I am a Dutch native. Furthermore, I can speak English, German and a little bit of French.

    Dutch
    10
    English
    8
    German
    7
    French
    3
  • Design skills

    I have a well-rounded skill set in UI / UX design.

    Wireframing
    20
    Prototyping
    20
    Storyboarding
    10
    Proces design
    15
    Sketching
    25
    User Interviews
    10

  • Courses

    Microsoft Learning Courses

    '18 -'20

    Followed courses in the Microsoft learning environment


    Diagram Modelling Courses

    2019

    Followed courses on MDA creating diagrams in UML and BPMN standards.


    Product Owning Agile/Scrum

    2016

    PSPO training ProWareness

    2022

    PSPO II training Expandior / Chris Lukassen

  • School

    HBO Fontys Lerarenopleiding

    2011 - 2013


    Essay: Creative expression as an educational element


    Small business & Retail Management

    2005 - 2006


    Essay: Business strategy international growth


    HBO PABO Hogeschool Zuyd

    2000 - 2004


    Undergraduate degree with Honors


Portfolio

Below you can see how I implemented my skills in all sorts of projects & job roles as listed above.
Feel free to take a look around or to ask me if you have any questions.

Contact

Get in touch // Hire me

Feel free to send me a message to discuss job opportunities or freelance projects to see what I can do for you.